1 A good name exceeds the value of fine perfume, and the day of someone’s death exceeds the value of a7:1 Lit. death than the day of his birth. ISV — Ecclesiastes 7:1
2 It’s better to attend a funeral b7:2 Lit. house of mourning than to attend a banquet, c7:2 Lit. house of feasting for everyone dies eventually, and the living will take this to heart. ISV — Ecclesiastes 7:2
3 Sorrow is better than laughter, because the heart is made better through trouble. ISV — Ecclesiastes 7:3
4 For the wise person thinks carefully when in mourning, but fools focus their thoughts on pleasure. ISV — Ecclesiastes 7:4
5 It is better to listen to a wise person’s rebuke than to listen to the praise d7:5 Lit. song of fools. ISV — Ecclesiastes 7:5
6 For as thorns burn to heat a pot, so also is the laughter of the fool— even this is pointless. ISV — Ecclesiastes 7:6
7 Unjust gain makes the wise foolish, and a bribe corrupts the heart. ISV — Ecclesiastes 7:7
8 The conclusion of something is better than its beginning, and a patient attitude e7:8 Lit. spirit is more valuable than a proud one. f7:8 Lit. spirit ISV — Ecclesiastes 7:8
9 Never be in a hurry to become internally angry, since anger settles down in the lap of fools. ISV — Ecclesiastes 7:9
10 Never ask “Why does the past g7:10 Lit. the former days seem so much better than now?” h7:10 Lit. than these because this question does not come from wisdom. ISV — Ecclesiastes 7:10
11 Wise use of possessions is good; it brings benefit to the living. i7:11 Lit. to those who see the sun ISV — Ecclesiastes 7:11
12 Indeed, wisdom gives protection, j7:12 Or shade just like money does, but it’s better to know that wisdom gives life, to those who have mastered k7:12 Or acquired it. ISV — Ecclesiastes 7:12
13 Consider the work of God: Who is able to straighten what he has bent? ISV — Ecclesiastes 7:13
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. ISV — Ecclesiastes 7:14
15 I have seen it all l7:15 Lit. seen in pointlessness 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. m7:15 Lit. lives long in his evil ISV — Ecclesiastes 7:15
16 Do not be overly righteous, nor be overly wise. Why be self-destructive? ISV — Ecclesiastes 7:16
17 Do not excel at wickedness, nor be a fool. Why die before your time? ISV — Ecclesiastes 7:17
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. n7:18 The Heb. lacks extremes ISV — Ecclesiastes 7:18
19 Wisdom given as strength to a wise person is better than having ten powerful men in the city. ISV — Ecclesiastes 7:19
20 For there is not a single righteous man on earth who practices good and does not sin. ISV — Ecclesiastes 7:20
21 Don’t listen to everything that is spoken— you may hear your servant cursing you, ISV — Ecclesiastes 7:21
22 since you also know how often you have cursed others. ISV — Ecclesiastes 7:22
23 I used my wisdom to test all of this. I said, “I want to be wise,” but it was beyond me. ISV — Ecclesiastes 7:23
24 Whatever it is, it’s far off and most profound. Who can attain it? ISV — Ecclesiastes 7:24
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. ISV — Ecclesiastes 7:25
26 I discovered for myself a bitterness that surpasses that of death: the woman whose heart is full of o7:26 The Heb. lacks 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. ISV — Ecclesiastes 7:26
27 “Look at this,” says the Teacher. “Linking one thing to another, I reached this conclusion: ISV — Ecclesiastes 7:27
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 p7:28 The Heb. lacks to be wise among all these. ISV — Ecclesiastes 7:28
29 I have discovered only this: God made human beings for righteousness, but they seek many alternatives.” ISV — Ecclesiastes 7:29