Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible RHE
New Revised Standard NRS
1 (7-2) A good name is better than precious ointments: and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.
1
A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death, than the day of birth.
2 (7-3) It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to the house of feasting: for in that we are put in mind of the end of all, and the living thinketh what is to come.
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It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting; for this is the end of everyone, and the living will lay it to heart.
3 (7-4) Anger is better than laughter: because by the sadness of the countenance the mind of the offender is corrected.
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Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of countenance the heart is made glad.
4 (7-5) The heart of the wise is where there is mourning, and the heart of fools where there is mirth.
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The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
5 (7-6) It is better to be rebuked by a wise man, than to be deceived by the flattery of fools.
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It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear the song of fools.
6 (7-7) For as the crackling of thorns burning under a pot, so is the laughter of a fool: now this also is vanity.
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For like the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of fools; this also is vanity.
7 (7-8) Oppression troubleth the wise, and shall destroy the strength of his heart.
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Surely oppression makes the wise foolish, and a bribe corrupts the heart.
8 (7-9) Better is the end of a speech than the beginning. Better is the patient man than the presumptuous.
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Better is the end of a thing than its beginning; the patient in spirit are better than the proud in spirit.
9 (7-10) Be not quickly angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of a fool.
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Do not be quick to anger, for anger lodges in the bosom of fools.
10 (7-11) Say not: What thinkest thou is the cause that former times were better than they are now? for this manner of question is foolish.
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Do not say, "Why were the former days better than these?" For it is not from wisdom that you ask this.
11 (7-12) Wisdom with riches is more profitable, and bringeth more advantage to them that see the sun.
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Wisdom is as good as an inheritance, an advantage to those who see the sun.
12 (7-13) For as wisdom is a defence, so money is a defence: but learning and wisdom excel in this, that they give life to him that possesseth them.
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For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom gives life to the one who possesses it.
13 (7-14) Consider the works of God, that no man can correct whom he hath despised.
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Consider the work of God; who can make straight what he has made crooked?
14 (7-15) In the good day enjoy good things, and beware beforehand of the evil day: for God hath made both the one and the other, that man may not find against him any just complaint.
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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 mortals may not find out anything that will come after them.
15 (7-16) These things also I saw in the days of my vanity: A just man perisheth in his justice, and a wicked man liveth a long time in his wickedness.
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In my vain life I have seen everything; there are righteous people who perish in their righteousness, and there are wicked people who prolong their life in their evildoing.
16 (7-17) Be not over just: and be not more wise than is necessary, lest thou become stupid.
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Do not be too righteous, and do not act too wise; why should you destroy yourself?
17 (7-18) Be not overmuch wicked: and be not foolish, lest thou die before thy time.
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Do not be too wicked, and do not be a fool; why should you die before your time?
18 (7-19) It is good that thou shouldst hold up the just, yea and from him withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God, neglecteth nothing.
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It is good that you should take hold of the one, without letting go of the other; for the one who fears God shall succeed with both.
19 (7-20) Wisdom hath strengthened the wise more than ten princes of the city.
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Wisdom gives strength to the wise more than ten rulers that are in a city.
20 (7-21) For there is no just man upon earth, that doth good, and sinneth not.
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Surely there is no one on earth so righteous as to do good without ever sinning.
21 (7-22) But do not apply thy heart to all words that are spoken: lest perhaps thou hear thy servant reviling thee.
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Do not give heed to everything that people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you;
22 (7-23) For thy conscience knoweth that thou also hast often spoken evil of others.
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your heart knows that many times you have yourself cursed others.
23 (7-24) I have tried all things in wisdom. I have said: I will be wise: and it departed farther from me,
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All this I have tested by wisdom; I said, "I will be wise," but it was far from me.
24 (7-25) Much more than it was: it is a great depth, who shall find it out?
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That which is, is far off, and deep, very deep; who can find it out?
25 (7-26) I have surveyed all things with my mind, to know, and consider, and seek out wisdom and reason: and to know the wickedness of the fool, and the error of the imprudent:
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I turned my mind to know and to search out and to seek wisdom and the sum of things, and to know that wickedness is folly and that foolishness is madness.
26 (7-27) And I have found a woman more bitter than death, who is the hunter’s snare, and her heart is a net, and her hands are bands. He that pleaseth God shall escape from her: but he that is a sinner, shall be caught by her.
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I found more bitter than death the woman who is a trap, whose heart is snares and nets, whose hands are fetters; one who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is taken by her.
27 (7-28) Lo this have I found, said Ecclesiastes, weighing one thing after another, that I might find out the account,
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See, this is what I found, says the Teacher, adding one thing to another to find the sum,
28 (7-29) Which yet my soul seeketh, and I have not found it. One man among a thousand I have found, a woman among them all I have not found.
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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 (7-30) Only this I have found, that God made man right, and he hath entangled himself with an infinity of questions. Who is as the wise man? and who hath known the resolution of the word?
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See, this alone I found, that God made human beings straightforward, but they have devised many schemes.
The Douay-Rheims Bible is in the public domain.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.