Eclesiastés 7
Reina-Valera 1960
Contraste entre la sabiduría y la insensatez
7 Mejor es la buena fama que el buen ungüento; y mejor el día de la muerte que el día del nacimiento. 2 Mejor es ir a la casa del luto que a la casa del banquete; porque aquello es el fin de todos los hombres, y el que vive lo pondrá en su corazón. 3 Mejor es el pesar que la risa; porque con la tristeza del rostro se enmendará el corazón. 4 El corazón de los sabios está en la casa del luto; mas el corazón de los insensatos, en la casa en que hay alegría. 5 Mejor es oír la reprensión del sabio que la canción de los necios. 6 Porque la risa del necio es como el estrépito de los espinos debajo de la olla. Y también esto es vanidad. 7 Ciertamente la opresión hace entontecer al sabio, y las dádivas corrompen el corazón. 8 Mejor es el fin del negocio que su principio; mejor es el sufrido de espíritu que el altivo de espíritu. 9 No te apresures en tu espíritu a enojarte; porque el enojo reposa en el seno de los necios. 10 Nunca digas: ¿Cuál es la causa de que los tiempos pasados fueron mejores que estos? Porque nunca de esto preguntarás con sabiduría. 11 Buena es la ciencia con herencia, y provechosa para los que ven el sol. 12 Porque escudo es la ciencia, y escudo es el dinero; mas la sabiduría excede, en que da vida a sus poseedores. 13 Mira la obra de Dios; porque ¿quién podrá enderezar lo que él torció?
14 En el día del bien goza del bien; y en el día de la adversidad considera. Dios hizo tanto lo uno como lo otro, a fin de que el hombre nada halle después de él.
15 Todo esto he visto en los días de mi vanidad. Justo hay que perece por su justicia, y hay impío que por su maldad alarga sus días. 16 No seas demasiado justo, ni seas sabio con exceso; ¿por qué habrás de destruirte? 17 No hagas mucho mal, ni seas insensato; ¿por qué habrás de morir antes de tu tiempo? 18 Bueno es que tomes esto, y también de aquello no apartes tu mano; porque aquel que a Dios teme, saldrá bien en todo.
19 La sabiduría fortalece al sabio más que diez poderosos que haya en una ciudad.
20 Ciertamente no hay hombre justo en la tierra, que haga el bien y nunca peque.
21 Tampoco apliques tu corazón a todas las cosas que se hablan, para que no oigas a tu siervo cuando dice mal de ti; 22 porque tu corazón sabe que tú también dijiste mal de otros muchas veces.
23 Todas estas cosas probé con sabiduría, diciendo: Seré sabio; pero la sabiduría se alejó de mí. 24 Lejos está lo que fue; y lo muy profundo, ¿quién lo hallará? 25 Me volví y fijé mi corazón para saber y examinar e inquirir la sabiduría y la razón, y para conocer la maldad de la insensatez y el desvarío del error. 26 Y he hallado más amarga que la muerte a la mujer cuyo corazón es lazos y redes, y sus manos ligaduras. El que agrada a Dios escapará de ella; mas el pecador quedará en ella preso. 27 He aquí que esto he hallado, dice el Predicador, pesando las cosas una por una para hallar la razón; 28 lo que aún busca mi alma, y no lo encuentra: un hombre entre mil he hallado, pero mujer entre todas estas nunca hallé. 29 He aquí, solamente esto he hallado: que Dios hizo al hombre recto, pero ellos buscaron muchas perversiones.
Ecclesiastes 7
World English Bible
7 A good name is better than fine perfume; and the day of death better than the day of one’s birth. 2 It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting; for that is the end of all men, and the living should take this to heart. 3 Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the face the heart is made good. 4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. 5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise than for a man to hear the song of fools. 6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity. 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.
13 Consider the work of God, for who can make that straight which he has made crooked? 14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yes, God has made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything after him.
15 All this I have seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who lives long in his evildoing. 16 Don’t be overly righteous, neither make yourself overly wise. Why should you destroy yourself? 17 Don’t be too wicked, neither be foolish. Why should you die before your time? 18 It is good that you should take hold of this. Yes, also don’t withdraw your hand from that; for he who fears God will come out of them all. 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.
27 “Behold, I have found this,” says the Preacher, “to one another, to find an explanation 28 which my soul still seeks, but I have not found. I have found one man among a thousand, but I have not found a woman among all those. 29 Behold, I have only found this: that God made mankind upright; but they search for many inventions.”
Ecclesiastes 7
New International Version
Wisdom
7 A good name is better than fine perfume,(A)
    and the day of death better than the day of birth.(B)
2 It is better to go to a house of mourning
    than to go to a house of feasting,
for death(C) is the destiny(D) of everyone;
    the living should take this to heart.
3 Frustration is better than laughter,(E)
    because a sad face is good for the heart.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,
    but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.(F)
5 It is better to heed the rebuke(G) of a wise person
    than to listen to the song of fools.
6 Like the crackling of thorns(H) under the pot,
    so is the laughter(I) of fools.
    This too is meaningless.
7 Extortion turns a wise person into a fool,
    and a bribe(J) corrupts the heart.
8 The end of a matter is better than its beginning,
    and patience(K) is better than pride.
9 Do not be quickly provoked(L) in your spirit,
    for anger resides in the lap of fools.(M)
10 Do not say, “Why were the old days(N) better than these?”
    For it is not wise to ask such questions.
11 Wisdom, like an inheritance, is a good thing(O)
    and benefits those who see the sun.(P)
12 Wisdom is a shelter
    as money is a shelter,
but the advantage of knowledge is this:
    Wisdom preserves those who have it.
13 Consider what God has done:(Q)
Who can straighten
    what he has made crooked?(R)
14 When times are good, be happy;
    but when times are bad, consider this:
God has made the one
    as well as the other.(S)
Therefore, no one can discover
    anything about their future.
15 In this meaningless life(T) of mine I have seen both of these:
the righteous perishing in their righteousness,
    and the wicked living long in their wickedness.(U)
16 Do not be overrighteous,
    neither be overwise—
    why destroy yourself?
17 Do not be overwicked,
    and do not be a fool—
    why die before your time?(V)
18 It is good to grasp the one
    and not let go of the other.
    Whoever fears God(W) will avoid all extremes.[a]
20 Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous,(Z)
    no one who does what is right and never sins.(AA)
21 Do not pay attention to every word people say,
    or you(AB) 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”(AC)—
    but this was beyond me.
24 Whatever exists is far off and most profound—
    who can discover it?(AD)
25 So I turned my mind to understand,
    to investigate and to search out wisdom and the scheme of things(AE)
and to understand the stupidity of wickedness
    and the madness of folly.(AF)
26 I find more bitter than death
    the woman who is a snare,(AG)
whose heart is a trap
    and whose hands are chains.
The man who pleases God will escape her,
    but the sinner she will ensnare.(AH)
27 “Look,” says the Teacher,[b](AI) “this is what I have discovered:
“Adding one thing to another to discover the scheme of things—
28     while I was still searching
    but not finding—
I found one upright man among a thousand,
    but not one upright woman(AJ) among them all.
29 This only have I found:
    God created mankind upright,
    but they have gone in search of many schemes.”
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 7:18 Or will follow them both
- Ecclesiastes 7:27 Or the leader of the assembly
Ecclesiastes 7
King James Version
7 A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.
2 It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
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.
13 Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?
14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.
15 All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness.
16 Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself ?
17 Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
18 It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.
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.
27 Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account:
28 Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
29 Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
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