Ecclesiastes 7 - American Standard Version with Hebrew
Law History Wisdom Prophets Gospels Acts Epistles Apocalyptic
1 A `good' name is better than precious oil; and the day of death, than the day of one's birth. | 1 טֹ֥וב שֵׁ֖ם מִשֶּׁ֣מֶן טֹ֑וב וְיֹ֣ום הַמָּ֔וֶת מִיֹּ֖ום הִוָּלְדֹֽו׃ | |
2 It 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. | 2 טֹ֞וב לָלֶ֣כֶת אֶל־בֵּֽית־אֵ֗בֶל מִלֶּ֙כֶת֙ אֶל־בֵּ֣ית מִשְׁתֶּ֔ה בַּאֲשֶׁ֕ר ה֖וּא סֹ֣וף כָּל־הָאָדָ֑ם וְהַחַ֖י יִתֵּ֥ן אֶל־לִבֹּֽו׃ | |
3 Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made glad. | 3 טֹ֥וב כַּ֖עַס מִשְּׂחֹ֑ק כִּֽי־בְרֹ֥עַ פָּנִ֖ים יִ֥יטַב לֵֽב׃ | |
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. | 4 לֵ֤ב חֲכָמִים֙ בְּבֵ֣ית אֵ֔בֶל וְלֵ֥ב כְּסִילִ֖ים בְּבֵ֥ית שִׂמְחָֽה׃ | |
5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools. | 5 טֹ֕וב לִשְׁמֹ֖עַ גַּעֲרַ֣ת חָכָ֑ם מֵאִ֕ישׁ שֹׁמֵ֖עַ שִׁ֥יר כְּסִילִֽים׃ | |
6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity. | 6 כִּ֣י כְקֹ֤ול הַסִּירִים֙ תַּ֣חַת הַסִּ֔יר כֵּ֖ן שְׂחֹ֣ק הַכְּסִ֑יל וְגַם־זֶ֖ה הָֽבֶל׃ | |
7 Surely extortion maketh the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroyeth the understanding. | 7 כִּ֥י הָעֹ֖שֶׁק יְהֹולֵ֣ל חָכָ֑ם וִֽיאַבֵּ֥ד אֶת־לֵ֖ב מַתָּנָֽה׃ | |
8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof; `and' the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. | 8 טֹ֛וב אַחֲרִ֥ית דָּבָ֖ר מֵֽרֵאשִׁיתֹ֑ו טֹ֥וב אֶֽרֶךְ־ר֖וּחַ מִגְּבַהּ־רֽוּחַ׃ | |
9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. | 9 אַל־תְּבַהֵ֥ל בְּרֽוּחֲךָ֖ לִכְעֹ֑וס כִּ֣י כַ֔עַס בְּחֵ֥יק כְּסִילִ֖ים יָנֽוּחַ׃ | |
10 Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this. | 10 אַל־תֹּאמַר֙ מֶ֣ה הָיָ֔ה שֶׁ֤הַיָּמִים֙ הָרִ֣אשֹׁנִ֔ים הָי֥וּ טֹובִ֖ים מֵאֵ֑לֶּה כִּ֛י לֹ֥א מֵחָכְמָ֖ה שָׁאַ֥לְתָּ עַל־זֶֽה׃ | |
11 Wisdom is as good as an inheritance; yea, more excellent is it for them that see the sun. | 11 טֹובָ֥ה חָכְמָ֖ה עִֽם־נַחֲלָ֑ה וְיֹתֵ֖ר לְרֹאֵ֥י הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ | |
12 For wisdom is a defence, even as money is a defence; but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom preserveth the life of him that hath it. | 12 כִּ֛י בְּצֵ֥ל הַֽחָכְמָ֖ה בְּצֵ֣ל הַכָּ֑סֶף וְיִתְרֹ֣ון דַּ֔עַת הַֽחָכְמָ֖ה תְּחַיֶּ֥ה בְעָלֶֽיהָ׃ | |
13 Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked? | 13 רְאֵ֖ה אֶת־מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים כִּ֣י מִ֤י יוּכַל֙ לְתַקֵּ֔ן אֵ֖ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר עִוְּתֹֽו׃ | |
14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yea, God hath made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything `that shall be' after him. | 14 בְּיֹ֤ום טֹובָה֙ הֱיֵ֣ה בְטֹ֔וב וּבְיֹ֥ום רָעָ֖ה רְאֵ֑ה גַּ֣ם אֶת־זֶ֤ה לְעֻמַּת־זֶה֙ עָשָׂ֣ה הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים עַל־דִּבְרַ֗ת שֶׁלֹּ֨א יִמְצָ֧א הָֽאָדָ֛ם אַחֲרָ֖יו מְאֽוּמָה׃ | |
15 All this have I seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth `his life' in his evil-doing. | 15 אֶת־הַכֹּ֥ל רָאִ֖יתִי בִּימֵ֣י הֶבְלִ֑י יֵ֤שׁ צַדִּיק֙ אֹבֵ֣ד בְּצִדְקֹ֔ו וְיֵ֣שׁ רָשָׁ֔ע מַאֲרִ֖יךְ בְּרָעָתֹֽו׃ | |
16 Be not righteous overmuch; neither make thyself overwise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself? | 16 אַל־תְּהִ֤י צַדִּיק֙ הַרְבֵּ֔ה וְאַל־תִּתְחַכַּ֖ם יֹותֵ֑ר לָ֖מָּה תִּשֹּׁומֵֽם׃ | |
