Parallel Chapters The Value of Wisdom | 1A good name is better than fine perfume, and the day of death better than the day of birth. | 1A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the 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. | 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 fine perfume, and the day of one's death than the day of one's birth. |
| 2It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of everyone; the living should take this 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. | 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. | 2It 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. | 2It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, since that is the end of all mankind, and the living should take it to heart. |
| 3Frustration is better than laughter, because a sad face is good for the heart. | 3Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of face the heart is made glad. | 3Sorrow is better than laughter, For when a face is sad a heart may be happy. | 3Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. | 3Grief is better than laughter, for when a face is sad, a heart may be glad. |
| 4The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure. | 4The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. | 4The mind of the wise is in the house of mourning, While the mind of fools is in the house of pleasure. | 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 a house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in a house of pleasure. |
| 5It is better to heed the rebuke of a wise person than to listen to the song of fools. | 5It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear 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. | 5It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools. | 5It is better to listen to rebuke from a wise person than to listen to the song of fools, |
| 6Like the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of fools. This too is meaningless. | 6For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fools; this also is vanity. | 6For as the crackling of thorn bushes under a pot, So is the laughter of the fool; And this too is futility. | 6For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity. | 6for like the crackling of burning thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This too is futile. |
| 7Extortion turns a wise person into a fool, and a bribe corrupts the heart. | 7Surely oppression drives the wise into madness, and a bribe corrupts the heart. | 7For oppression makes a wise man mad, And a bribe corrupts the heart. | 7Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart. | 7Surely, the practice of extortion turns a wise person into a fool, and a bribe destroys the mind. |
| 8The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride. | 8Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. | 8The end of a matter is better than its beginning; Patience of spirit is better than haughtiness of spirit. | 8Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. | 8The end of a matter is better than its beginning; a patient spirit is better than a proud spirit. |
| 9Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools. | 9Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the heart of fools. | 9Do not be eager in your heart to be angry, For anger resides in the bosom of fools. | 9Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. | 9Don't let your spirit rush to be angry, for anger abides in the heart of fools. |
| 10Do not say, "Why were the old days better than these?" For it is not wise to ask such questions. | 10Say not, “Why were the former days better than these?” For it is not from wisdom that you ask 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. | 10Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this. | 10Don't say, "Why were the former days better than these?" since it is not wise of you to ask this. |
| 11Wisdom, like an inheritance, is a good thing and benefits those who see the sun. | 11Wisdom is good with an inheritance, an advantage to those who see the sun. | 11Wisdom along with an inheritance is good And an advantage to those who see the sun. | 11Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun. | 11Wisdom is as good as an inheritance and an advantage to those who see the sun, |
| 12Wisdom is a shelter as money is a shelter, but the advantage of knowledge is this: Wisdom preserves 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. | 12For wisdom is protection just as money is protection, But the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the lives of its possessors. | 12For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it. | 12because wisdom is protection as money is protection, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of its owner. |
| 13Consider what God has done: Who can straighten what he has made crooked? | 13Consider the work of God: who can make straight what he has made crooked? | 13Consider the work of God, For who is able to straighten what He has bent? | 13Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked? | 13Consider the work of God, for who can straighten out what He has made crooked? |
| 14When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider this: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, no one can discover anything about their future. | 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. | 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. | 14In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him. | 14In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity, consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man cannot discover anything that will come after him. |
Limits of Human Wisdom | 15In this meaningless life of mine I have seen both of these: the righteous perishing in their righteousness, and the wicked living long in their 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. | 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. | 15All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness. | 15In my futile life I have seen everything: there is a righteous man who perishes in spite of his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who lives long in spite of his evil. |
| 16Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise-- why destroy yourself? | 16Be not 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? | 16Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself? | 16Don't be excessively righteous, and don't be overly wise. Why should you destroy yourself? |
| 17Do not be overwicked, and do not be a fool-- why die before your time? | 17Be not overly wicked, neither 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? | 17Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time? | 17Don't be excessively wicked, and don't be foolish. Why should you die before your time? |
| 18It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes. | 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. | 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. | 18It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all. | 18It is good that you grasp the one and do not let the other slip from your hand. For the one who fears God will end up with both of them. |
| 19Wisdom makes one wise person more powerful than ten rulers in a city. | 19Wisdom gives strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city. | 19Wisdom strengthens a wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city. | 19Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city. | 19Wisdom makes the wise man stronger than ten rulers of a city. |
| 20Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins. | 20Surely there is not a 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. | 20For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not. | 20There is certainly no righteous man on the earth who does good and never sins. |
| 21Do not pay attention to every word people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you-- | 21Do not take to heart all the things that people say, lest you 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. | 21Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee: | 21Don't pay attention to everything people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you, |
| 22for you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others. | 22Your heart knows that many times you yourself have cursed others. | 22For you also have realized that you likewise have many times cursed others. | 22For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others. | 22for you know that many times you yourself have cursed others. |
| 23All this I tested by wisdom and I said, "I am determined to be wise"-- but this was beyond me. | 23All this I have tested by wisdom. I said, “I will be wise,” but it was far from me. | 23I tested all this with wisdom, and I said, "I will be wise," but it was far from me. | 23All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me. | 23I have tested all this by wisdom. I resolved, "I will be wise," but it was beyond me. |
| 24Whatever exists is far off and most profound-- who can discover it? | 24That which has been is far off, and deep, very deep; who can find it out? | 24What has been is remote and exceedingly mysterious. Who can discover it? | 24That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out? | 24What exists is beyond reach and very deep. Who can discover it? |
| 25So I turned my mind to understand, to investigate and to search out wisdom and the scheme of things and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the madness of folly. | 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. | 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. | 25I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness: | 25I turned my thoughts to know, explore, and seek wisdom and an explanation for things, and to know that wickedness is stupidity and folly is madness. |
| 26I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a trap and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God will escape her, but the sinner she will ensnare. | 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. | 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. | 26And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her. | 26And I find more bitter than death the woman who is a trap, her heart a net, and her hands chains. The one who pleases God will escape her, but the sinner will be captured by her. " |
| 27"Look," says the Teacher, "this is what I have discovered: "Adding one thing to another to discover the scheme of things-- | 27Behold, this is what I found, says the Preacher, while adding one thing to another to find the scheme of things— | 27"Behold, I have discovered this," says the Preacher, "adding one thing to another to find an explanation, | 27Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account: | 27Look," says the Teacher, "I have discovered this by adding one thing to another to find out the explanation, |
| 28while I was still searching but not finding-- I found one upright man among a thousand, but not one upright woman among them all. | 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. | 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. | 28Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found. | 28which my soul continually searches for but does not find: among a thousand people I have found one true man, but among all these I have not found a true woman. |
| 29This only have I found: God created mankind upright, but they have gone in search of many schemes." | 29See, this alone I found, that God made man 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." | 29Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions. | 29Only see this: I have discovered that God made people upright, but they pursued many schemes." |
THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica®. ESV® Text Edition® (2016): The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960 - 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. King James Bible Text courtesy of BibleProtector.comSection Headings Courtesy INT Bible © 2012, Used by Permission.
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