NASB — Ecclesiastes 7 — KJV

Wisdom and Folly Contrasted

  1 A agood° name° is better° than° a good° ointment°,
  And the bday° of [one’s] death° is better than° the day° of one’s birth°.
  2 It is better° to go° to a house° of mourning°
  Than° to go° to a house° of feasting°,
  Because° Ithat is the aend° of every° man°,
  And the living° IIbtakes° [it] to IIIheart°.
  3 aSorrow° is better° than° laughter°,
  For bwhen a face° is sad° a heart° may be happy°.
  4 The Imind° of the wise° is in the house° of mourning°,
  While the Imind° of fools° is in the house° of pleasure°.
  5 It is better° to alisten° to the rebuke° of a wise° man°
  Than° for one° to listen° to the song° of fools°.
  6 For as the Icrackling° of athorn° bushes° under° a pot°,
  So° is the blaughter° of the fool°;
  And this° too° is futility°.
  7 For aoppression° makes° a wise° man° mad°,
  And a bbribe° Icorrupts° the heart°.
  8 The aend° of a matter° is better° than° its beginning°;
  bPatience° of spirit° is better° than° haughtiness° of spirit°.
  9 Do not be Iaeager° in your heart° to be angry°,
  For anger° resides° in the bosom° of fools°.
  10 Do not say°, “Why° is it that the former° days° were better° than° these°?”
  For it is not from wisdom° that you ask° about° this°.
  11 Wisdom° along° with an inheritance° is good°
  And an aadvantage° to those who see° the sun°.
  12 For awisdom° is Iprotection° [just as] money° is Iprotection°,
  But the advantage° of knowledge° is that bwisdom° preserves° the lives° of its possessors°.
  13 Consider° the awork° of God°,
  For who° is bable° to straighten° what° He has bent°?
  14 aIn the day° of prosperity° be happy°,
  But bin the day° of adversity° consider°
  God° has made° the one° as well° as the other°
  So°° that man° will cnot discover° anything° [that will be] after° him.

[1] aPv 22:1 bEc 4:2; 7:8
[2] II.e. death IILit gives IIILit his heart aEc 2:14, 16; 3:19, 20; 6:6; 9:2, 3 bPs 90:12
[3] aEc 2:2 b2Co 7:10
[4] ILit heart
[5] aPs 141:5; Pv 6:23; 13:18; 15:31, 32; 25:12; Ec 9:17
[6] ILit voice aPs 58:9; 118:12 bEc 2:2
[7] ILit destroys aEc 4:1; 5:8 bEx 23:8; Dt 16:19; Pv 17:8, 23
[8] aEc 7:1 bPv 14:29; 16:32; Ga 5:22; Ep 4:2
[9] ILit hasty in your spirit aPv 14:17; Jm 1:19
[11] aPv 8:10, 11; Ec 2:13
[12] ILit in a shadow aEc 7:19; 9:18 bPv 3:18; 8:35
[13] aEc 3:11; 8:17 bEc 1:15
[14] aDt 26:11; Ec 3:22; 9:7; 11:9 bDt 8:5; Jb 2:10 cEc 3:22

15 ¶ I have seen° everything° during my Ialifetime° of futility°; there° is ba righteous° man° who perishes° in his righteousness° and there° is ca wicked° man° who prolongs° [his life] in his wickedness°. 16 Do not be excessively° arighteous° and do not bbe overly° wise°. Why° should you ruin° yourself? 17 Do not be excessively° wicked° and do not be a fool°. Why° should you adie° before° your time°? 18 It is good° that you grasp° one° thing° and also° not Ilet°° go°° of the other°; for the one who afears° God° comes° forth° with IIboth° of them.

[15] ILit days aEc 6:12; 9:9 bEc 8:14 cEc 8:12, 13
[16] aPv 25:16; Php 3:6 bRo 12:3
[17] aJb 22:16; Ps 55:23; Pv 10:27
[18] ILit rest your hand IILit all aEc 3:14; 5:7; 8:12, 13; 12:13

19aWisdom° strengthens° a wise° man° more° than° ten° rulers° who° are in a city°. 20 Indeed°, athere° is not a righteous° man° on earth° who° [continually] does° good° and who never° sins°. 21 Also°, do not Itake° seriously° all° words° which° are spoken°, so° that you will not hear° your servant° acursing° you. 22 For Iyou also° have realized° that you likewise° have many° times° cursed° others°.