17 Be not overmuch wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time? | 17 אַל־תִּרְשַׁ֥ע הַרְבֵּ֖ה וְאַל־תְּהִ֣י סָכָ֑ל לָ֥מָּה תָמ֖וּת בְּלֹ֥א עִתֶּֽךָ׃ | |
18 It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from that withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth from them all. | 18 טֹ֚וב אֲשֶׁ֣ר תֶּאֱחֹ֣ז בָּזֶ֔ה וְגַם־מִזֶּ֖ה אַל־תַּנַּ֣ח אֶת־יָדֶ֑ךָ כִּֽי־יְרֵ֥א אֱלֹהִ֖ים יֵצֵ֥א אֶת־כֻּלָּֽם׃ | |
19 Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers that are in a city. | 19 הַֽחָכְמָ֖ה תָּעֹ֣ז לֶחָכָ֑ם מֵֽעֲשָׂרָה֙ שַׁלִּיטִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָי֖וּ בָּעִֽיר׃ | |
20 Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not. | 20 כִּ֣י אָדָ֔ם אֵ֥ין צַדִּ֖יק בָּאָ֑רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַעֲשֶׂה־טֹּ֖וב וְלֹ֥א יֶחֱטָֽא׃ | |
21 Also take not heed unto all words that are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee; | 21 גַּ֤ם לְכָל־הַדְּבָרִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יְדַבֵּ֔רוּ אַל־תִּתֵּ֖ן לִבֶּ֑ךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־תִשְׁמַ֥ע אֶֽת־עַבְדְּךָ֖ מְקַלְלֶֽךָ׃ | |
22 for oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others. | 22 כִּ֛י גַּם־פְּעָמִ֥ים רַבֹּ֖ות יָדַ֣ע לִבֶּ֑ךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר גַּם־ אַתְּ אַתָּ֖ה קִלַּ֥לְתָּ אֲחֵרִֽים׃ | |
23 All this have I proved in wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me. | 23 כָּל־זֹ֖ה נִסִּ֣יתִי בַֽחָכְמָ֑ה אָמַ֣רְתִּי אֶחְכָּ֔מָה וְהִ֖יא רְחֹוקָ֥ה מִמֶּֽנִּי׃ | |
24 That which is, is far off and exceeding deep; who can find it out? | 24 רָחֹ֖וק מַה־שֶּׁהָיָ֑ה וְעָמֹ֥ק׀ עָמֹ֖ק מִ֥י יִמְצָאֶֽנּוּ׃ | |
25 I turned about, and my heart `was set' to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason `of things', and to know that wickedness is folly, and that foolishness is madness. | 25 סַבֹּ֨ותִֽי אֲנִ֤י וְלִבִּי֙ לָדַ֣עַת וְלָת֔וּר וּבַקֵּ֥שׁ חָכְמָ֖ה וְחֶשְׁבֹּ֑ון וְלָדַ֙עַת֙ רֶ֣שַׁע כֶּ֔סֶל וְהַסִּכְל֖וּת הֹולֵלֹֽות׃ | |
26 And I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, `and' whose hands are bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her. | 26 וּמֹוצֶ֨א אֲנִ֜י מַ֣ר מִמָּ֗וֶת אֶת־הָֽאִשָּׁה֙ אֲשֶׁר־הִ֨יא מְצֹודִ֧ים וַחֲרָמִ֛ים לִבָּ֖הּ אֲסוּרִ֣ים יָדֶ֑יהָ טֹ֞וב לִפְנֵ֤י הָאֱלֹהִים֙ יִמָּלֵ֣ט מִמֶּ֔נָּה וְחֹוטֵ֖א יִלָּ֥כֶד בָּֽהּ׃ | |
27 Behold, this have I found, saith the Preacher, `laying' one thing to another, to find out the account; | 27 רְאֵה֙ זֶ֣ה מָצָ֔אתִי אָמְרָ֖ה קֹהֶ֑לֶת אַחַ֥ת לְאַחַ֖ת לִמְצֹ֥א חֶשְׁבֹּֽון׃ | |
28 which my soul still seeketh, but I have not found: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found. | 28 אֲשֶׁ֛ר עֹוד־בִּקְשָׁ֥ה נַפְשִׁ֖י וְלֹ֣א מָצָ֑אתִי אָדָ֞ם אֶחָ֤ד מֵאֶ֙לֶף֙ מָצָ֔אתִי וְאִשָּׁ֥ה בְכָל־אֵ֖לֶּה לֹ֥א מָצָֽאתִי׃ | |
29 Behold, this only have I found: that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions. | 29 לְבַד֙ רְאֵה־זֶ֣ה מָצָ֔אתִי אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשָׂ֧ה הָאֱלֹהִ֛ים אֶת־הָאָדָ֖ם יָשָׁ֑ר וְהֵ֥מָּה בִקְשׁ֖וּ חִשְּׁבֹנֹ֥ות רַבִּֽים׃ | |
Chapter 6 Bible Contents Chapter 8
Other chapters in Ecclesiastes: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Genres: Law History Wisdom Prophets Gospels Acts Epistles Apocalyptic
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