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Ecclesiastes 7:1--8:17

7:1

A good name
<08034>

[is] better
<02896>

than precious
<02896>

ointment
<08081>_;

and the day
<03117>

of death
<04194>

than the day
<03117>

of one's birth
<03205> (8736)_.

7:2

[It is] better
<02896>

to go
<03212> (8800)

to the house
<01004>

of mourning
<060>_,

than to go
<03212> (8800)

to the house
<01004>

of feasting
<04960>_:

for
<0834>

that [is] the end
<05490>

of all men
<0120>_;

and the living
<02416>

will lay
<05414> (8799)

[it] to his heart
<03820>_.

7:3

Sorrow
<03708>

[is] better
<02896>

than laughter
<07814>_:

for by the sadness
<07455>

of the countenance
<06440>

the heart
<03820>

is made better
<03190> (8799)_.

{Sorrow: or, Anger}

7:4

The heart
<03820>

of the wise
<02450>

[is] in the house
<01004>

of mourning
<060>_;

but the heart
<03820>

of fools
<03684>

[is] in the house
<01004>

of mirth
<08057>_.

7:5

[It is] better
<02896>

to hear
<08085> (8800)

the rebuke
<01606>

of the wise
<02450>_,

than for a man
<0376>

to hear
<08085> (8802)

the song
<07892>

of fools
<03684>_.

7:6

For as the crackling
<06963>

of thorns
<05518>

under a pot
<05518>_,

so [is] the laughter
<07814>

of the fool
<03684>_:

this also [is] vanity
<01892>_.

{crackling: Heb. sound}

7:7

Surely oppression
<06233>

maketh a wise man
<02450>

mad
<01984> (8779)_;

and a gift
<04979>

destroyeth
<06> (8762)

the heart
<03820>_.

7:8

Better
<02896>

[is] the end
<0319>

of a thing
<01697>

than the beginning
<07225>

thereof: [and] the patient
<0750>

in spirit
<07307>

[is] better
<02896>

than the proud
<01362>

in spirit
<07307>_.

7:9

Be not hasty
<0926> (8762)

in thy spirit
<07307>

to be angry
<03707> (8800)_:

for anger
<03708>

resteth
<05117> (8799)

in the bosom
<02436>

of fools
<03684>_.

7:10

Say
<0559> (8799)

not thou, What is [the cause] that the former
<07223>

days
<03117>

were better
<02896>

than these? for thou dost not enquire
<07592> (8804)

wisely
<02451>

concerning this. {wisely: Heb. out of wisdom}

7:11

Wisdom
<02451>

[is] good
<02896>

with an inheritance
<05159>_:

and [by it there is] profit
<03148>

to them that see
<07200> (8802)

the sun
<08121>_.

{good...: or, as good as an inheritance, yea, better too}

7:12

For wisdom
<02451>

[is] a defence
<06738>_,

[and] money
<03701>

[is] a defence
<06738>_:

but the excellency
<03504>

of knowledge
<01847>

[is, that] wisdom
<02451>

giveth life
<02421> (8762)

to them that have
<01167>

it. {defence: Heb. shadow}

7:13

Consider
<07200> (8798)

the work
<04639>

of God
<0430>_:

for who can
<03201> (8799)

make [that] straight
<08626> (8763)_,

which he hath made crooked
<05791> (8765)_?

7:14

In the day
<03117>

of prosperity
<02896>

be joyful
<02896>_,

but in the day
<03117>

of adversity
<07451>

consider
<07200> (8798)_:

God
<0430>

also hath set
<06213> (8804)

the one over against
<05980>

the other, to the end
<01700>

that man
<0120>

should find
<04672> (8799)

nothing
<03972>

after
<0310>

him. {set: Heb. made}

7:15

All [things] have I seen
<07200> (8804)

in the days
<03117>

of my vanity
<01892>_:

there is
<03426>

a just
<06662>

[man] that perisheth
<06> (8802)

in his righteousness
<06664>_,

and there is a wicked
<07563>

[man] that prolongeth
<0748> (8688)

[his life] in his wickedness
<07451>_.

7:16

Be not righteous
<06662>

over much
<07235> (8687)_;

neither make thyself over
<03148>

wise
<02449> (8691)_:

why shouldest thou destroy
<08074> (8709)

thyself? {destroy...: Heb. be desolate?}

7:17

Be not over much
<07235> (8687)

wicked
<07561> (8799)_,

neither be thou foolish
<05530>_:

why shouldest thou die
<04191> (8799)

before thy time
<06256>_?

