“A good name or swan is better than a good ointment. And the day of one's death is better than the day of one's birth,”
Ecclesiastes 7
25 of 29 verses have a reading · Berean Standard Bible
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CS
Chuck Smith19
DW
Dick Woodward3
PP
Philip Powell3
DH
David Hocking3
AW
Al Whittinghill2
MT
Mack Tomlinson2
JJ
James Jennings2
CB
Charles Banna2
ZP
Zac Poonen1
CM
Conrad Murrell1
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Chuck Smith19
DW
Dick Woodward3
PP
Philip Powell3
DH
David Hocking3
AW
Al Whittinghill2
MT
Mack Tomlinson2
JJ
James Jennings2
CB
Charles Banna2
ZP
Zac Poonen1
CM
Conrad Murrell1
All voices →
1A good name is better than fine perfume, and one's day of death is better than his day of birth.
“A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of one's birth.”
2It is better to enter a house of mourning than a house of feasting, since death is the end of every man, and the living should take this to heart.
“it is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart”
“It is better to go to the house of mourning than to the house of feasting. For that is the end of all men, and the living will lay it to his heart.”
“better to go to the house of mourning than go to the house of feasting, for that is the end of all men, and the living will take it to heart.”
3Sorrow is better than laughter, for a sad countenance is good for the heart.
“sorrow is better than laughter. For by the sadness of the countenance, the heart is made better.”
“sorrow is better than laughter, for by the sadness of the countenance, the heart is made better.”
“Sorrow is better than laughter for by the sadness of the countenance. The heart is made better.”
“sorrow is better than laughter for by a sad countenance the heart is made better.”
“Sorrow is better than laughter, for by a sad continence the heart is made better.”
4The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.
“the heart of the wise is in the house of mourning but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.”
“The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.”
“The heart of the wise man is in the house of mourning. But the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.”
“The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of”
“The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning but the heart of fools is in the house of”
5It is better to heed a wise man's rebuke than to listen to the song of fools.
“It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise than for a man to hear the song of fools.”
“it is better to hear the rebuke of the wise than for a man to hear the song of fools.”
6For like the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This too is futile.
“for like the crackling of thorns under a pot so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.”
“for like the crackling of thorns under a pot. So is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.”
7Surely extortion turns a wise man into a fool, and a bribe corrupts the heart.
“Surely oppression makes a wise man mad, and a gift destroys the heart.”
8The end of a matter is better than the beginning, and a patient spirit is better than a proud one.
“Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof. And the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.”
“"...better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.".”
9Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger settles in the lap of a fool.
“Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.”
“Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools.”
10Do not say, "Why were the old days better than these?" For it is unwise of you to ask about this.
“"...say not, why were the former days better than these? For it is not from wisdom that you ask this.".”
“Say not thou, what is the cause that the former days were better than these? For thou does not inquire wisely concerning this.”
11Wisdom, like an inheritance, is good, and it benefits those who see the sun.
“Wisdom is good with an inheritance. And by it there is profit to them that see the sun.”
12For wisdom, like money, is a shelter, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of its owner.
“For wisdom is a defense, and money is a defense. But the excellency of knowledge is that wisdom gives life to them that have it.”
13Consider the work of God: Who can straighten what He has bent?
“consider the work of God, for who can make that straight which he hath made crooked?”
“Consider the work of God, for who is able to straighten what he has bent?”
“Consider the work of God. Who can make straight what God has made crooked?”
“Consider the work of God, for who can make that strait which God hath made crooked?”
14In the day of prosperity, be joyful, but in the day of adversity, consider this: God has made one of these along with the other, so that a man cannot discover anything that will come after him.
“In the day of prosperity, be joyful, but in the day of adversity, consider, God also hath set the one over against the other to the end, that a man should find nothing after him.”
“In the day of prosperity be joyful but in the day of adversity consider God also hath set the one over against the other to the end that man should find nothing after him.”
“In the day of prosperity, be joyful. But in the day of adversity, consider this. God has made one as well as the other so that man may not find out anything that will come after him.”
15In my futile life I have seen both of these: A righteous man perishing in his righteousness, and a wicked man living long in his wickedness.
“All things have I seen in the days of my vanity. And there is a just man that perishes in his righteousness and there is a wicked man that prolongs his life in his wickedness.”
16Do not be overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself?
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17Do not be excessively wicked, and do not be a fool. Why should you die before your time?
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18It is good to grasp the one and not let the other slip from your hand. For he who fears God will follow both warnings.
“It is good that you grasp this and also not remove your hand from the other. For he who fears God will escape them all.”
“It is good that you should take hold of this. Yes, also from this withdraw not thine hand, for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.”
19Wisdom makes the wise man stronger than ten rulers in a city.
“Wisdom strengthens the wise, more than ten mighty men which are in the city.”
20Surely there is no righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.
“For there is not a just man upon earth that doeth good and sinneth not.”
“For there is not a just man upon earth that doeth good and sinneth not.”
“indeed there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins.”
“there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.”
“for there is not a just man upon earth who doeth good and sinneth not.”
“there is not a just man upon the earth that doeth good and sinneth not.”
21Do not pay attention to every word that is spoken, or you may hear your servant cursing you.
“Do not take to heart all the things that people say, lest you hear your servant cursing you.”
22For you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others.
“Your heart knows that many times you yourself have cursed others.”
“your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others.”
23All this I tested by wisdom, saying, "I resolve to be wise." But it was beyond me.
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24What exists is out of reach and very deep. Who can fathom it?
“That which is afar off and exceeding deep, who can find it out?”
25I directed my mind to understand, to explore, to search out wisdom and explanations, and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the folly of madness.
“I applied my heart to know and to search and to seek out wisdom and the reason of things and to know the wickedness of folly, even the foolishness and madness.”
“I directed my mind to know to investigate and to seek wisdom and Explanation and to know the evil of folly and the foolishness of madness”
26And I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a net, and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is ensnared.
“I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, whose hands are fetters. He who pleases God shall escape from her, but the sinner shall be taken by her.”
“and I discovered more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets. Whose hands are chains? Listen to this men brothers one who's pleasing to God will escape from her. But the sinner will be captured by her.”
27"Behold," says the Teacher, "I have discovered this by adding one thing to another to find an explanation.
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28While my soul was still searching but not finding, among a thousand I have found one upright man, but among all these I have not found one such woman.
“Which my soul has sought repeatedly, but I have not found. One man among a thousand I found, but a woman among all these I have not found.”
29Only this have I found: I have discovered that God made men upright, but they have sought out many schemes."
“Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright, but they have sought out many inventions.”