Ecclesiastes 7

1 A good [pleasant, beneficial] name [reputation, identity] is better than fine [precious, expensive] perfume [oil, fragrance], and one’s day [time, period] of death [end of life, mortality] is better than his day [time, occasion] of birth [the day one is born, beginning of life]. word study 2 It is better [more beneficial, preferable] to enter a house [place, dwelling] of mourning [lamenting, grieving] than a house [place, dwelling] of feasting [banqueting, celebration], since death [the end of life, termination] is the end [conclusion, finality] of every man [human being, person], and the living [those who are alive, having life] should take this [the reality of death, this truth] to heart [their inner being, mind]. word study 3 Sorrow [vexation, deep sadness] is better than laughter [mockery, scorn], for a sad [melancholic, sorrowful] countenance [face, presence] is good [beneficial, pleasing] for the heart [mind, emotions, will]. word study 4 The heart [the feelings, the will, the mind] of the wise [skilled, intelligent, or prudent] is in the house [dwelling place] of mourning [grieving, lamenting, or sorrow], but the heart of fools [stupid, silly, or rejecting God] is in the house of pleasure [joy, gladness, or mirth]. word study 5 It is better [more beneficial, preferable] to heed [listen to, obey] a wise [intelligent, discerning] man’s [person’s, individual’s] rebuke [correction, warning] than to listen [give attention, hear] to the song [music, melody] of fools [stupid ones, silly people, those who reject God]. word study 6 For like the crackling [noise, sound] of thorns [prickly shrubs, troublesome things] under the pot [a vessel, a container], so is the laughter [mocking, scorn] of the fool [a stupid person, one who rejects God]. This too [also, even] is futile [vanity, emptiness, a breath of air]. word study 7 Surely [for it is a fact, because of this reason] extortion [oppression, unjust gain] turns a wise [intelligent, skilled] man into a fool [to be foolish, act wildly], and a bribe [gift, sacrifice] corrupts [destroy, ruins] the heart [feelings, will, intellect]. word study 8 The end [latter part, final outcome] of a matter [thing, affair] is better [more pleasant, advantageous] than the beginning [first part, start], and a patient [slow, longsuffering] spirit [breath, mind] is better [more desirable] than a proud [high, lofty] one [spirit, attitude]. word study 9 Do not [hasty, rash] be quickly [suddenly, without thought] provoked [to anger, irritated] in your spirit [mind, emotions, breath of life], for anger [vexation, frustration] settles [rests, remains] in the lap [bosom, chest area] of a fool [foolish person, one who rejects God]. word study 10 Do not [refrain from] say, “Why [what is the cause] were the old [former, previous] days [times, periods] better [more pleasant, more desirable] than these [the current ones]?” For it is unwise [lacking wisdom, foolish] of you to ask [inquire, seek to know] about this [concerning this matter, regarding this]. word study 11 Wisdom [like a valuable treasure], like an inheritance [passed down], is good [beneficial, pleasant], and it benefits [provides an advantage] those who see [look upon, observe] the sun [shining brightly]. word study 12 For [because of this reason] wisdom [skill, prudence, or good judgment], like [similar to, comparable with] money [silver, wealth], is a shelter [defense, protection, shadow], and the advantage [profit, gain, excellence] of knowledge [understanding, insight] is that wisdom [prudent judgment] preserves [keeps safe, gives life to] the life [existence, vitality] of its owner [master, possessor]. word study 13 Consider [think carefully about, reflect on] the work [deed, action] of God [Elohim, the supreme One]: Who [what person, which one] can [be able, have power] straighten [make straight, set in order] what He has [purposely, intentionally] bent [made crooked, twisted, perverted]? word study 14 In the day [a time of blessing] of prosperity, be joyful [happy, rejoicing], but in the day [a time of hardship] of adversity, consider [reflect on, think about] this: God [the supreme Creator, Elohim] has made [created, brought into existence] one of these [good and bad days] along with the other [in a balanced mix], so that a man [a human being, Adam] cannot discover [find out, know] anything [something, no matter how small] that will come [happen, occur] after him [in the future, later on]. word study 15 In my futile [vain] life I have seen both of these: A righteous [just, morally upright] man perishing [dying, coming to an end] in his righteousness [right standing with God, justice], and a wicked [morally wrong, evil] man living long [prolonging his life, surviving] in his wickedness [badness, sinfulness]. word study 16 Do not [by no means, absolutely not] be overly [excessively, to a