{before...: Heb. not in thy time?}

7:18

[It is] good
<02896>

that thou shouldest take hold
<0270> (8799)

of this; yea, also from this
<02088>

withdraw
<03240> (8686)

not thine hand
<03027>_:

for he that feareth
<03373>

God
<0430>

shall come forth
<03318> (8799)

of them all.

7:19

Wisdom
<02451>

strengtheneth
<05810> (8799)

the wise
<02450>

more than ten
<06235>

mighty
<07989>

[men] which are in the city
<05892>_.

7:20

For [there is] not a just
<06662>

man
<0120>

upon earth
<0776>_,

that doeth
<06213> (8799)

good
<02896>_,

and sinneth
<02398> (8799)

not.

7:21

Also take
<05414> (8799)

no heed
<03820>

unto all words
<01697>

that are spoken
<01696> (8762)_;

lest thou hear
<08085> (8799)

thy servant
<05650>

curse
<07043> (8764)

thee: {take...: Heb. give not thine heart}

7:22

For oftentimes
<06471> <07227>

also thine own heart
<03820>

knoweth
<03045> (8804)

that thou thyself likewise hast cursed
<07043> (8765)

others
<0312>_.

7:23

All this
<02090>

have I proved
<05254> (8765)

by wisdom
<02451>_:

I said
<0559> (8804)_,

I will be wise
<02449> (8799)_;

but it [was] far
<07350>

from me.

7:24

That which is far off
<07350>_,

and exceeding deep
<06013>_,

who can find it out
<04672> (8799)_?

7:25

I applied
<05437> (8804)

mine heart
<03820>

to know
<03045> (8800)_,

and to search
<08446> (8800)_,

and to seek out
<01245> (8763)

wisdom
<02451>_,

and the reason
<02808>

[of things], and to know
<03045> (8800)

the wickedness
<07562>

of folly
<03689>_,

even of foolishness
<05531>

[and] madness
<01947>_:

{I applied...: Heb. I and mine heart compassed}

7:26

And I find
<04672> (8802)

more bitter
<04751>

than death
<04194>

the woman
<0802>_,

whose heart
<03820>

[is] snares
<04685>

and nets
<02764>_,

[and] her hands
<03027>

[as] bands
<0612>_:

whoso pleaseth
<02896> <06440>

God
<0430>

shall escape
<04422> (8735)

from her; but the sinner
<02398> (8802)

shall be taken
<03920> (8735)

by her. {whoso...: Heb. he that is good before God}

7:27

Behold
<07200> (8798)_,

this have I found
<04672> (8804)_,

saith
<0559> (8804)

the preacher
<06953>_,

[counting] one
<0259>

by one
<0259>_,

to find out
<04672> (8800)

the account
<02808>_:

{counting...: or, weighing one thing after another, to find out the reason}

7:28

Which yet my soul
<05315>

seeketh
<01245> (8765)_,

but I find
<04672> (8804)

not: one
<0259>

man
<0120>

among a thousand
<0505>

have I found
<04672> (8804)_;

but a woman
<0802>

among all those have I not found
<04672> (8804)_.

7:29

Lo
<07200> (8798)_,

this only
<0905>

have I found
<04672> (8804)_,

that God
<0430>

hath made
<06213> (8804)

man
<0120>

upright
<03477>_;

but they have sought out
<01245> (8765)

many
<07227>

inventions
<02810>_.

8:1

Who [is] as the wise
<02450>

[man]? and who knoweth
<03045> (8802)

the interpretation
<06592>

of a thing
<01697>_?

a man's
<0120>

wisdom
<02451>

maketh his face
<06440>

to shine
<0215> (8686)_,

and the boldness
<05797>

of his face
<06440>

shall be changed
<08132> (8792)_.

{the boldness: Heb. the strength}

8:2

I [counsel thee] to keep
<08104> (8798)

the king's
<04428>

commandment
<06310>_,

and [that] in regard
<01700>

of the oath
<07621>

of God
<0430>_.

8:3

Be not hasty
<0926> (8735)

to go out
<03212> (8799)

of his sight
<06440>_:

stand
<05975> (8799)

not in an evil
<07451>

thing
<01697>_;

for he doeth
<06213> (8799)

whatsoever pleaseth
<02654> (8799)

him.

8:4

Where the word
<01697>

of a king
<04428>

[is, there is] power
<07983>_:

and who may say
<0559> (8799)

unto him, What doest
<06213> (8799)

thou?

8:5

Whoso keepeth
<08104> (8802)

the commandment
<04687>

shall feel
<03045> (8799)

no evil
<07451>

thing
<01697>_:

and a wise man's
<02450>

heart
<03820>

discerneth
<03045> (8799)

both time
<06256>

and judgment
<04941>_.

