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Ecclesiastes 7:29
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KJ21
Lo, this only have I found: that God hath made man upright, but they have sought out many inventions.”
ASV
Behold, this only have I found: that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
AMP
Behold, I have found only this [as a reason]: God made man upright and uncorrupted, but they [both men and women] have sought out many devices [for evil].”
AMPC
Behold, this is the only [reason for it that] I have found: God made man upright, but they [men and women] have sought out many devices [for evil].
BRG
Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
CSB
Only see this: I have discovered that God made people upright, but they pursued many schemes.”
CSBA
Only see this: I have discovered that God made people upright, but they pursued many schemes.’
CEB
See, this alone I found: God made human beings straightforward, but they search for many complications.
CJB
This is the only thing I have found, that God made human beings upright, but they have devised many schemes.
CEV
I did learn one thing: We were completely honest when God created us, but now we have twisted minds.
DARBY
Only see this which I have found: that God made man upright, but they have sought out many devices.
DRA
Which yet my soul seeketh, and I have not found it. One man among a thousand I have found, a woman among them all I have not found.
ERV
“There is one other thing I have learned. God made people good, but they have found many ways to be bad.”
EASY
I did learn this: God made people to do what is right. But people have chosen their own way to do things.
EHV
“Look, I have found only this: I have found that God made mankind upright, but they have gone off looking for many schemes.”
ESV
See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes.
ESVUK
See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes.
EXB
One thing I have ·learned [L found]: God made people ·good [virtuous; upright], but they have ·found all kinds of ways to be bad [L sought out many devices].”
GNV
Behold, saith the Preacher, this have I found, seeking one by one to find the count:
GW
I have found only this: God made people decent, but they looked for many ways ⌞to avoid being decent⌟.”
GNT
This is all that I have learned: God made us plain and simple, but we have made ourselves very complicated.
HCSB
Only see this: I have discovered that God made people upright, but they pursued many schemes.”
ICB
One thing I have learned: God made people good. But people have found all kinds of ways to be bad.”
ISV
I have discovered only this: God made human beings for righteousness, but they seek many alternatives.”
JUB
Behold, this only have I found: that God has made man upright, but they have sought out many perversions.
KJV
Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
AKJV
Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
LSB
See, I have found only this, that God made men upright, but they have sought out many devices.”
LEB
Look! This alone I found: God made mankind upright, but they have devised many schemes.”
TLB
And I found that though God has made men upright, each has turned away to follow his own downward road.
MSG
One discovery: A woman can be a bitter pill to swallow, full of seductive scheming and grasping. The lucky escape her; the undiscerning get caught. At least this is my experience—what I, the Quester, have pieced together as I’ve tried to make sense of life. But the wisdom I’ve looked for I haven’t found. I didn’t find one man or woman in a thousand worth my while. Yet I did spot one ray of light in this murk: God made men and women true and upright; we’re the ones who’ve made a mess of things.
MEV
See, this only have I found: that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes.”
NOG
I have found only this: Elohim made people decent, but they looked for many ways to avoid being decent.”
NABRE
But this alone I have found: God made humankind honest, but they have pursued many designs.
NASB
Behold, I have found only this, that God made people upright, but they have sought out many schemes.”
NASB1995
Behold, I have found only this, that God made men upright, but they have sought out many devices.”
NCB
This alone have I found out: God made human beings straightforward, but they often follow devious paths.
NCV
One thing I have learned: God made people good, but they have found all kinds of ways to be bad.”
NET
This alone have I discovered: God made humankind upright, but they have sought many evil schemes.
NIRV
Here’s the only other thing I found. God created human beings as honest. But they’ve made many evil plans.”
NIV
This only have I found: God created mankind upright, but they have gone in search of many schemes.”
NIVUK
This only have I found: God created mankind upright, but they have gone in search of many schemes.’
NKJV
Truly, this only I have found: That God made man upright, But they have sought out many schemes.”
NLV
See, I have found only this, that God made men right, but they have found many sinful ways.”
NLT
But I did find this: God created people to be virtuous, but they have each turned to follow their own downward path.”
NRSVA
See, this alone I found, that God made human beings straightforward, but they have devised many schemes.
NRSVACE
See, this alone I found, that God made human beings straightforward, but they have devised many schemes.
NRSVCE
See, this alone I found, that God made human beings straightforward, but they have devised many schemes.
NRSVUE
See, this alone I found, that God made human beings straightforward, but they have devised many schemes.
OJB
Lo, this only have I found, that HaElohim hath made man yashar (upright, Gn 1:27); but they have sought out chishvonot rabbim (many schemes, Gn 3:6-7; Ps 51; Ro 5:12; 3:23).
RGT
“Behold,” says the preacher, “this I have found, adding one by one to find the answer.
RSV
Behold, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many devices.
RSVCE
Behold, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many devices.
TLV
Only this have I discovered: God made mankind upright, but they went seeking after many schemes.”
VOICE
Here is what I have figured out: God made humanity for good, but we humans go out and scheme our way into trouble.
WEB
Behold, I have only found this: that God made mankind upright; but they search for many inventions.”
WYC
I found this only, that God made a man rightful [that God made man right]; and (then) he meddled himself with questions without number. (I found only this, that God made a person upright, or clear-headed; but then he mixed himself in/mixed himself up with too many questions.)
YLT
See, this alone I have found, that God made man upright, and they -- they have sought out many devices.
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Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved. ; Christian Standard Bible Anglicised (CSBA) Copyright © 2024 by Holman Bible Publishers.; Common English Bible (CEB) Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible; Complete Jewish Bible (CJB) Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved. ; Contemporary English Version (CEV) Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.; Darby Translation (DARBY) Public Domain (Why are modern Bible translations copyrighted?); Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA) Public Domain (Why are modern Bible translations copyrighted?); Easy-to-Read Version (ERV) Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International; EasyEnglish Bible (EASY) EasyEnglish Bible Copyright © MissionAssist 2019 - Charitable Incorporated Organisation 1162807. Used by permission. All rights reserved.; Evangelical Heritage Version (EHV) The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.; English Standard Version (ESV) The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.; English Standard Version Anglicised (ESVUK) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.; Expanded Bible (EXB) The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved. ; 1599 Geneva Bible (GNV) Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts. ; GOD’S WORD Translation (GW) Copyright © 1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God’s Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.; Good News Translation (GNT) Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.; Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.; International Children’s Bible (ICB) The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.; International Standard Version (ISV) Copyright © 1995-2014 by ISV Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. Used by permission of Davidson Press, LLC.; Jubilee Bible 2000 (JUB) Copyright © 2013, 2020 by Ransom Press International ; King James Version (KJV) Public Domain; Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV) KJV reproduced by permission of Cambridge University Press, the Crown’s patentee in the UK.; Legacy Standard Bible (LSB) Legacy Standard Bible Copyright ©2021 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org For Permission to Quote Information visit https://www.LSBible.org.; Lexham English Bible (LEB) 2012 by Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software; Living Bible (TLB) The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.; The Message (MSG) Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. 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All rights reserved.; New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition (NRSVACE) New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicised Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993, 1995 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.; New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE) New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.; New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE) New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.; Orthodox Jewish Bible (OJB) Copyright © 2002, 2003, 2008, 2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International; Revised Geneva Translation (RGT) © 2019, 2024 by Five Talents Audio. All rights reserved.; Revised Standard Version (RSV) Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.; Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE) The Revised Standard Version of the Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1965, 1966 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.; Tree of Life Version (TLV) Copyright © 2014 by the Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society (DBA: Tree of Life Bible Society). Used by permission. All rights reserved. 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