People Generally Do Not Know What Is Best For Them
1 A good name [is] better than precious ointment, and the day of death [is better] 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 one's birth.
1 A (A)good name is better than a good ointment,And the (B)day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth.
1 A good name is better than fine perfume,(A)and the day of one’s death than the day of one’s birth.(B)
1 A good name exceeds the value of fine perfume, and the day of someone's death exceeds the value of the day of his birth.
2 Better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for [death is] the end of every person, and the living should take [it] to his heart.
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.
2 It is better to go to a house of mourningThan to go to a house of feasting,Because (a)that is the (C)end of every man,And the living (b)(D)takes it to (c)heart.
2 It is better to go to a house of mourningthan to go to a house of feasting,since that is the end of all mankind,and the living should take it to heart.(C)
2 It's better to attend a funeral than to attend a banquet, for everyone dies eventually, and the living will take this to heart.
4 The heart of the wise [is] in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools [is] in the house of mirth.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
4 The (d)mind of the wise is in the house of mourning,While the (e)mind of fools is in the house of pleasure.
4 The heart of the wise is in a house of mourning,but the heart of fools is in a house of pleasure.
4 For the wise person thinks carefully when in mourning, but fools focus their thoughts on pleasure.
6 Like the sound of thorns under a pot, so also the laughter of fools. This also [is] vanity!
6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
6 For as the (f)crackling of (H)thorn bushes under a pot,So is the (I)laughter of the fool;And this too is futility.
6 for like the crackling of burning thorns under the pot,(F)so is the laughter of the fool.This too is futile.
6 For as thorns burn to heat a pot, so also is the laughter of the fool even this is pointless.
Wisdom'Although Vulnerable'Is Beneficial
7 Surely oppression makes a fool of the wise, and a bribe corrupts the heart.
7 Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.
7 Surely, the practice of extortion turns a wise person into a fool,(G)and a bribe destroys the mind.(H)
7 Unjust gain makes the wise foolish, and a bribe corrupts the heart.
8 The end of a matter [is] better than its beginning; {better to be slow to anger than hot-headed}.
8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
8 The (L)end of a matter is better than its beginning;(M)Patience of spirit is better than haughtiness of spirit.
8 The end of a matter is better than its beginning;a patient spirit is better than a proud spirit.(I)
8 The conclusion of something is better than its beginning, and a patient attitude is more valuable than a proud one.
10 Do not say, "Why were the former days better than these?" For [it is] not from wisdom [that] you ask this.
10 Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.
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.
10 Don’t say, “Why were the former days better than these?”(K)since it is not wise of you to ask this.
10 Never ask "Why does the past seem so much better than now?" because this question does not come from wisdom.
Wisdom Gives Life
11 Wisdom [is] good with an inheritance; {it benefits the living}.
11 Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun.
11 Wisdom is as good as an inheritanceand an advantage to those who see the sun,
11 Wise use of possessions is good; it brings benefit to the living.
12 {For wisdom offers protection like money offers protection}. But knowledge [has] an advantage--wisdom restores life to its possessor.
12 For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.
12 For (P)wisdom is (i)protection just as money is (j)protection,But the advantage of knowledge is that (Q)wisdom preserves the lives of its possessors.
12 because wisdom is protection as money is protection,and the advantage of knowledgeis that wisdom preserves the life of its owner.(L)
12 Indeed, wisdom gives protection, just like money does, but it's better to know that wisdom gives life, to those who have mastered it.
Humans Must Accept God's Will And Make The Best Of It
A Truth For Every Situation
14 In the day of prosperity, rejoice! But in the day of adversity, consider! For God made one in place of another so that mortals cannot find out what will happen {in the future}.
14 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.
14 (T)In the day of prosperity be happy,But (U)in the day of adversity consider—God has made the one as well as the otherSo that man will (V)not discover anything that will be after him.
14 In the day of prosperity be joyful,(O) but in the day of adversity, consider: God has made the one as well as the other,(P) so that man cannot discover anything that will come after him.
14 When times are good, be joyful; when times are bad, consider this: God made the one as well as the other, so people won't seek anything outside of his best.
The Law Of Retribution Does Not Always Work'But It Does Sometimes
15 I have seen all these things in my vain life: Sometimes a righteous man perishes in [spite of] his righteousness, and sometimes a wicked man lives a long life in [spite of] his evil.