[19] aEc 7:12; 9:13-18
[20] a1K 8:46; 2Ch 6:36; Ps 143:2; Pv 20:9; Ro 3:23
[21] ILit give your heart to aPv 30:10
[22] ILit your heart knows also

23 ¶ I tested° all° this° with wisdom°, [and] I said°, “I will be wise°,” abut it was far° from me. 24 What° has been° is remote° and aexceedingly° Imysterious°. bWho° can discover° it? 25 I Iadirected° my IImind° to know°, to investigate° and to seek° wisdom° and an explanation°, and to know° the evil° of folly° and the foolishness° of madness°. 26 And I discovered° more° abitter° than° death° the woman° whose° heart° is bsnares° and nets°, whose hands° are chains°. cOne° who° is pleasing° to God° will escape° from her, but dthe sinner° will be captured° by her.

[23] aEc 3:11; 8:17
[24] ILit deep aRo 11:33 bJb 11:7; 37:23; Ec 8:17
[25] ILit turned about IILit heart aEc 1:15, 17; 10:13
[26] aPv 5:4 bPv 7:23 cPv 6:23, 24 dPv 22:14

27 ¶ “Behold°, I have discovered° this°,” says° the Preacher°, “[adding] one° thing° to another° to find° an explanation°, 28 which° II am still° seeking° but have not found°. I have found° one° man° among° a thousand°, but I have not found° a awoman° among all° these°. 29 Behold°, I have found° only° this°, that aGod° made° men° upright°, but they have sought° out many° devices°.”

[28] ILit my soul still seeks a1K 11:3
[29] aGn 1:27


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Remedies against vanity are, a good name,

1 ¶ A good nameº [is] betterº than preciousº ointment;º² and the dayº of deathº than the dayº² of one's birth.ºª

[1] Jb 3:17; Ps 133:2; Pv 15:30; 22:1; 27:9; Ec 4:2; 10:1; So 1:3; 4:10; Is 56:5; 57:1; Lk 10:20; Jn 13:2; 2Co 5:1, 8; Php 1:21; He 11:2, 39; Rv 14:13.

mortification,

2 ¶ [It is] betterº to go¹ª² to² the houseº of mourning,º than to go¹ª²² to² the houseº of feasting:º forº that² [is] the endº of all² men;º and the livingº will layºª [it] to² his heart.º 3 Sorrowº [is] betterº than laughter:º² for² by the sadnessº of the countenanceº the heartº is made better.ºª 4 The heartº of the wiseº [is] in the houseº of mourning;º but the heartº of foolsº [is] in the houseº of mirth.º 5 [It is] betterº to hearºª the rebukeº of the wise,º than for a manº² to hearºª the songº of fools.º 6 For² as the cracklingº of thornsº under² a pot,º so² [is] the laughterº of the fool:º this² also² [is] vanity.º

[2] Gn 48:1; 49:2; 50:15; Nu 23:10; Dt 32:29, 46; Jb 1:4; Is 5:11; 22:12; 47:7; Am 6:3; Hg 1:5; Mal 2:2; Mt 5:4; 14:6; Ro 6:21; Php 3:19; He 9:27; 1P 4:3.
[3] Ps 119:67, 71; 126:5; Jr 31:8, 15; 50:4; Dn 9:3; 10:2, 19; Zc 12:10; Lk 6:21, 25; Jn 16:20; Ro 5:3; 2Co 4:17; 7:9; He 12:10; Jm 1:2; 4:8.
[4] 1S 25:36; 30:16; 2S 13:28; 1K 20:16; Ne 2:2; Is 21:4; 53:3; Jr 51:39, 57; Dn 5:1, 30; Ho 7:5; Na 1:10; Mt 8:14; Mk 5:38; 6:21; Lk 7:12; Jn 11:31.
[5] Ps 69:12; 141:5; Pv 9:8; 13:13; 15:31; 17:10; 27:6; Rv 3:19.
[6] Ps 58:9; 118:12; Pv 29:9; Ec 2:2; Is 65:13; Am 8:10; Lk 6:25; 16:25; 2P 2:13; Jde 1:12.

