Ecclesiastes 7

A Good name is better then precious ointment: and the day of death, then the day of ones birth.

¶ It is better to goe to the house of mourning, then to goe to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men, and the liuing will lay it to his heart.

3

Sorrow is better then laughter: for by the sadnesse of the countenance the heart is made better.

4

The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning: but the heart of fooles is in the house of mirth.

5

It is better to heare the rebuke of the wise, then for a man to heare the song of fooles.

6

For as the crackling of thornes vnder a pot, so is the laughter of the foole: this also is vanitie.

7

¶ Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad: and a gift destroyeth the heart.

8

Better is the ende of a thing then the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better then the proude in spirit.

9

Be not hastie in thy spirit to bee angry: for anger resteth in the bosome of fooles.

10

Say not thou, What is the cause that the former dayes were better then these? For thou doest not enquire wisely concerning this.

11

¶ Wisedome is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profite to them that see the sunne.

12

For wisedome is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellencie of knowledge is, that wisedome giueth life to them that haue it.

13

Consider the worke of God: for who can make that straight, which hee hath made crooked?

14

In the day of prosperitie be ioyfull, but in the day of aduersitie consider: God also hath set the one ouer against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.

15

All things haue I seene in the dayes of my vanitie: there is a iust man that perisheth in his righteousnes, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickednes.

16

Be not righteous ouer much, neither make thy selfe ouer wise: why shouldest thou destroy thy selfe?

17

Be not ouermuch wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?

18

It is good that thou shouldest take holde of this, yea also from this withdraw not thine hand: for hee that feareth God, shall come foorth of them all.

19

Wisedome strengtheneth the wise, more then ten mightie men which are in the citie.

20

For there is not a iust man vpon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

21

Also take no heede vnto all words that are spoken; lest thou heare thy seruant curse thee.

22

For often times also thine owne heart knoweth, that thou thy selfe likewise hast cursed others.

23

¶ All this haue I prooued by wisedome: I said, I will be wise, but it was farre from me.

24

That which is farre off, and exceeding deepe, who can finde it out?

25

I applyed mine heart to know, and to search, and to seeke out wisdome, and the reason of things, aud to know the wickednes of folly, euen of foolishnesse and madnesse.

26

And I finde more bitter then death, the woman whose heart is snares & nets, and her handes as bands: who so pleaseth God, shall escape from her, but the sinner shall be taken by her.

27

Behold, this haue I found (saith the Preacher) counting one by one to finde out the account:

28

Which yet my soule seeketh, but I finde not: one man among a thousand haue I found, but a woman among all those haue I not found.

29

Loe, this onely haue I found, that God hath made man vpright: but they haue sought out many inuentions.