1 ¶ A good name is better than precious ointment and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.

A good name is better than oil of much worth. And the day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth.

2 I t 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.

It is better to go to a house of sorrow than to go to a house of much eating. For this is the end of all men, and the living takes it to heart.

3 S orrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made whole.

To have sorrow is better than to laugh because when a face is sad, the heart may become strong.

4 T he heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.

The heart of the wise is in the house of sorrow, while the heart of fools is in the house where there is fun.

5 I t is better to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear the song of fools.

It is better to listen to the sharp words of a wise man than to listen to the song of fools.

6 T he laughter of the fool is as the crackling of thorns under a pot, and this also (the laughter or prosperity of the fool) is vanity.

For the laughing of a fool is like the sound of a thorn bush burning under a pot. This also is for nothing.

7 ¶ Surely oppression makes a wise man mad, and a gift destroys the heart.

For sure a bad power makes the wise man angry. And to get paid in secret for wrong-doing destroys the heart.

8 B etter is the end of a thing than its beginning, and he who has suffered in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

The end of something is better than its beginning. Not giving up in spirit is better than being proud in spirit.

9 D o not be hasty in thy spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools.

Do not be quick in spirit to be angry. For anger is in the heart of fools.

10 N ever say, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.

Do not say, “Why were the days of the past better than these?” For it is not wise to ask this.

11 ¶ Knowledge is good with an inheritance and is the excellency of those that see the sun.

Wisdom with a gift passed down from father to son is good and a help to those who see the sun.

12 F or knowledge is a defence, and money is a defence; but wisdom excels in that it gives life to those that have it.

For wisdom keeps one from danger just as money keeps one from danger. But the good thing about much learning is that wisdom keeps alive those who have it.

13 C onsider the work of God; for who can make straight that which he has twisted?

Think of the work of God, for who is able to make straight what He has not made straight?

14 I n the day of good enjoy that which is good, but in the day of adversity open your eyes and learn: God also has made the one (the day of adversity) before the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.

In the day of well-being be happy. But in the day of trouble, think about this: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man can never know what is going to happen.

15 A ll things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perishes for his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongs his days by his wickedness.

In the days of my life I have seen everything, but my life has been worth nothing. There is a right and good man who is destroyed while he is right and good. And there is a sinful man who lives long in his wrong-doing.

16 D o not be too legalistic; neither make thyself over wise in thine own eyes: why should thou destroy thyself?

Do not be too right and good, and do not be too wise. Why should you destroy yourself?

17 D o not be hasty to condemn, neither be thou foolish: why should thou die in the midst of thy labours?

Do not be too sinful, and do not be a fool. Why should you die before your time?

18 I t is good that thou should take hold of this; and also from the other not withdraw thy hand; for he that fears God shall come through with everything.

It is good that you take hold of one thing, and do not let go of the other. For the one who fears God will have both of them.

19 W isdom strengthens the wise more than ten mighty men who are in the city.

Wisdom gives more strength to a wise man than ten rulers have in a city.

20 F or surely there is not a just man upon earth that in doing good does not sin.

For sure there is not a right and good man on earth who always does good and never sins.

21 A lso do not take to heart all the words that are spoken lest thou hear thy slave speak evil of thee:

Do not listen to all the things that are said, or you might hear your servant cursing you.

22 F or thine own heart knows that thou thyself likewise hast spoken evil of others many times.

For you know in your heart that many times you have cursed others.

23 ¶ All this I have proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise, but it was far from me.

I tested all this with wisdom, and I said, “I will be wise,” but it was far from me.

24 T hat which has been is far off and that which is exceeding deep, who can find it out?

Wisdom has been far away and hidden. Who can find it?

25 I applied my heart to know and to search and to seek out wisdom and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly and the madness of error;

I turned my mind to know, to find out, and to look for wisdom and the reason of things, and to know how sinful it is to be foolish, and that being mad is foolish.

26 a nd I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands are bonds; whosoever pleases God shall escape from her, but the sinner shall be held prisoner in her.

And I found that the woman whose heart is traps and nets, and whose hands are chains is more bitter than death. He who pleases God will get away from her. But the sinner will be taken in by her.

27 B ehold, this I have found, saith the preacher, weighing things one by one to find out the answer,

“See, I have found this out,” says the Preacher. “I have added one thing to another to find the reason,

28 w hich my soul yet seeks, but I find not: one man among a thousand I have found, but a woman among all those I have not found.

which I am still looking for but have not found. I have found one man among a thousand, but I have not found a woman among all these.

29 B ehold, this only have I found: that God has made man upright, but they have sought out many perversions.

See, I have found only this, that God made men right, but they have found many sinful ways.”