International Standard Version

New American Standard Bible 1995

1A good name exceeds the value of fine perfume, and the day of someone's death exceeds the value of the day of his birth.

1A good name is better than a good ointment, And the day of one's death is better than the day of one's birth.

2It's better to attend a funeral than to attend a banquet, for everyone dies eventually, and the living will take this to heart.

2It is better to go to a house of mourning Than to go to a house of feasting, Because that is the end of every man, And the living takes it to heart.

3Sorrow is better than laughter, because the heart is made better through trouble.

3Sorrow is better than laughter, For when a face is sad a heart may be happy.

4For the wise person thinks carefully when in mourning, but fools focus their thoughts on pleasure.

4The mind of the wise is in the house of mourning, While the mind of fools is in the house of pleasure.

5It is better to listen to a wise person's rebuke than to listen to the praise of fools.

5It is better to listen to the rebuke of a wise man Than for one to listen to the song of fools.

6For as thorns burn to heat a pot, so also is the laughter of the fool— even this is pointless.

6For as the crackling of thorn bushes under a pot, So is the laughter of the fool; And this too is futility.

7Unjust gain makes the wise foolish, and a bribe corrupts the heart.

7For oppression makes a wise man mad, And a bribe corrupts the heart.

8The conclusion of something is better than its beginning, and a patient attitude is more valuable than a proud one.

8The end of a matter is better than its beginning; Patience of spirit is better than haughtiness of spirit.

9Never be in a hurry to become internally angry, since anger settles down in the lap of fools.

9Do not be eager in your heart to be angry, For anger resides in the bosom of fools.

10Never ask "Why does the past seem so much better than now?" because this question does not come from wisdom.

10Do not say, "Why is it that the former days were better than these?" For it is not from wisdom that you ask about this.

11Wise use of possessions is good; it brings benefit to the living.

11Wisdom along with an inheritance is good And an advantage to those who see the sun.

12Indeed, wisdom gives protection, just like money does, but it's better to know that wisdom gives life, to those who have mastered it.

12For wisdom is protection just as money is protection, But the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the lives of its possessors.

13Consider the work of God: Who is able to straighten what he has bent?

13Consider the work of God, For who is able to straighten what He has bent?

14When times are good, be joyful; when times are bad, consider this: God made the one as well as the other, so people won't seek anything outside of his best.

14In the day of prosperity be happy, But in the day of adversity consider-- God has made the one as well as the other So that man will not discover anything that will be after him.

15I have seen it all during my pointless life: both a righteous person who dies while he is righteous, and a wicked person who lives to an old age, while remaining wicked.

15I have seen everything during my lifetime of futility; there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his wickedness.

16Do not be overly righteous, nor be overly wise. Why be self-destructive?

16Do not be excessively righteous and do not be overly wise. Why should you ruin yourself?

17Do not excel at wickedness, nor be a fool. Why die before your time?

17Do not be excessively wicked and do not be a fool. Why should you die before your time?

18It is good for you to grab hold of this and not let go, because whoever fears God will escape all of these extremes.

18It is good that you grasp one thing and also not let go of the other; for the one who fears God comes forth with both of them.

19Wisdom given as strength to a wise person is better than having ten powerful men in the city.

19Wisdom strengthens a wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.

20For there is not a single righteous man on earth who practices good and does not sin.

20Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins.

21Don't listen to everything that is spoken— you may hear your servant cursing you,

21Also, do not take seriously all words which are spoken, so that you will not hear your servant cursing you.

22since you also know how often you have cursed others.

22For you also have realized that you likewise have many times cursed others.

23I used my wisdom to test all of this. I said, "I want to be wise," but it was beyond me.

23I tested all this with wisdom, and I said, "I will be wise," but it was far from me.

24Whatever it is, it's far off and most profound. Who can attain it?

24What has been is remote and exceedingly mysterious. Who can discover it?

25I committed myself to understand, to learn, to search for wisdom and explanations, and to understand both the evil that is foolishness and the stupidity that is delusion.

25I directed my mind to know, to investigate and to seek wisdom and an explanation, and to know the evil of folly and the foolishness of madness.

26I discovered for myself a bitterness that surpasses that of death: the woman whose heart is full of snares and nets, whose hands are chains of bondage. Whoever pleases God will escape from her, but the transgressor will be trapped by her.

26And I discovered more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, whose hands are chains. One who is pleasing to God will escape from her, but the sinner will be captured by her.

27"Look at this," says the Teacher. "Linking one thing to another, I reached this conclusion:

27"Behold, I have discovered this," says the Preacher, "adding one thing to another to find an explanation,

28Among the things I seek but have not found: one man among a thousand I did find, but I have not found one woman to be wise among all these.

28which I am still seeking but have not found. I have found one man among a thousand, but I have not found a woman among all these.

29I have discovered only this: God made human beings for righteousness, but they seek many alternatives."

29"Behold, I have found only this, that God made men upright, but they have sought out many devices."

The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.

New American Standard Bible 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 //www.lockman.org