Extortion turns a wise person into a fool,
    and a bribe(A) corrupts the heart.

The end of a matter is better than its beginning,
    and patience(B) is better than pride.
Do not be quickly provoked(C) in your spirit,
    for anger resides in the lap of fools.(D)

10 Do not say, “Why were the old days(E) better than these?”
    For it is not wise to ask such questions.

11 Wisdom, like an inheritance, is a good thing(F)
    and benefits those who see the sun.(G)
12 Wisdom is a shelter
    as money is a shelter,
but the advantage of knowledge is this:
    Wisdom preserves those who have it.

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For (A)oppression makes a wise person look foolish,
And a (B)bribe [a]corrupts the heart.
The (C)end of a matter is better than its beginning;
(D)Patience of spirit is better than arrogance of spirit.
Do not be [b](E)eager in your spirit to be angry,
For anger resides in the [c]heart of fools.
10 Do not say, “Why is it that the former days were better than these?”
For it is not from wisdom that you ask about this.
11 Wisdom along with an inheritance is good,
And an (F)advantage to those who see the sun.
12 For (G)wisdom is [d]protection just as money is [e]protection,
But the advantage of knowledge is that (H)wisdom keeps its possessors alive.

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 7:7 Lit destroys
  2. Ecclesiastes 7:9 Lit hasty
  3. Ecclesiastes 7:9 Lit chest
  4. Ecclesiastes 7:12 Lit in a shadow
  5. Ecclesiastes 7:12 Lit in a shadow

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

Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.

10 Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.

11 Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun.

12 For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.

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19 Wisdom(A) makes one wise person more powerful(B)
    than ten rulers in a city.

20 Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous,(C)
    no one who does what is right and never sins.(D)

21 Do not pay attention to every word people say,
    or you(E) may hear your servant cursing you—
22 for you know in your heart
    that many times you yourself have cursed others.

23 All this I tested by wisdom and I said,

“I am determined to be wise”(F)
    but this was beyond me.
24 Whatever exists is far off and most profound—
    who can discover it?(G)
25 So I turned my mind to understand,
    to investigate and to search out wisdom and the scheme of things(H)
and to understand the stupidity of wickedness
    and the madness of folly.(I)

26 I find more bitter than death
    the woman who is a snare,(J)
whose heart is a trap
    and whose hands are chains.
The man who pleases God will escape her,
    but the sinner she will ensnare.(K)

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19 (A)Wisdom strengthens a wise person more than ten rulers who are in a city. 20 Indeed, (B)there is not a righteous person on earth who always does good and does not ever sin. 21 Also, do not [a]take seriously all the words which are spoken, so that you do not hear your servant (C)cursing you, 22 for [b]you know that even you have cursed others many times as well.

23 I tested all this with wisdom, and I said, “I will be wise,” (D)but wisdom was far from me. 24 What has been is remote and (E)very [c]mysterious. (F)Who can discover it? 25 I [d](G)directed my [e]mind to know and to investigate, and to seek wisdom and an explanation, and to know the evil of foolishness and the foolishness of insanity. 26 And I discovered as more (H)bitter than death the woman whose heart is (I)snares and nets, whose hands are chains. (J)One who is pleasing to God will escape from her, but (K)the sinner will be captured by her.

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 7:21 Lit give your heart to
  2. Ecclesiastes 7:22 Lit your heart knows
  3. Ecclesiastes 7:24 Lit deep
  4. Ecclesiastes 7:25 Lit turned about
  5. Ecclesiastes 7:25 Lit heart

19 Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.

20 For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

21 Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:

22 For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.

23 All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.

24 That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?

25 I 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:

26 And 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.

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10 As dead flies give perfume a bad smell,
    so a little folly(A) outweighs wisdom and honor.
The heart of the wise inclines to the right,
    but the heart of the fool to the left.
Even as fools walk along the road,
    they lack sense
    and show everyone(B) how stupid they are.
If a ruler’s anger rises against you,
    do not leave your post;(C)
    calmness can lay great offenses to rest.(D)

There is an evil I have seen under the sun,
    the sort of error that arises from a ruler:
Fools are put in many high positions,(E)
    while the rich occupy the low ones.
I have seen slaves on horseback,
    while princes go on foot like slaves.(F)

Whoever digs a pit may fall into it;(G)
    whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.(H)
Whoever quarries stones may be injured by them;
    whoever splits logs may be endangered by them.(I)

10 If the ax is dull
    and its edge unsharpened,
more strength is needed,
    but skill will bring success.

11 If a snake bites before it is charmed,
    the charmer receives no fee.(J)

12 Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious,(K)
    but fools are consumed by their own lips.(L)
13 At the beginning their words are folly;
    at the end they are wicked madness—
14     and fools multiply words.(M)

No one knows what is coming—
    who can tell someone else what will happen after them?(N)

15 The toil of fools wearies them;
    they do not know the way to town.

16 Woe to the land whose king was a servant[a](O)
    and whose princes feast in the morning.
17 Blessed is the land whose king is of noble birth
    and whose princes eat at a proper time—
    for strength and not for drunkenness.(P)

18 Through laziness, the rafters sag;
    because of idle hands, the house leaks.(Q)

19 A feast is made for laughter,
    wine(R) makes life merry,
    and money is the answer for everything.

20 Do not revile the king(S) even in your thoughts,
    or curse the rich in your bedroom,
because a bird in the sky may carry your words,
    and a bird on the wing may report what you say.

