Eclesiastés 7
Bible in Basic English
1A good name is better than oil of great price, and the day of death than the day of birth.
2It is better to go to the house of weeping, than to go to the house of feasting; because that is the end of every man, and the living will take it to their hearts.
3Sorrow is better than joy; when the face is sad the mind gets better.
4The hearts of the wise are in the house of weeping; but the hearts of the foolish are in the house of joy.
5It is better to take note of the protest of the wise, than for a man to give ear to the song of the foolish.
6Like the cracking of thorns under a pot, so is the laugh of a foolish man; and this again is to no purpose.
7The wise are troubled by the ways of the cruel, and the giving of money is the destruction of the heart.
8The end of a thing is better than its start, and a gentle spirit is better than pride.
9Be not quick to let your spirit be angry; because wrath is in the heart of the foolish.
10Say not, Why were the days which have gone by better than these? Such a question comes not from wisdom.
11Wisdom together with a heritage is good, and a profit to those who see the sun.
12Wisdom keeps a man from danger even as money does; but the value of knowledge is that wisdom gives life to its owner.
13Give thought to the work of God. Who will make straight what he has made bent?
14In the day of wealth have joy, but in the day of evil take thought: God has put the one against the other, so that man may not be certain what will be after him.
15These two have I seen in my life which is to no purpose: a good man coming to his end in his righteousness, and an evil man whose days are long in his evil-doing.
16Be not given overmuch to righteousness and be not over-wise. Why let destruction come on you?
17Be not evil overmuch, and be not foolish. Why come to your end before your time?
18It is good to take this in your hand and not to keep your hand from that; he who has the fear of God will be free of the two.
19Wisdom makes a wise man stronger than ten rulers in a town.
20There is no man on earth of such righteousness that he does good and is free from sin all his days.
21Do not give ear to all the words which men say, for fear of hearing the curses of your servant.
22Your heart has knowledge how frequently others have been cursed by you.
23All this I have put to the test by wisdom; I said, I will be wise, but it was far from me.
24Far off is true existence, and very deep; who may have knowledge of it?
25I gave my mind to knowledge and to searching for wisdom and the reason of things, and to the discovery that sin is foolish, and that to be foolish is to be without one's senses.
26And I saw a thing more bitter than death, even the woman whose heart is full of tricks and nets, and whose hands are as bands. He with whom God is pleased will get free from her, but the sinner will be taken by her.
27Look! this I have seen, said the Preacher, taking one thing after another to get the true account,
28For which my soul is still searching, but I have it not; one man among a thousand have I seen; but a woman among all these I have not seen.
29This only have I seen, that God made men upright, but they have been searching out all sorts of inventions.
Reina-Valera 1909
1MEJOR es la buena fama que el buen ungüento; y el día de la muerte que el día del nacimiento.
2Mejor es ir á la casa del luto que á la casa del convite: porque aquello es el fin de todos los hombres; y el que vive parará mientes.
3Mejor es el enojo que la risa: porque con la tristeza del rostro se enmendará el corazón.
4El corazón de los sabios, en la casa del luto; mas el corazón de los insensatos, en la casa del placer.
5Mejor es oir la reprensión del sabio, que la canción de los necios.
6Porque la risa del necio es como el estrépito de las espinas debajo de la olla. Y también esto es vanidad.
7Ciertamente la opresión hace enloquecer al sabio: y el presente corrompe el corazón.
8Mejor es el fin del negocio que su principio: mejor es el sufrido de espíritu que el altivo de espíritu.
9No te apresures en tu espíritu á enojarte: porque la ira en el seno de los necios reposa.
10Nunca digas: ¿Qué es la causa que los tiempos pasados fueron mejores que éstos? Porque nunca de esto preguntarás con sabiduría.
11Buena es la ciencia con herencia; y más á los que ven el sol.
12Porque escudo es la ciencia, y escudo es el dinero: mas la sabiduría excede en que da vida á sus poseedores.
13Mira la obra de Dios; porque ¿quién podrá enderezar lo que él torció?
