Berean Study Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

1A good name is better than fine perfume, and one’s day of death is better than his day of 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 is better to enter a house of mourning than a house of feasting, since death is the end of every man, and the living should 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, for a sad countenance is good for the heart.

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

4The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of 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 heed a wise man’s rebuke than to listen to the song 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 like the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This too is futile.

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

7Surely extortion turns a wise man into a fool, and a bribe corrupts the heart.

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

8The end of a matter is better than the beginning, and a patient spirit is better than a proud one.

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

9Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger settles in the lap of a fool.

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

10Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?” For it is unwise of you to ask about this.

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.

11Wisdom, like an inheritance, is good, and it benefits those who see the sun.

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

12For wisdom, like money, is a shelter, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of its owner.

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 can straighten what He has bent?

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

14In the day of prosperity, be joyful, but in the day of adversity, consider this: God has made one of these along with the other, so that a man cannot discover anything that will come after him.

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.

15In my futile life I have seen both of these: A righteous man perishing in his righteousness, and a wicked man living long in his wickedness.

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, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself?

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

17Do not be excessively wicked, and do not be a fool. Why should you 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 to grasp the one and not let the other slip from your hand. For he who fears God will follow both warnings.

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 makes the wise man stronger than ten rulers in a city.

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

20Surely there is no righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.

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

21Do not pay attention to every word that is spoken, or 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.

22For you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others.

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

23All this I tested by wisdom, saying, “I resolve 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.

24What exists is out of reach and very deep. Who can fathom it?

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

25I directed my mind to understand, to explore, to search out wisdom and explanations, and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the folly of madness.

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.

26And I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a net, and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is ensnared.

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“Behold,” says the Teacher, “I have discovered this by adding one thing to another to find an explanation.

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

28While my soul was still searching but not finding, among a thousand I have found one upright man, but among all these I have not found one such woman.

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.

29Only this have I found: I have discovered that God made men upright, but they have sought out many schemes.”

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

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