Ecclesiastes 7

1Surely there be many things that increase vanitie: and what auaileth it man?

2For who knoweth what is good for man in the life and in the nomber of the dayes of the life of his vanitie, seeing he maketh them as a shadowe? For who can shewe vnto man what shall be after him vnder the sunne?

3A good name is better then a good oyntment, and the day of death, then the day that one is borne.

4It is better to goe to the house of mourning, then to goe to the house of feasting, because this is the ende of all men: and the liuing shall lay it to his heart.

5Anger is better then laughter: for by a sad looke the heart is made better.

6The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning: but the heart of fooles is in the house of mirth.

7Better it is to heare ye rebuke of a wise man, then that a man should heare the song of fooles.

8For like ye noyse of the thornes vnder the pot, so is the laughter of the foole: this also is vanitie.

9Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad: and the rewarde destroyeth the heart.

10The ende of a thing is better then the beginning thereof, and the pacient in spirit is better then the proude in spirit.

11Be not thou of an hastie spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosome of fooles.

12Say not thou, Why is it that the former dayes were better then these? for thou doest not enquire wisely of this thing.

13Wisedome is good with an inheritance, and excellent to them that see the sunne.

14For man shall rest in the shadowe of wisedome, and in the shadowe of siluer: but the excellencie of the knowledge of wisedome giueth life to the possessers thereof.

15Beholde the worke of God: for who can make straight that which he hath made crooked?

16In the day of wealth be of good comfort, and in the day of affliction consider: God also hath made this contrary to that, to the intent that man shoulde finde nothing after him.

17I haue seene all things in the dayes of my vanitie: there is a iust man that perisheth in his iustice, and there is a wicked man that continueth long in his malice.

18Be not thou iust ouermuch, neither make thy selfe ouerwise: wherefore shouldest thou be desolate?

19Be not thou wicked ouermuch, neither be thou foolish: wherefore shouldest thou perish not in thy time?

20It is good that thou lay hold on this: but yet withdrawe not thine hand from that: for he that feareth God, shall come forth of them all.

21Wisedome shall strengthen the wise man more then ten mightie princes that are in ye citie.

22Surely there is no man iust in the earth, that doeth good and sinneth not.

23Giue not thine heart also to all ye wordes that men speake, lest thou doe heare thy seruant cursing thee.

24For often times also thine heart knoweth that thou likewise hast cursed others.

25All this haue I prooued by wisedome: I thought I will be wise, but it went farre from me.

26It is farre off, what may it be? and it is a profound deepenesse, who can finde it?

27I haue compassed about, both I and mine heart to knowe and to enquire and to search wisedome, and reason, and to knowe the wickednesse of follie, and the foolishnesse of madnesse,

28And I finde more bitter then death the woman whose heart is as nettes and snares, and her handes, as bands: he that is good before God, shalbe deliuered from her, but the sinner shall be taken by her.

29Beholde, sayth the Preacher, this haue I found, seeking one by one to finde the count:

30And yet my soule seeketh, but I finde it not: I haue found one man of a thousand: but a woman among them all haue I not founde.

31Onely loe, this haue I founde, that God hath made man righteous: but they haue sought many inuentions.