Invest in Many Ventures

11 Ship(T) your grain across the sea;
    after many days you may receive a return.(U)
Invest in seven ventures, yes, in eight;
    you do not know what disaster may come upon the land.

If clouds are full of water,
    they pour rain on the earth.
Whether a tree falls to the south or to the north,
    in the place where it falls, there it will lie.
Whoever watches the wind will not plant;
    whoever looks at the clouds will not reap.

As you do not know the path of the wind,(V)
    or how the body is formed[b] in a mother’s womb,(W)
so you cannot understand the work of God,
    the Maker of all things.

Sow your seed in the morning,
    and at evening let your hands not be idle,(X)
for you do not know which will succeed,
    whether this or that,
    or whether both will do equally well.

Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 10:16 Or king is a child
  2. Ecclesiastes 11:5 Or know how life (or the spirit) / enters the body being formed

A Little Foolishness

10 Dead flies turn a (A)perfumer’s oil rancid, so a little foolishness is more [a]potent than wisdom and honor. A wise person’s heart directs him toward the right, but the foolish (B)person’s heart directs him toward the left. Even when the fool walks along the road, his [b]sense is lacking, and he [c](C)demonstrates to everyone that he is a fool. If the ruler’s [d]temper rises against you, (D)do not abandon your place, because (E)composure puts great offenses to rest.

There is an evil I have seen under the sun, like a mistake that proceeds from the ruler: (F)foolishness is set in many exalted places while the rich sit in humble places. I have seen (G)slaves riding (H)on horses and princes walking like slaves on the land.

(I)One who digs a pit may fall into it, and a (J)serpent may bite one who breaks through a wall. One who quarries stones may be hurt by them, and one who splits logs may be endangered by them. 10 If the [e]axe is dull and he does not sharpen its [f]edge, then he must exert more strength. Wisdom has the advantage of bringing success. 11 If the serpent bites [g](K)before being charmed, there is no benefit for the charmer. 12 (L)Words from the mouth of a wise person are gracious, while the lips of a (M)fool consume him; 13 the beginning of [h]his talking is foolishness, and the end of [i]it is evil (N)insanity. 14 Yet the (O)fool multiplies words. No person knows what will happen, and who can tell him (P)what will come after him? 15 The labor of [j]a fool makes him so weary that he does not even know how to go to a city. 16 Woe to you, land whose (Q)king is a boy, and whose princes [k]feast in the morning. 17 Blessed are you, land whose king is of nobility, and whose princes eat at the appropriate time—for strength and not for (R)drunkenness. 18 Through (S)extreme laziness the rafters sag, and through idleness the house leaks. 19 People prepare a meal for enjoyment, (T)wine makes life joyful, and (U)money [l]is the answer to everything. 20 Furthermore, (V)in your bedroom do not (W)curse a king, and in your sleeping rooms do not curse a rich person; for a bird of the sky will bring the sound, and the winged one will make your word known.

Cast Your Bread on the Waters

11 (X)Cast your bread on the surface of the waters, for you (Y)will find it [m]after many days. (Z)Divide your portion to seven, or even to eight, for you do not know what (AA)misfortune may occur on the earth. If the clouds are full, they pour out rain on the earth; and whether a tree falls toward the south or toward the north, wherever the tree falls, there it [n]lies. One who watches the wind will not sow and one who looks at the clouds will not harvest. Just as you do not (AB)know the path of the [o]wind, and (AC)how bones are formed in the womb of the [p]pregnant woman, so you do not (AD)know the activity of God who makes everything.

Sow your seed (AE)in the morning and do not [q]be idle in the evening, for you do not know whether [r]one or the other will succeed, or whether both of them alike will be good.

Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 10:1 Lit costly
  2. Ecclesiastes 10:3 Lit heart
  3. Ecclesiastes 10:3 Lit says
  4. Ecclesiastes 10:4 Lit spirit
  5. Ecclesiastes 10:10 Lit iron
  6. Ecclesiastes 10:10 Lit faces
  7. Ecclesiastes 10:11 Lit with no incantation
  8. Ecclesiastes 10:13 Lit the words of his mouth
  9. Ecclesiastes 10:13 Lit his mouth
  10. Ecclesiastes 10:15 Lit fools make
  11. Ecclesiastes 10:16 Lit eat
  12. Ecclesiastes 10:19 Lit answers all
  13. Ecclesiastes 11:1 Lit in, within
  14. Ecclesiastes 11:3 Lit is
  15. Ecclesiastes 11:5 Or with many mss spirit into the bones in the womb
  16. Ecclesiastes 11:5 Lit full
  17. Ecclesiastes 11:6 Lit let down your hand
  18. Ecclesiastes 11:6 Lit this or that

10 Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.

A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.

Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.

If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.

There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler:

Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.

I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.

He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.

Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.

10 If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.

11 Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.

12 The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.

13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.

14 A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?

15 The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.

16 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!

17 Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!

18 By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.

19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.

20 Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.

11 Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.

Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.

If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be.

He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.

As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.

In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.