15 All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness.
15 I have seen everything during my (k)(W)lifetime of futility; there is (X)a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness and there is (Y)a wicked man who prolongs his life in his wickedness.
15 In my futile life(a) I have seen everything:(Q) there is a righteous man who perishes in spite of his righteousness,(R) and there is a wicked man who lives long in spite of his evil.(S)
15 I have seen it all during my pointless life: both a righteous person who dies while he is righteous, and a wicked person who lives to an old age, while remaining wicked.
18 [It is] good to take hold of the one and also must not let go of the other; for whoever fears God will hold both of them secure.
18 It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.
18 It is good that you grasp one thing and also not (l)let go of the other; for the one who (AC)fears God comes forth with (m)both of them.
18 It is good that you grasp the one and do not let the other slip from your hand. For the one who fears God will end up with both of them.
18 It is good for you to grab hold of this and not let go, because whoever fears God will escape all of these extremes.
Wisdom Is Valuable, But No One Is Completely Righteous
21 Do not pay attention to everything people say, lest you hear your own servant curse you.
21 Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:
21 Also, do not (n)take seriously all words which are spoken, so that you will not hear your servant (AF)cursing you.
21 Don't listen to everything that is spoken you may hear your servant cursing you,
Absolute Wisdom Is Unattainable
23 All this I have tested with wisdom. I said, "I will be wise!" but {it was beyond my grasp}.
23 All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
23 I have tested all this by wisdom. I resolved, “I will be wise,” but it was beyond me.
23 I used my wisdom to test all of this. I said, "I want to be wise," but it was beyond me.
25 I set my mind to try to seek wisdom and the plan, and to know that wickedness [is] foolishness and that folly [is] delusion.
25 I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness:
25 I (q)(AJ)directed my (r)mind to know, to investigate and to seek wisdom and an explanation, and to know the evil of folly and the foolishness of madness.
25 I turned my thoughts to know, explore, and seek wisdom(Z) and an explanation for things, and to know that wickedness is stupidity and folly is madness.
25 I committed myself to understand, to learn, to search for wisdom and explanations, and to understand both the evil that is foolishness and the stupidity that is delusion.
26 I myself found [that] more bitter than death [is] the woman who [is] a trap, whose heart [is] a snare, and whose hands [are] bonds. The one who pleases God escapes from her, but the sinner is caught by her.
26 And I find more bitter than death 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.
26 And I discovered more (AK)bitter than death the woman whose heart is (AL)snares and nets, whose hands are chains. (AM)One who is pleasing to God will escape from her, but (AN)the sinner will be captured by her.
26 And I find more bitter than death(AA) the woman who is a trap,(AB) her heart a net, and her hands chains. The one who pleases God will escape her, but the sinner will be captured by her.
26 I discovered for myself a bitterness that surpasses that of death: the woman whose heart is full of snares and nets, whose hands are chains of bondage. Whoever pleases God will escape from her, but the transgressor will be trapped by her.
27 "Look! I found this," said the Teacher, "while trying to find how the plan fits together.
27 Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account:
27 “Behold, I have discovered this,” says the Preacher, “adding one thing to another to find an explanation,
27 “Look,” says the Teacher, “I have discovered this by adding one thing to another to find out the explanation,
27 "Look at this," says the Teacher. "Linking one thing to another, I reached this conclusion:
28 What my heart sought, I did not find. Although I found one righteous man among one thousand, I did not find one [upright] woman among all these.
28 Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
28 which (s)I am still seeking but have not found. I have found one man among a thousand, but I have not found a (AO)woman among all these.
28 which my soul continually searches for but does not find: among a thousand people I have found one true man, but among all these I have not found a true woman.(AC)
28 Among the things I seek but have not found: one man among a thousand I did find, but I have not found one woman to be wise among all these.
29 Look! This alone I found: God made mankind upright, but they have devised many schemes."
29 Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
29 Behold, I have found only this, that (AP)God made men upright, but they have sought out many devices.”
29 Only see this: I have discovered that God made people upright,(AD) but they pursued many schemes.”
29 I have discovered only this: God made human beings for righteousness, but they seek many alternatives."