Ecclesiastes 7

KJV_Strongs(i)
  1 H8034 A good name H2896 is better H2896 than precious H8081 ointment H3117 ; and the day H4194 of death H3117 than the day H3205 of one's birth [H8736]  .
  2 H2896 It is better H3212 to go [H8800]   H1004 to the house H60 of mourning H3212 , than to go [H8800]   H1004 to the house H4960 of feasting H834 : for H5490 that is the end H120 of all men H2416 ; and the living H5414 will lay [H8799]   H3820 it to his heart.
  3 H3708 Sorrow H2896 is better H7814 than laughter H7455 : for by the sadness H6440 of the countenance H3820 the heart H3190 is made better [H8799]  .
  4 H3820 The heart H2450 of the wise H1004 is in the house H60 of mourning H3820 ; but the heart H3684 of fools H1004 is in the house H8057 of mirth.
  5 H2896 It is better H8085 to hear [H8800]   H1606 the rebuke H2450 of the wise H376 , than for a man H8085 to hear [H8802]   H7892 the song H3684 of fools.
  6 H6963 For as the crackling H5518 of thorns H5518 under a pot H7814 , so is the laughter H3684 of the fool H1892 : this also is vanity.
  7 H6233 Surely oppression H2450 maketh a wise man H1984 mad [H8779]   H4979 ; and a gift H6 destroyeth [H8762]   H3820 the heart.
  8 H2896 Better H319 is the end H1697 of a thing H7225 than the beginning H750 thereof: and the patient H7307 in spirit H2896 is better H1362 than the proud H7307 in spirit.
  9 H926 Be not hasty [H8762]   H7307 in thy spirit H3707 to be angry [H8800]   H3708 : for anger H5117 resteth [H8799]   H2436 in the bosom H3684 of fools.
  10 H559 Say [H8799]   H7223 not thou, What is the cause that the former H3117 days H2896 were better H7592 than these? for thou dost not enquire [H8804]   H2451 wisely concerning this.
  11 H2451 Wisdom H2896 is good H5159 with an inheritance H3148 : and by it there is profit H7200 to them that see [H8802]   H8121 the sun.
  12 H2451 For wisdom H6738 is a defence H3701 , and money H6738 is a defence H3504 : but the excellency H1847 of knowledge H2451 is, that wisdom H2421 giveth life [H8762]   H1167 to them that have it.
  13 H7200 Consider [H8798]   H4639 the work H430 of God H3201 : for who can [H8799]   H8626 make that straight [H8763]   H5791 , which he hath made crooked [H8765]  ?
  14 H3117 In the day H2896 of prosperity H2896 be joyful H3117 , but in the day H7451 of adversity H7200 consider [H8798]   H430 : God H6213 also hath set [H8804]   H5980 the one over against H1700 the other, to the end H120 that man H4672 should find [H8799]   H3972 nothing H310 after him.
  15 H7200 All things have I seen [H8804]   H3117 in the days H1892 of my vanity H3426 : there is H6662 a just H6 man that perisheth [H8802]   H6664 in his righteousness H7563 , and there is a wicked H748 man that prolongeth [H8688]   H7451 his life in his wickedness.
  16 H6662 Be not righteous H7235 over much [H8687]   H3148 ; neither make thyself over H2449 wise [H8691]   H8074 : why shouldest thou destroy [H8709]   thyself?
  17 H7235 Be not over much [H8687]   H7561 wicked [H8799]   H5530 , neither be thou foolish H4191 : why shouldest thou die [H8799]   H6256 before thy time?
  18 H2896 It is good H270 that thou shouldest take hold [H8799]   H2088 of this; yea, also from this H3240 withdraw [H8686]   H3027 not thine hand H3373 : for he that feareth H430 God H3318 shall come forth [H8799]   of them all.
  19 H2451 Wisdom H5810 strengtheneth [H8799]   H2450 the wise H6235 more than ten H7989 mighty H5892 men which are in the city.
  20 H6662 For there is not a just H120 man H776 upon earth H6213 , that doeth [H8799]   H2896 good H2398 , and sinneth [H8799]   not.
  21 H5414 Also take [H8799]   H3820 no heed H1697 unto all words H1696 that are spoken [H8762]   H8085 ; lest thou hear [H8799]   H5650 thy servant H7043 curse [H8764]   thee:
  22 H6471 For oftentimes H7227   H3820 also thine own heart H3045 knoweth [H8804]   H7043 that thou thyself likewise hast cursed [H8765]   H312 others.
  23 H2090 All this H5254 have I proved [H8765]   H2451 by wisdom H559 : I said [H8804]   H2449 , I will be wise [H8799]   H7350 ; but it was far from me.
  24 H7350 That which is far off H6013 , and exceeding deep H4672 , who can find it out [H8799]  ?
  25 H5437 I applied [H8804]   H3820 mine heart H3045 to know [H8800]   H8446 , and to search [H8800]   H1245 , and to seek out [H8763]   H2451 wisdom H2808 , and the reason H3045 of things, and to know [H8800]   H7562 the wickedness H3689 of folly H5531 , even of foolishness H1947 and madness:
  26 H4672 And I find [H8802]   H4751 more bitter H4194 than death H802 the woman H3820 , whose heart H4685 is snares H2764 and nets H3027 , and her hands H612 as bands H2896 : whoso pleaseth H6440   H430 God H4422 shall escape [H8735]   H2398 from her; but the sinner [H8802]   H3920 shall be taken [H8735]   by her.
  27 H7200 Behold [H8798]   H4672 , this have I found [H8804]   H559 , saith [H8804]   H6953 the preacher H259 , counting one H259 by one H4672 , to find out [H8800]   H2808 the account:
  28 H5315 Which yet my soul H1245 seeketh [H8765]   H4672 , but I find [H8804]   H259 not: one H120 man H505 among a thousand H4672 have I found [H8804]   H802 ; but a woman H4672 among all those have I not found [H8804]  .
  29 H7200 Lo [H8798]   H905 , this only H4672 have I found [H8804]   H430 , that God H6213 hath made [H8804]   H120 man H3477 upright H1245 ; but they have sought out [H8765]   H7227 many H2810 inventions.
ERV(i) 1 A [GOOD] name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth. 2 It is 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 lay it to his heart. 3 Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the 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 to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools. 6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity. 7 Surely extortion maketh a wise man foolish; and a gift destroyeth the understanding. 8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: [and] the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. 9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. 10 Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this. 11 Wisdom is as good as an inheritance: yea, more excellent is it for them that see the sun. 12 For wisdom is a defence, even as money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom preserveth the life of him that hath it. 13 Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked? 14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God hath even made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out any thing [that shall be] after him. 15 All this have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a righteous man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth [his life] in his evil-doing. 16 Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself? 17 Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time? 18 It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from that withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all. 19 Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers which are in a city. 20 Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not. 21 Also take not heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee: 22 for oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others. 23 All this have I proved in wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me. 24 That which is is far off, and exceeding deep; who can find it out? 25 I turned about, and my heart [was set] to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason [of things], and to know that wickedness is folly, and that foolishness is madness: 26 And I find a thing more bitter than death, [even] the woman whose heart is snares and nets, [and] her hands [as] bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her. 27 Behold, this have I found, saith the Preacher; [laying] one thing to another, to find out the account: 28 which my soul still seeketh, but I have not found: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found. 29 Behold, this only have I found, that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.