14En el día del bien goza del bien; y en el día del mal considera. Dios también hizo esto delante de lo otro, porque el hombre no halle nada tras de él.
15Todo esto he visto en los días de mi vanidad. Justo hay que perece por su justicia, y hay impío que por su maldad alarga sus días.
16No seas demasiado justo, ni seas sabio con exceso: ¿por qué te destruirás?
17No hagas mal mucho, ni seas insensato: ¿por qué morirás antes de tu tiempo?
18Bueno es que tomes esto, y también de estotro no apartes tu mano; porque el que á Dios teme, saldrá con todo.
19La sabiduría fortifica al sabio más que diez poderosos la ciudad en que fueron.
20Ciertamente no hay hombre justo en la tierra, que haga bien y nunca peque.
21Tampoco apliques tu corazón á todas las cosas que se hablaren, porque no oigas á tu siervo que dice mal de ti:
22Porque tu corazón sabe, como tú también dijiste mal de otros muchas veces.
23Todas estas cosas probé con sabiduría, diciendo: Hacerme he sabio: mas ella se alejó de mí.
24Lejos está lo que fué; y lo muy profundo ¿quién lo hallará?
25Yo he rodeado con mi corazón por saber, y examinar, é inquirir la sabiduría, y la razón; y por conocer la maldad de la insensatez, y el desvarío del error;
26Y yo he hallado más amarga que la muerte la mujer, la cual es redes, y lazos su corazón; sus manos como ligaduras. El que agrada á Dios escapará de ella; mas el pecador será preso en ella.
27He aquí, esto he hallado, dice el Predicador, pesando las cosas una por una para hallar la razón;
28Lo que aun busca mi alma, y no encuentro: un hombre entre mil he hallado; mas mujer de todas éstas nunca hallé.
29He aquí, solamente he hallado esto: que Dios hizo al hombre recto, mas ellos buscaron muchas cuentas.
King James Version
1A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.
2It 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.
3Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
4The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
5It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
6For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
7Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.
8Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
9Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
10Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.
11Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun.
12For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.
13Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?
14In 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.
15All 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.
16Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
17Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
18It 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.
19Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.
20For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
21Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:
22For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
23All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
24That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?
25I 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:
26And 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.
27Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account:
28Which 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.
29Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
World English Bible
1A good name is better than fine perfume; and the day of death better than the day of one’s birth.
2It 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.
3Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the face the heart is made good.
4The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
5It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise than for a man to hear the song of fools.
6For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.
7Surely extortion makes the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroys the understanding.
8Better is the end of a thing than its beginning. The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
9Don’t be hasty in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools.
10Don’t say, “Why were the former days better than these?” For you do not ask wisely about this.
11Wisdom is as good as an inheritance. Yes, it is more excellent for those who see the sun.
12For wisdom is a defense, even as money is a defense; but the excellency of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.
13Consider the work of God, for who can make that straight which he has made crooked?
14In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yes, God has made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything after him.
15All this I have seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who lives long in his evildoing.
16Don’t be overly righteous, neither make yourself overly wise. Why should you destroy yourself?
17Don’t be too wicked, neither be foolish. Why should you die before your time?
18It is good that you should take hold of this. Yes, also don’t withdraw your hand from that; for he who fears God will come out of them all.
19Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.
20Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and doesn’t sin.
21Also don’t take heed to all words that are spoken, lest you hear your servant curse you;
22for often your own heart knows that you yourself have likewise cursed others.
23All this I have proved in wisdom. I said, “I will be wise;” but it was far from me.
24That which is, is far off and exceedingly deep. Who can find it out?
25I turned around, and my heart sought to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know that wickedness is stupidity, and that foolishness is madness.
26I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and traps, whose hands are chains. Whoever pleases God shall escape from her; but the sinner will be ensnared by her.
27“Behold, I have found this,” says the Preacher, “to one another, to find an explanation
28which my soul still seeks, but I have not found. I have found one man among a thousand, but I have not found a woman among all those.
29Behold, I have only found this: that God made mankind upright; but they search for many inventions.”