{shall...: Heb. shall know}

8:6

Because to every purpose
<02656>

there is
<03426>

time
<06256>

and judgment
<04941>_,

therefore the misery
<07451>

of man
<0120>

[is] great
<07227>

upon him.

8:7

For he knoweth
<03045> (8802)

not that which shall be: for who can tell
<05046> (8686)

him when it shall be? {when...: or, how it shall be?}

8:8

[There is] no man
<0120>

that hath power
<07989>

over the spirit
<07307>

to retain
<03607> (8800)

the spirit
<07307>_;

neither [hath he] power
<07983>

in the day
<03117>

of death
<04194>_:

and [there is] no discharge
<04917>

in [that] war
<04421>_;

neither shall wickedness
<07562>

deliver
<04422> (8762)

those that are given
<01167>

to it. {discharge: or, casting off weapons}

8:9

All this have I seen
<07200> (8804)_,

and applied
<05414> (8800)

my heart
<03820>

unto every work
<04639>

that is done
<06213> (8738)

under the sun
<08121>_:

[there is] a time
<06256>

wherein one man
<0120>

ruleth
<07980> (8804)

over another to his own hurt
<07451>_.

8:10

And so
<03651>

I saw
<07200> (8804)

the wicked
<07563>

buried
<06912> (8803)_,

who had come
<0935> (8804)

and gone
<01980> (8762)

from the place
<04725>

of the holy
<06918>_,

and they were forgotten
<07911> (8691)

in the city
<05892>

where they had so done
<06213> (8804)_:

this [is] also vanity
<01892>_.

8:11

Because sentence
<06599>

against an evil
<07451>

work
<04639>

is not executed
<06213> (8738)

speedily
<04120>_,

therefore the heart
<03820>

of the sons
<01121>

of men
<0120>

is fully set
<04390> (8804)

in them to do
<06213> (8800)

evil
<07451>_.

8:12

Though a sinner
<02398> (8802)

do
<06213> (8802)

evil
<07451>

an hundred times
<03967>_,

and his [days] be prolonged
<0748> (8688)_,

yet surely I know
<03045> (8802)

that it shall be well
<02896>

with them that fear
<03373>

God
<0430>_,

which fear
<03372> (8799)

before
<06440>

him:

8:13

But it shall not be well
<02896>

with the wicked
<07563>_,

neither shall he prolong
<0748> (8686)

[his] days
<03117>_,

[which are] as a shadow
<06738>_;

because he feareth
<03373>

not before
<06440>

God
<0430>_.

8:14

There is
<03426>

a vanity
<01892>

which is done
<06213> (8738)

upon the earth
<0776>_;

that there be just
<06662>

[men], unto whom it happeneth
<05060> (8688)

according to the work
<04639>

of the wicked
<07563>_;

again, there be
<03426>

wicked
<07563>

[men], to whom it happeneth
<05060> (8688)

according to the work
<04639>

of the righteous
<06662>_:

I said
<0559> (8804)

that this also
<01571>

[is] vanity
<01892>_.

8:15

Then I commended
<07623> (8765)

mirth
<08057>_,

because a man
<0120>

hath no better thing
<02896>

under the sun
<08121>_,

than to eat
<0398> (8800)_,

and to drink
<08354> (8800)_,

and to be merry
<08055> (8800)_:

for that shall abide
<03867> (8799)

with him of his labour
<05999>

the days
<03117>

of his life
<02416>_,

which God
<0430>

giveth
<05414> (8804)

him under the sun
<08121>_.

8:16

When I applied
<05414> (8804)

mine heart
<03820>

to know
<03045> (8800)

wisdom
<02451>_,

and to see
<07200> (8800)

the business
<06045>

that is done
<06213> (8738)

upon the earth
<0776>_:

(for also [there is that] neither day
<03117>

nor night
<03915>

seeth
<07200> (8802)

sleep
<08142>

with his eyes
<05869>:)

8:17

Then I beheld
<07200> (8804)

all the work
<04639>

of God
<0430>_,

that a man
<0120>

cannot
<03201> (8799)

find out
<04672> (8800)

the work
<04639>

that is done
<06213> (8738)

under the sun
<08121>_:

because
<0834>

though
<07945>

a man
<0120>

labour
<05998> (8799)

to seek [it] out
<01245> (8763)_,

yet he shall not find
<04672> (8799)

[it]; yea further; though a wise
<02450>

[man] think
<0559> (8799)

to know
<03045> (8800)

[it], yet shall he not be able
<03201> (8799)

to find
<04672> (8800)

[it].