Ecclesiastes 6:10-7:14
New American Standard Bible 1995
10 Whatever (A)exists has already been named, and it is known what man is; for he (B)cannot dispute with him who is stronger than he is. 11 For there are many words which increase futility. What then is the advantage to a man? 12 For who knows what is good for a man during his lifetime, during the few [a]years of his futile life? He will [b]spend them like a shadow. For who can tell a man (C)what will be after him under the sun?
Wisdom and Folly Contrasted
7 A (D)good name is better than a good ointment,
And the (E)day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth.
2 It is better to go to a house of mourning
Than to go to a house of feasting,
Because [c]that is the (F)end of every man,
And the living [d](G)takes it to [e]heart.
3 (H)Sorrow is better than laughter,
For (I)when a face is sad a heart may be happy.
4 The [f]mind of the wise is in the house of mourning,
While the [g]mind of fools is in the house of pleasure.
5 It is better to (J)listen to the rebuke of a wise man
Than for one to listen to the song of fools.
6 For as the [h]crackling of (K)thorn bushes under a pot,
So is the (L)laughter of the fool;
And this too is futility.
7 For (M)oppression makes a wise man mad,
And a (N)bribe [i]corrupts the heart.
8 The (O)end of a matter is better than its beginning;
(P)Patience of spirit is better than haughtiness of spirit.
9 Do not be [j](Q)eager in your heart to be angry,
For anger resides in the bosom 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 (R)advantage to those who see the sun.
12 For (S)wisdom is [k]protection just as money is [l]protection,
But the advantage of knowledge is that (T)wisdom preserves the lives of its possessors.
13 Consider the (U)work of God,
For who is (V)able to straighten what He has bent?
14 (W)In the day of prosperity be happy,
But (X)in the day of adversity consider—
God has made the one as well as the other
So that man will (Y)not discover anything that will be after him.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 6:12 Lit days
- Ecclesiastes 6:12 Lit do
- Ecclesiastes 7:2 I.e. death
- Ecclesiastes 7:2 Lit gives
- Ecclesiastes 7:2 Lit his heart
- Ecclesiastes 7:4 Lit heart
- Ecclesiastes 7:4 Lit heart
- Ecclesiastes 7:6 Lit voice
- Ecclesiastes 7:7 Lit destroys
- Ecclesiastes 7:9 Lit hasty in your spirit
- Ecclesiastes 7:12 Lit in a shadow
- Ecclesiastes 7:12 Lit in a shadow
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
