New King James Version

English Standard Version

1A good name is better than precious ointment, And the day of death than the day of one’s birth;

1A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of birth.

2Better 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 take it to heart.

2It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart.

3Sorrow is better than laughter, For by a sad countenance the heart is made better.

3Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of face the heart is made glad.

4The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, But the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

4The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

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

5It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear the song of fools.

6For like the crackling of thorns under a pot, So is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.

6For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fools; this also is vanity.

7Surely oppression destroys a wise man’s reason, And a bribe debases the heart.

7Surely oppression drives the wise into madness, and a bribe corrupts the heart.

8The end of a thing is better than its beginning; The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

8Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

9Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry, For anger rests in the bosom of fools.

9Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the heart of fools.

10Do not say, “Why were the former days better than these?” For you do not inquire wisely concerning this.

10Say not, “Why were the former days better than these?” For it is not from wisdom that you ask this.

11Wisdom is good with an inheritance, And profitable to those who see the sun.

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

12For wisdom is a defense as money is a defense, But the excellence of knowledge is that wisdom gives life to those who have it.

12For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.

13Consider the work of God; For who can make straight what He has made crooked?

13Consider the work of God: who can make straight what he has made crooked?

14In the day of prosperity be joyful, But in the day of adversity consider: Surely God has appointed the one as well as the other, So that man can find out nothing that will come after him.

14In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him.

15I have seen everything in my days of vanity: There is a just man who perishes in his righteousness, And there is a wicked man who prolongs life in his wickedness.

15In my vain life I have seen everything. There is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his evildoing.

16Do not be overly righteous, Nor be overly wise: Why should you destroy yourself?

16Be not overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself?

17Do not be overly wicked, Nor be foolish: Why should you die before your time?

17Be not overly wicked, neither be a fool. Why should you die before your time?

18It is good that you grasp this, And also not remove your hand from the other; For he who fears God will escape them all.

18It is good that you should take hold of this, and from that withhold not your hand, for the one who fears God shall come out from both of them.

19Wisdom strengthens the wise More than ten rulers of the city.

19Wisdom gives strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.

20For there is not a just man on earth who does good And does not sin.

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

21Also do not take to heart everything people say, Lest you hear your servant cursing you.

21Do not take to heart all the things that people say, lest you hear your servant cursing you.

22For many times, also, your own heart has known That even you have cursed others.

22Your heart knows that many times you yourself have cursed others.

23All this I have proved by wisdom. I said, “I will be wise”; But it was far from me.

23All this I have tested by wisdom. I said, “I will be wise,” but it was far from me.

24As for that which is far off and exceedingly deep, Who can find it out?

24That which has been is far off, and deep, very deep; who can find it out?

25I applied my heart to know, To search and seek out wisdom and the reason of things, To know the wickedness of folly, Even of foolishness and madness.

25I turned my heart to know and to search out and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know the wickedness of folly and the foolishness that is madness.

26And I find more bitter than death The woman whose heart is snares and nets, Whose hands are fetters. He who pleases God shall escape from her, But the sinner shall be trapped by her.

26And I find something more bitter than death: the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are fetters. He who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is taken by her.

27“Here is what I have found,” says the Preacher, “Adding one thing to the other to find out the reason,

27Behold, this is what I found, says the Preacher, while adding one thing to another to find the scheme of things—

28Which my soul still seeks but I cannot find: One man among a thousand I have found, But a woman among all these I have not found.

28which my soul has sought repeatedly, but I have not found. One man among a thousand I found, but a woman among all these I have not found.

29Truly, this only I have found: That God made man upright, But they have sought out many schemes.”

29See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes.

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.