patience,

7 ¶ Surely² oppressionº maketh a wise manº mad;ºª and a giftº destroyethºª² the heart.º 8 Betterº [is] the endº of a thingº than the beginningº² thereof: [and] the patientº in spiritº [is] betterº than the proudº² in spirit.º 9 Be not² hastyºª in thy spiritº to be angry:ºª for² angerº restethºª in the bosomº of fools.º 10 Sayºª not² thou, What² is² [the cause] that the former¹ daysº²² were² betterº than these?²² for² thou dost not² enquireºª wiselyº² concerning² this.²

[7] Ex 23:8; Dt 16:19; 28:33, 65; 1S 8:3; 12:3; Pv 17:23; Is 1:23; 33:15.
[8] Ps 126:5; Pv 13:10; 14:29; 15:18; 16:32; 28:25; Is 10:24, 28; Lk 16:25; 21:19; Ro 2:7; He 10:36; Jm 5:8, 11; 1P 1:13; 2:20; 5:5.
[9] Gn 4:5, 8; 34:7, 25, 30; 1S 25:21; 2S 13:22, 28, 32; 19:43; Es 3:5; Pv 14:17; 16:32; 26:23; Jna 4:9; Mk 6:19, 24; Ep 4:26; Jm 1:19.
[10] Gn 6:11; Jg 6:13; Ps 14:2; Is 50:1; Jr 44:17; Ro 1:22; 3:9.

wisdom.

11 ¶ Wisdomº [is] goodº with² an inheritance:º and [by it there is] profitº to them that seeºª the sun.º 12 For² wisdomº [is] a defence,º [and] moneyº [is] a defence:º but the excellencyº of knowledgeº [is, that] wisdomº giveth lifeºª to them that haveº it. 13 Considerºª² the workº of God:º for² who² canºª make [that] straight,ºª² which² he hath made crooked?ºª 14 In the dayº of prosperityº be² joyful,º but in the dayº of adversityº consider:ºª Godº also² hath setºª² the one² over againstº the other,² to² the endº that manº should findºª nothingº²² afterº him. 15 ² All² [things] have I seenºª in the daysº of my vanity:º there isº a justº [man] that perishethºª in his righteousness,º and there is² a wickedº [man] that prolongethºª [his life] in his wickedness.º 16 Be² not² righteousº over much;ºª neither² make thyself over¹ wise:ºª² why² shouldest thou destroy¹ª thyself?² 17 Be not² over muchºª wicked,ºª neither² be² thou foolish:º why² shouldest thou dieºª before² thy time?º 18 [It is] goodº that² thou shouldest take holdºª of this;² yea, also² from thisº² withdraw¹ª² not²² thine hand:º for² he that fearethº Godº shall come forthºª² of them all.² 19 Wisdomº strengthenethºª the wiseº more than tenº² mightyº [men] which² are² in the city.º 20 For² [there is] not² a justº manº upon earth,º that² doethºª good,º and sinnethºª not.² 21 Also² takeºª no² heedº unto all² wordsº that² are spoken;ºª lest²² thou hearºª² thy servantº curseºª thee: 22 For² oftentimesºº also² thine own heartº knowethºª that² thou thyself² likewise² hast cursedºª others.º

