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 better.

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 mirth.

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 for a man 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 F or as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also 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 S urely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth 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 the beginning thereof: and the patient 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 B e not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.

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

10 S ay not thou, 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 W isdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them 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 wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them 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 that straight, which he hath made crooked?

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 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.

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 perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in 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 B e not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself ?

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

17 B e not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?

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 shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.

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 strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.

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

20 F or there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

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

21 A lso take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:

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

22 F or oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.

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

23 A ll this have I 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 is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?

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

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:

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 as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by 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 have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account:

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

28 W hich 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.

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 L o, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.

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