great degree] righteous [just, having God’s nature], and do not [refrain from, cease] make yourself [consider yourself, think of yourself as] too wise [overly intelligent, having superior understanding]. Why [for what reason, on what account] should you [is it necessary that you] destroy [bring to ruin, devastate] yourself [your own life, your well-being]? word study 17 Do not [excessively, to a great degree] be excessively wicked [evil, morally wrong], and do not [under any circumstances] be a fool [lacking wisdom, acting unwisely]. Why [for what reason, what purpose] should you die [meet your end, pass away] before your time [appointed hour, allotted span of life]? word study 18 It is [truly] good [beneficial, pleasant] to grasp [take hold of, possess] the one [wisdom, virtue] and not let [release, abandon] the other [foolishness, vice] slip from your hand [control, guidance]. For he who fears [reveres, respects] God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] will follow [obey, heed] both [all, every] warnings [instructions, admonitions]. word study 19 Wisdom [skill and good judgment, prudence] makes the wise [intelligent, crafty] man stronger [to be strong, prevail] than ten [a decade, numerous] rulers [domineering, in charge] in a city [a town, excitement]. word study 20 Surely there is no [absolutely none, not one] righteous [just, morally upright] man on earth [the land, human domain] who does [performs, accomplishes] good [what is pleasant, beneficial] and never [at no time, not once] sins [misses the mark, goes wrong]. word study 21 Do not [give heed to] pay attention to every [all, each] word [thing, matter] that is spoken [uttered, communicated], or [lest, otherwise] you may hear [listen to, obey] your servant [slave, attendant] [who is under your authority] cursing [reviling, speaking evil of] you. word study 22 For [because of this reason] you know [are aware, have understanding] in your [innermost] heart [the seat of emotions, will, and intellect] that many times [often, frequently] you yourself [personally, individually] have [also] cursed [reviled, spoken badly of] others [those around you, neighboring people]. word study 23 All [everything, the entirety] this [these things, this matter] I tested [proved, examined] by [through, in] wisdom [skill, prudence], saying [declaring, affirming], “I resolve [determine, purpose] to be wise [intelligent, discerning].” But it [wisdom, understanding] was beyond [far from, distant] me [from my reach, beyond my grasp]. word study 24 What [that which is, true existence] exists is [far off, beyond our grasp] out of reach and very [exceedingly, profoundly] deep [profound, mysterious]. Who [what person, no one] can fathom [find out, comprehend] it? word study 25 I directed [applied, turned] my mind [heart, inner being] to understand [to know, to ascertain], to explore [to spy], to search out [to seek, to investigate] wisdom [skill, prudence, good judgment] and explanations [reason, reckoning], and to understand [to know, to perceive] the stupidity [foolishness, wickedness] of wickedness [wrong, immoral actions] and the folly [foolish, silly behavior] of madness [lack of wisdom, foolishness]. word study 26 And I find [discover, come to realize] more bitter [painful, grievous] than death [separation from God, eternal darkness] the woman [a seductress, a temptress] who is a snare [a trap, a net], whose heart [the center of emotions, will, and intellect] is a net [a trap, a snare], and whose hands [instruments of action] are chains [bonds, shackles]. The man who pleases [is acceptable to, has favor with] God [Elohim, the supreme Judge] escapes [is delivered, slips away] her, but the sinner [one who misses the mark, rebels against God] is ensnared [captured, taken captive]. word study 27 “Behold [look, see, take notice],” says the Teacher [preacher, the one who shares wisdom], “I have discovered [found, learned, come to understand] this by adding [laying, counting, putting together] one thing [aspect, matter, issue] to another [one by one, to find out] to find [discover, attain, comprehend] an explanation [account, reckoning, understanding, a reckoning or accounting]. word study 28 While my soul [the essence of a person] was still [continuing, ongoing] searching but not finding, among a thousand [a large number, a multitude] I have found one upright [righteous, just] man, but among all [everything, every person] these I have not found one such [a single, unique] woman [a female person]. word study 29 Only this [alone, apart] have I found: I have discovered that God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] made men [the man, Adam, humanity] upright [straight, just, righteous], but they [mankind, humanity] have sought out [searched for, looked for] many [numerous, abundant] schemes [inventions, devices, clever creations].” word study