[11] 1K 3:6; Ec 9:15; 11:7; Lk 16:8; 1Ti 6:17.
[12] Dt 30:19; 32:47; Jg 9:15; Jb 1:10; 22:21; Ps 57:1; Pv 2:7, 11; 3:18; 8:35; 9:11; 11:4; 14:20; 18:10; Is 30:2; 32:2; 33:6; Jn 12:50; 17:3; Php 3:8.
[13] Jb 9:12; 11:10; 12:14; 34:29; 37:14; Ps 8:3; 107:43; Ec 1:15; Is 5:12; 14:27; 43:13; 46:10; Dn 4:35; Ro 9:15, 19; Ep 1:11.
[14] Dt 8:3; 28:47; 1K 8:47; 17:17; 2Ch 33:12; Jb 10:1; Ps 30:11; 40:3; 94:12; 119:71; Ec 3:4; 12:8, 13; Is 22:12; 26:11; 42:25; Jr 23:20; Ho 2:6; Mi 6:9; Hg 1:5; Mt 9:13; Lk 15:17; Jn 16:22; Ac 14:22; Jm 5:13.
[15] Gn 47:9; 1S 22:18; 1K 21:13; 2Ch 24:21; Jb 9:22; 21:7; Ps 39:6; 73:3; Ec 2:23; 3:16; 5:16; 6:12; 8:12, 14; 9:1; Is 65:20; Jr 12:1; Mt 23:34; Jn 16:2; Ac 7:52.
[16] Gn 3:6; Jb 11:12; 28:28; Pv 23:4; 25:16; Ec 12:12; Mt 6:1; 9:14; 15:2; 23:5, 23, 29, 38; Lk 18:12; Ro 10:2; 11:25; 12:3; 1Co 3:18, 20; Php 3:6; Col 2:18, 23; 1Ti 4:3; Jm 3:13; Rv 18:19.
[17] Gn 38:7; 1S 25:38; Jb 15:32; Ps 55:23; Pv 10:27; Jr 2:33; Ezk 8:17; 16:20; Ac 5:5, 10; 12:23; Jm 1:21.
[18] Ps 25:12; 145:19; Pv 4:25; 8:20; Ec 8:12; 11:6; 12:13; Jr 32:40; Mal 4:2; Lk 1:50; 11:42.
[19] 2S 20:16; Pv 21:22; 24:5; Ec 9:15; Col 1:9.
[20] 1K 8:46; 2Ch 6:36; Jb 15:14; Ps 130:3; 143:2; Pv 20:9; Is 53:6; 64:6; Ro 3:23; Jm 3:2; 1Jn 1:8.
[21] 2S 16:10; 19:19; Is 29:21; 1Co 13:5.
[22] 1K 2:44; Mt 15:19; 18:32; Jn 8:7; Jm 3:9.

The difficulty of wisdom.

23 ¶ All² thisº have I provedºª by wisdom:º I said,ºª I will be wise;ºª but it² [was] farº from² me. 24 That which is²²² far off,º and exceeding deep,º who² can find it out?ºª 25 I² appliedºª mine heartº to know,ºª and to search,ºª and to seek outºª wisdom,º and the reasonº [of things], and to knowºª the wickednessº of folly,º even of foolishnessº [and] madness:º 26 And I² findºª more bitterº than deathº²² the woman,º whose²² heartº [is] snaresº and nets,º [and] her handsº [as] bands:º whoso pleasethºº Godº shall escapeºª from² her; but the sinnerºª shall be takenºª by her. 27 Behold,ºª this² have I found,ºª saithºª the preacher,º [counting] oneº by one,º to find outºª the account:º 28 Which² yet² my soulº seeketh,ºª but I findºª not:² oneº manº among a thousandº² have I found;ºª but a womanº among all² those² have I not² found.ºª 29 Lo,ºª this² onlyº have I found,ºª that² Godº hath madeºª² manº upright;º but they² have sought outºª manyº inventions.º

[23] Gn 3:5; 1K 3:11; 11:1; Ro 1:22; 1Co 1:20.
[24] Dt 30:11; Jb 11:7; 28:12, 28; Ps 36:6; 139:6; Is 55:8; Ro 11:33; 1Ti 6:16.
[25] Gn 34:7; Jsh 7:13; 2S 13:12; Pv 17:12; 26:11; Ec 1:13; 2:1, 12, 15, 20; 3:16; 7:27; 9:1, 3; 10:13; Jr 12:1; 2P 2:3; 3:3.
[26] Jg 16:18; Pv 2:18; 5:3; 7:21; 9:18; 22:14; 23:27; Ec 2:26.
[27] Ec 1:1; 7:25; 12:8.
[28] 1K 11:1; Jb 33:23; Ps 12:1; Ec 7:23; Is 26:9.
[29] Gn 1:26; 3:6; 5:1; 6:5, 11; 11:4; Ps 99:8; 106:29, 39; Jr 2:12; 4:22; Ezk 22:6; Mk 7:8; Ac 7:40; Ro 1:21; 3:9; Ep 2:2; Tit 3:3.


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