Ecclesiastes 7:7-12
Authorized (King James) Version
7 Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad;
and a gift destroyeth the heart.
8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof:
and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
9 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.
Ecclesiastes 7:7-12
21st Century King James Version
7 Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad, and a bribe destroyeth the heart.
8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry, for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
10 Say not thou, “Why were the former days better than these?” For thou dost not inquire 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 safeguard, as money is a safeguard, but the excellency of knowledge is that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.
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Ecclesiastes 7:19-26
Authorized (King James) Version
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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Ecclesiastes 7:19-26
21st Century King James Version
19 Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men who are in the city.
20 For there is not a just man upon earth who 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 tested by wisdom: I said, “I will be wise,” but it was far from me.
24 That which is far off and exceedingly deep” who can find it out?
25 I applied mine heart to know and to search and to seek out wisdom and the reason for 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 whose hands are as bonds. Whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her, but the sinner shall be taken by her.
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Ecclesiastes 10:1-11:6
Authorized (King James) Version
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.
2 A wise man’s heart is at his right hand;
but a fool’s heart at his left.
3 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.
4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place;
for yielding pacifieth great offences.
5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun,
as an error which proceedeth from the ruler:
6 folly is set in great dignity,
and the rich sit in low place.
7 I have seen servants upon horses,
and princes walking as servants upon the earth.
8 He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it;
and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
9 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.
2 Give a portion to seven, and also to eight;
for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.
3 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.
4 He that observeth the wind shall not sow;
and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.
5 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. 6 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.
Ecclesiastes 10:1-11:6
21st Century King James Version
10 Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savor; so doth a little folly in him that hath a reputation for wisdom and honor.
2 A wise man’s heart is at his right hand, but a fool’s heart at his left.
3 Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh along the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to everyone that he is a fool.
4 If the ire of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy station; for yielding pacifieth great offenses.
5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun as an error which proceedeth from the ruler:
6 folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in lowly places.
7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.
8 He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh through a hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
9 Whoso removeth out stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.
10 If the ax be blunt and one does not whet the edge, then must he put to it more strength; but wisdom is profitable to direct him.
11 Surely the serpent will bite if not charmed, 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 himself up;
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 labor 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 feast 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 leaks.
19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry; but money answereth all things.
20 Curse not the king, no, not even in thy thoughts, and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber; for a bird of the air shall carry thy 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.
2 Give a portion to seven and also to eight, for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.
3 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.
4 He that observeth the wind shall not sow, and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.
5 As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones grow in the womb of her that is with child, even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.
6 In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand; for thou knowest not whether either this or that shall prosper, or whether they both shall be alike good.
KJV reproduced by permission of Cambridge University Press, the Crown’s patentee in the UK.
Copyright © 1994 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc.