New Living Translation

New American Standard Bible 1995

1A good reputation is more valuable than costly perfume. And the day you die is better than the day you are born.

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.

2Better to spend your time at funerals than at parties. After all, everyone dies— so 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 sadness has a refining influence on us.

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

4A wise person thinks a lot about death, while a fool thinks only about having a good time.

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

5Better to be criticized by a wise person than to be praised by a fool.

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

6A fool’s laughter is quickly gone, like thorns crackling in a fire. This also is meaningless.

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

7Extortion turns wise people into fools, and bribes corrupt the heart.

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

8Finishing is better than starting. Patience is better than pride.

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

9Control your temper, for anger labels you a fool.

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

10Don’t long for “the good old days.” This is not wise.

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 is even better when you have money. Both are a benefit as you go through life.

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

12Wisdom and money can get you almost anything, but only wisdom can save your life.

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

13Accept the way God does things, for who can straighten what he has made crooked?

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

14Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. Remember that nothing is certain in this life. The Limits of Human Wisdom

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 everything in this meaningless life, including the death of good young people and the long life of wicked people.

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.

16So don’t be too good or too wise! Why destroy yourself?

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

17On the other hand, don’t be too wicked either. Don’t 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?

18Pay attention to these instructions, for anyone who fears God will avoid both 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.

19One wise person is stronger than ten leading citizens of a town!

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

20Not a single person on earth is always good and never sins.

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

21Don’t eavesdrop on others—you may hear your servant curse you.

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

22For you know how often you yourself have cursed others.

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

23I have always tried my best to let wisdom guide my thoughts and actions. I said to myself, “I am determined to be wise.” But it didn’t work.

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

24Wisdom is always distant and difficult to find.

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

25I searched everywhere, determined to find wisdom and to understand the reason for things. I was determined to prove to myself that wickedness is stupid and that foolishness is 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.

26I discovered that a seductive woman is a trap more bitter than death. Her passion is a snare, and her soft hands are chains. Those who are pleasing to God will escape her, but sinners will be caught in her snare.

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“This is my conclusion,” says the Teacher. “I discovered this after looking at the matter from every possible angle.

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

28Though I have searched repeatedly, I have not found what I was looking for. Only one out of a thousand men is virtuous, but not one 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.

29But I did find this: God created people to be virtuous, but they have each turned to follow their own downward path.”

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

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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