Ecclesiastes 7 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

A Disillusioned View of Life

7 A good name is better than precious ointment;
and the day of death, than the day of birth.
2 It is better to go to the house of mourning
than to go to the house of feasting;
for this is the end of all men,
and the living will lay it to heart.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter,
for by sadness of 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 for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise
than to hear the song of fools.
6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot,
so is the laughter of the fools;
this also is vanity.
7 Surely oppression makes the wise man foolish,
and a bribe corrupts the mind.
8 Better is the end of a thing than its beginning;
and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
9 Be not quick to anger,
for anger lodges in the bosom of fools.
10 Say not, “Why were the former days better than these?”
For it is not from wisdom that you ask this.
11 Wisdom is good with an inheritance,
an advantage to those who see the sun.
12 For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money;
and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.
13 Consider the work of God;
who can make straight what he has made crooked?

14 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 man may not find out anything that will be after him.

The Riddles of Life

15 In my vain life I have seen everything; there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his evil-doing. 16 Be not righteous overmuch, and do not make yourself overwise; why should you destroy yourself? 17 Be not wicked overmuch, neither be a fool; why should you die before your time? 18 It is good that you should take hold of this, and from that withhold not your hand; for he who fears God shall come forth from them all.

19 Wisdom gives strength to the wise man more than ten rulers that are in a city.

20 Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.

21 Do not give heed to all the things that men say, lest you hear your servant cursing you; 22 your heart knows that many times you have yourself cursed others.

23 All this I have tested by wisdom; I said, “I will be wise”; but it was far from me. 24 That which is, is far off, and deep, very deep; who can find it out? 25 I turned my mind to know and to search out and to seek wisdom and the sum of things, and to know the wickedness of folly and the foolishness which is madness. 26 And I found more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are fetters; he who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is taken by her. 27 Behold, this is what I found, says the Preacher, adding one thing to another to find the sum, 28 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 Behold, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many devices.

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Ecclesiastes 7 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

7 Better [is] a name than good perfume, And the day of death than the day of birth. 2 Better to go unto a house of mourning, Than to go unto a house of banqueting, For that is the end of all men, And the living layeth [it] unto his heart. 3 Better [is] sorrow than laughter, For by the sadness of the...
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Ecclesiastes 7 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

7 A good name is better than precious ointments (A good name, or a good reputation, is better than expensive perfume); and the day of death is better than the day of birth. 2 It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to the house of a feast; for in that house the end of all men is warned (of...
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Ecclesiastes 7 - World English Bible (WEB)

7 A good name is better than fine perfume; and the day of death better 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 should take this to heart. 3 Sorrow is better than laughter; for by ...
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Ecclesiastes 7 - The Voice (VOICE)

7 Teacher: A good name is worth more than the finest perfume, and the day you die is better than the day you were born.2 In the same way, it is better to go to a funeral than a celebration. Why? because death is the end of life’s journey, and the living should always take that to heart.3 Sorrow be...
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Ecclesiastes 7 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Lessons from Mourning7 Better is a good reputation than precious oiland the day of death than the day of birth.2 Better to go to a house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting,since that is the end of all mankind—and the living should take it to heart.3 Grief is better than laughter, for th...
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Ecclesiastes 7 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

A Disillusioned View of Life7 A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death, than the day of birth.2 It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting;for this is the end of all men, and the living will lay it to heart.3 Sorrow is better than laught...
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Ecclesiastes 7 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

A Disillusioned View of Life7 A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death, than the day of birth.2 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 Sorrow is better than laugh...
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Ecclesiastes 7 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

A Disillusioned View of Life7 A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death, than the day of birth.(A)2 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.(B)3 Sorrow is better than...
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Ecclesiastes 7 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Wisdom for Life7 A good reputation is more valuable than costly perfume. And the day you die is better than the day you are born.2 Better to spend your time at funerals than at parties. After all, everyone dies— so the living should take this to heart.3 Sorrow is better than laughter, for sadness ha...
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Ecclesiastes 7 - New Life Version (NLV)

Wisdom Is Worth a Lot7 A good name is better than oil of much worth. And the day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth. 2 It is better to go to a house of sorrow than to go to a house of much eating. For this is the end of all men, and the living takes it to heart. 3 To have sorrow ...
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Ecclesiastes 7 - New King James Version (NKJV)

The Value of Practical Wisdom7 A (A)good name is better than precious ointment,And the day of death than the day of one’s (B)birth;2 Better to go to the house of mourningThan to go to the house of feasting,For that is the end of all men;And the living will take it to (C)heart.3 [a]Sorrow is better t...
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Ecclesiastes 7 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Wisdom7 A good name is better than fine perfume, and the day of death better than the day of birth.2 It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting,for death is the destiny of everyone; the living should take this to heart.3 Frustration is better than laughter, because a...
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Ecclesiastes 7 - New International Version (NIV)

Wisdom7 A good name is better than fine perfume,(A) and the day of death better than the day of birth.(B)2 It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting,for death(C) is the destiny(D) of everyone; the living should take this to heart.3 Frustration is better than laughte...
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Ecclesiastes 7 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

Good Advice About How to Live7 A good name is better than fine perfume. People can learn more from mourning when someone dies than from being happy when someone is born.2 So it’s better to go where people are mourning than to go where people are having a good time.Everyone will die someday. Those wh...
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Ecclesiastes 7 - New Century Version (NCV)

Some Benefits of Serious Thinking7 It is better to have respect than good perfume.The day of death is better than the day of birth.2 It is better to go to a funeral than to a party.We all must die, and everyone living should think about this.3 Sorrow is better than laughter, and sadness has a good i...
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