Ecclesiastes 7:7-12
World English Bible
7 Surely extortion makes the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroys the understanding. 8 Better is the end of a thing than its beginning.
The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. 9 Don’t be hasty in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools. 10 Don’t say, “Why were the former days better than these?” For you do not ask wisely about this.
11 Wisdom is as good as an inheritance. Yes, it is more excellent for those who see the sun. 12 For wisdom is a defense, even as money is a defense; but the excellency of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.
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Ecclesiastes 7:7-12
American Standard Version
7 [a]Surely extortion maketh the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroyeth the understanding. 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 [b]angry; for [c]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 inquire [d]wisely concerning this. 11 Wisdom [e]is as good as an inheritance; yea, more excellent is it for them that see the sun. 12 For wisdom is a defence, even as money is a defence; but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom preserveth the life of him that hath it.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Ecclesiastes 7:7 Or, For
- Ecclesiastes 7:9 Or, vexed
- Ecclesiastes 7:9 Or, vexation
- Ecclesiastes 7:10 Hebrew out of wisdom.
- Ecclesiastes 7:11 Or, is good together with an inheritance, and profitable unto them etc.
Ecclesiastes 7:19-26
World English Bible
19 Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city. 20 Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and doesn’t sin. 21 Also don’t take heed to all words that are spoken, lest you hear your servant curse you; 22 for often your own heart knows that you yourself have likewise cursed others. 23 All this I have proved in wisdom. I said, “I will be wise;” but it was far from me. 24 That which is, is far off and exceedingly deep. Who can find it out? 25 I turned around, and my heart sought to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know that wickedness is stupidity, and that foolishness is madness.
26 I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and traps, whose hands are chains. Whoever pleases God shall escape from her; but the sinner will be ensnared by her.
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Ecclesiastes 7:19-26
American Standard Version
19 Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers that are in a city. 20 [a]Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not. 21 Also [b]take not 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 [c]proved in wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me. 24 That which [d]is, is far off and exceeding deep; who can find it out? 25 I turned about, and my heart was set to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason of things, and to know [e]that wickedness is folly, and that foolishness is madness. 26 And I find more bitter than death the woman [f]whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Ecclesiastes 7:20 Or, For
- Ecclesiastes 7:21 Hebrew give not thy heart.
- Ecclesiastes 7:23 Or, tried by
- Ecclesiastes 7:24 Or, hath been
- Ecclesiastes 7:25 Or, the wickedness of folly, and foolishness which is madness
- Ecclesiastes 7:26 Or, who is a snare, and her heart is as nets
Ecclesiastes 10:1-11:6
World English Bible
10 Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to produce an evil odor;
so does a little folly outweigh wisdom and honor.
2 A wise man’s heart is at his right hand,
but a fool’s heart at his left. 3 Yes also when the fool walks by the way, his understanding fails him, and he says to everyone that he is a fool. 4 If the spirit of the ruler rises up against you, don’t leave your place; for gentleness lays great offenses to rest.
5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, the sort of error which proceeds from the ruler. 6 Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place. 7 I have seen servants on horses, and princes walking like servants on the earth. 8 He who digs a pit may fall into it; and whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake. 9 Whoever carves out stones may be injured by them. Whoever splits wood may be endangered by it. 10 If the ax is blunt, and one doesn’t sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but skill brings success.
11 If the snake bites before it is charmed, then is there no profit for the charmer’s tongue. 12 The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but a fool is swallowed by his own lips. 13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is mischievous madness. 14 A fool also multiplies words.
Man doesn’t know what will be; and that which will be after him, who can tell him? 15 The labor of fools wearies every one of them; for he doesn’t know how to go to the city.
16 Woe to you, land, when your king is a child,
and your princes eat in the morning!
17 Happy are you, land, when your king is the son of nobles,
and your princes eat in due season,
for strength, and not for drunkenness!
18 By slothfulness the roof sinks in;
and through idleness of the hands the house leaks.
19 A feast is made for laughter,
and wine makes the life glad;
and money is the answer for all things.
20 Don’t curse the king, no, not in your thoughts;
and don’t curse the rich in your bedroom:
for a bird of the sky may carry your voice,
and that which has wings may tell the matter.
11 Cast your bread on the waters;
for you shall find it after many days.
2 Give a portion to seven, yes, even to eight;
for you don’t know what evil will be on the earth.
3 If the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves on the earth;
and if a tree falls toward the south, or toward the north,
in the place where the tree falls, there shall it be.
4 He who observes the wind won’t sow;
and he who regards the clouds won’t reap.
5 As you don’t know what is the way of the wind,
nor how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child;
even so you don’t know the work of God who does all.
6 In the morning sow your seed,
and in the evening don’t withhold your hand;
for you don’t know which will prosper, whether this or that,
or whether they both will be equally good.
Ecclesiastes 10:1-11:6
American Standard Version
10 Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer [a]to send forth an evil odor; so doth a little folly [b]outweigh 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 the fool walketh by the way, his [c]understanding faileth him, and he saith [d]to every one that he is a fool. 4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for [e]gentleness allayeth great offences. 5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as it were an error which proceedeth from the ruler: 6 folly is set in great [f]dignity, and the rich sit in a low place. 7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking like servants upon the earth. 8 He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh through a wall, a serpent shall bite him. 9 Whoso [g]heweth out stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood is endangered thereby. 10 If the iron be blunt, and one do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct. 11 [h]If the serpent bite [i]before it is charmed, then is there no advantage in [j]the charmer. 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 [k]his talk is mischievous madness. 14 A fool also multiplieth words: yet man knoweth not what shall be; and that which shall be after him, who can tell him? 15 The labor of fools wearieth every one of them; for he knoweth not how to go to the city. 16 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a [l]child, and thy princes eat in the morning! 17 Happy art thou, O land, when thy king is [m]the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness! 18 By slothfulness the [n]roof sinketh in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaketh. 19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh glad the life; and money answereth all things. 20 Revile not the king, no, not in thy thought; and revile not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the heavens shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.
11 [o]Cast thy bread [p]upon the waters; for thou shalt find it after many days. 2 [q]Give a portion to seven, yea, even unto 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 a tree fall [r]toward the south, or [s]toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there shall it 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 [t]wind, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child; even so thou knowest not the work of God who doeth all. 6 In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand; for thou knowest not which shall prosper, whether this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 10:1 Or, to stink and putrefy
- Ecclesiastes 10:1 Or, him that is valued for wisdom
- Ecclesiastes 10:3 Hebrew heart.
- Ecclesiastes 10:3 Or, of
- Ecclesiastes 10:4 Or, calmness leaveth great sins undone
- Ecclesiastes 10:6 Hebrew heights.
- Ecclesiastes 10:9 Or, moveth stones
- Ecclesiastes 10:11 Or, Surely the serpent will bite where there is no enchantment; and the slanderer is no better
- Ecclesiastes 10:11 Hebrew without enchantment.
- Ecclesiastes 10:11 Hebrew the master of the tongue.
- Ecclesiastes 10:13 Hebrew his mouth.
- Ecclesiastes 10:16 Or, servant
- Ecclesiastes 10:17 Or, a free man
- Ecclesiastes 10:18 Or, rafters sink
- Ecclesiastes 11:1 Or, Send forth
- Ecclesiastes 11:1 Hebrew upon the face of the waters.
- Ecclesiastes 11:2 Or, Divide a portion into seven, yea, even into eight
- Ecclesiastes 11:3 Or, in
- Ecclesiastes 11:3 Or, in
- Ecclesiastes 11:5 Or, spirit
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