Help Previous Next

NASB Bible (with Strong's Numbers)

Ecclesiastes 7

Wisdom and Folly Contrasted

1

A  agoodh2896a nameh8034 is betterh2896a thanh4480 a goodh2896a ointmenth8081, And the  bdayh3117 of one's deathh4194 is better thanh4480 the dayh3117 of one's birthh3205.

2

It is betterh2896a to goh1980 to a househ1004 of mourningh60 Thanh4480 to goh1980 to a househ1004 of feastingh4960, Becauseh834  1that is the  aendh5490 of everyh3605 manh120, And the livingh2416a  2 btakesh5414 it to  3hearth3820.

3

 aSorrowh3708a is betterh2896a thanh4480 laughterh7814, For  bwhen a faceh6440 is sadh7455 a hearth3820 may be happyh3190.

4

The  1mindh3820 of the wiseh2450 is in the househ1004 of mourningh60, While the  1mindh3820 of foolsh3684 is in the househ1004 of pleasureh8057.

5

It is betterh2896a to  alistenh8085 to the rebukeh1606 of a wiseh2450 manh2450 Thanh4480 for oneh376 to listenh8085 to the songh7892a of foolsh3684.

6

For as the  1cracklingh6963 of  athornh5518b bushesh5518b underh8478 a poth5518a, Soh3651 is the  blaughterh7814 of the foolh3684; And thish2088 tooh1571 is futilityh1892.

7

For  aoppressionh6233 makesh1984b a wiseh2450 manh2450 madh1984b, And a  bbribeh4979  1corruptsh6 the hearth3820.

8

The  aendh319 of a matterh1697 is betterh2896a thanh4480 its beginningh7225;  bPatienceh750 of spirith7307 is betterh2896a thanh4480 haughtinessh1364 of spirith7307.

9

Do not be  1 aeagerh926 in your hearth7307 to be angryh3707, For angerh3708a residesh5117 in the bosomh2436 of foolsh3684.

10

Do not sayh559, "Whyh4100 is it that the formerh7223 daysh3117 were betterh2896a thanh4480 theseh428?" For it is not from wisdomh2451 that you askh7592 abouth5921 thish2088.

11

Wisdomh2451 alongh5973 with an inheritanceh5159 is goodh2896a And an  aadvantageh3148 to those who seeh7200 the sunh8121.

12

For  awisdomh2451 is  1protectionh6738 just as moneyh3701 is  1protectionh6738, But the advantageh3504 of knowledgeh1847 is that  bwisdomh2451 preservesh2421a the livesh2421a of its possessorsh1167.

13

Considerh7200 the  aworkh4639 of Godh430, For whoh4310 is  bableh3201 to straightenh8626 whath834 He has benth5791?

14

 aIn the dayh3117 of prosperityh2899b be happyh2896b, But  bin the dayh3117 of adversityh7463a considerh7200-- Godh430 has madeh6213a the oneh2088 as wellh5980 as the otherh2088 Soh5921h1700 that manh120 will  cnot discoverh4672 anythingh3972 that will be afterh310 him.

15

I have seenh7200 everythingh3605 during my  1 alifetimeh3117 of futilityh1892; thereh3426 is  ba righteoush6662 manh6662 who perishesh6 in his righteousnessh6664 and thereh3426 is  ca wickedh7563 manh7563 who prolongsh748 his life in his wickednessh7463a.

16

Do not be excessivelyh7235a  arighteoush6662 and do not  bbe overlyh3148 wiseh2449. Whyh4100 should you ruinh8074 yourself?

17

Do not be excessivelyh7235a wickedh7561 and do not be a foolh5530. Whyh4100 should you  adieh4191 beforeh3808 your timeh6256?

18

It is goodh2896a that you grasph270 oneh2088 thingh2088 and alsoh1571 not  1leth5117h3027 goh5117h3027 of the otherh2088; for the one who  afearsh3372a Godh430 comesh3318 forthh3318 with  2bothh3605 of them.

19

 aWisdomh2451 strengthensh5810 a wiseh2450 manh2450 moreh4480 thanh4480 tenh6235 rulersh7989 whoh834 are in a cityh5892b.

20

Indeedh3588,  athereh369 is not a righteoush6662 manh120 on earthh776 whoh834 continually doesh6213a goodh2896b and who neverh3808 sinsh2398.

21

Alsoh1571, do not  1takeh5414 seriouslyh3820 allh3605 wordsh1697 whichh834 are spokenh1696, soh3808 that you will not hearh8085 your servanth5650  acursingh7043 you.

22

For  1you alsoh1571 have realizedh3045 that you likewiseh1571 have manyh7227a timesh6471 cursedh7043 othersh312.

23

I testedh5254 allh3605 thish2090 with wisdomh2451, and I saidh559, "I will be wiseh2449,"  abut it was farh7350 from me.

24

Whath4100 has beenh1961 is remoteh7350 and  aexceedinglyh6013  1mysterioush6013.  bWhoh4310 can discoverh4672 it?

25

I  1 adirectedh5437 my  2mindh3820 to knowh3045, to investigateh8446 and to seekh1245 wisdomh2451 and an explanationh2808, and to knowh3045 the evilh7562 of follyh3689 and the foolishnessh3689 of madnessh1947.

26

And I discoveredh4672 moreh4480  abitterh4751 thanh4480 deathh4194 the womanh802 whoseh834 hearth3820 is  bsnaresh4685b and netsh2764b, whose handsh3027 are chainsh612.  cOneh2896a whoh2896a is pleasingh2896a to Godh430 will escapeh4422 from her, but  dthe sinnerh2398 will be capturedh3920 by her.

27

"Beholdh7200, I have discoveredh4672 thish2088," saysh559 the Preacherh6953, "adding oneh259 thingh259 to anotherh259 to findh4672 an explanationh2808,

28

whichh834  1I am stillh5750 seekingh1245 but have not foundh4672. I have foundh4672 oneh259 manh120 amongh4480 a thousandh505, but I have not foundh4672 a  awomanh802 among allh3605 theseh428.

29

"Beholdh7200, I have foundh4672 onlyh905 thish2088, that  aGodh430 madeh6213a menh120 uprighth3477, but they have soughth1245 out manyh7227a devicesh2810."



Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995
by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved.
For Permission to Quote Information visit https://www.lockman.org
Report corrections to contact@SpiritAndTruth.org
(Produced: Sat Dec 22 10:52:31 2007)

Help Previous Next