Parallel Bible results for "ecclesiastes 7"

Ecclesiastes 7

New King James Version NKJV

1 A good name is better than precious ointment, And the day of death than the day of one's birth;

2 Better to go to the house of mourning Than to go to the house of feasting, For that is the end of all men; And the living will take it to heart.

3 Sorrow is better than laughter, For by a sad countenance the heart is made better.

4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, But the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise Than for a man to hear the song of fools.

6 For like the crackling of thorns under a pot, So is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.

7 Surely oppression destroys a wise man's reason, And a bribe debases the heart.

8 The end of a thing is better than its beginning; The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

9 Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry, For anger rests in the bosom of fools.

10 Do not say, "Why were the former days better than these?" For you do not inquire wisely concerning this.

11 Wisdom is good with an inheritance, And profitable to those who see the sun.

12 For wisdom is a defense as money is a defense, But the excellence of knowledge is that wisdom gives life to those who have it.

13 Consider the work of God; For who can make straight what He has made crooked?

14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, But in the day of adversity consider: Surely God has appointed the one as well as the other, So that man can find out nothing that will come after him.

15 I have seen everything in my days of vanity: There is a just man who perishes in his righteousness, And there is a wicked man who prolongs life in his wickedness.

16 Do not be overly righteous, Nor be overly wise: Why should you destroy yourself?

17 Do not be overly wicked, Nor be foolish: Why should you die before your time?

18 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.

19 Wisdom strengthens the wise More than ten rulers of the city.

20 For there is not a just man on earth who does good And does not sin.

21 Also do not take to heart everything people say, Lest you hear your servant cursing you.

22 For many times, also, your own heart has known That even you have cursed others.

23 All this I have proved by wisdom. I said, "I will be wise"; But it was far from me.

24 As for that which is far off and exceedingly deep, Who can find it out?

25 I applied my heart to know, To search and seek out wisdom and the reason of things, To know the wickedness of folly, Even of foolishness and madness.

26 And 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 trapped by her.

27 "Here is what I have found," says the Preacher, "Adding one thing to the other to find out the reason,

28 Which my soul still seeks but I cannot find: One man among a thousand I have found, But a woman among all these I have not found.

29 Truly, this only I have found: That God made man upright, But they have sought out many schemes."

Revised Standard Version RSV

1 A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death, than the day of birth.

2 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 men, and the living will lay it to heart.

3 Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of countenance the heart is made glad.

4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

5 It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear the song of fools.

6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fools; this also is vanity.

7 Surely oppression makes the wise man foolish, and a bribe corrupts the mind.

8 Better is the end of a thing than its beginning; and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

9 Be not quick to anger, for anger lodges in the bosom of fools.

10 Say not, "Why were the former days better than these?" For it is not from wisdom that you ask this.

11 Wisdom is good with an inheritance, an advantage to those who see the sun.

12 For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money; and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.

13 Consider the work of God; who can make straight what he has made crooked?

14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him.

15 In my vain life I have seen everything; there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his evil-doing.

16 Be not righteous overmuch, and do not make yourself overwise; why should you destroy yourself?

17 Be not wicked overmuch, neither be a fool; why should you die before your time?

18 It is good that you should take hold of this, and from that withhold not your hand; for he who fears God shall come forth from them all.

19 Wisdom gives strength to the wise man more than ten rulers that are in a city.

20 Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.

21 Do not give heed to all the things that men say, lest you hear your servant cursing you;

22 your heart knows that many times you have yourself cursed others.

23 All this I have tested by wisdom; I said, "I will be wise"; but it was far from me.

24 That which is, is far off, and deep, very deep; who can find it out?

25 I turned my mind to know and to search out and to seek wisdom and the sum of things, and to know the wickedness of folly and the foolishness which is madness.

26 And I found more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are fetters; he who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is taken by her.

27 Behold, this is what I found, says the Preacher, adding one thing to another to find the sum,

28 which my mind 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.

29 Behold, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many devices.