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Ecclesiastes 7

29 aligned verses; 29 with wording or punctuation differences .

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Verse BSB Berean Standard Bible KJV King James Version
A good name is better than fine perfume, and one’s day of death is better than his day of birth.
A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.
It 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.
It 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.
Sorrow is better than laughter , for a sad countenance is good for the heart.
Sorrow is better than laughter : for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better .
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning , but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure .
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning ; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth .
It is better to heed a wise man’s rebuke than to listen to the song of fools.
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
For like the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of the fool . This too is futile .
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool : this also is vanity .
Surely extortion turns a wise man into a fool, and a bribe corrupts the heart.
Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.
The end of a matter is better than the beginning , and a patient spirit is better than a proud one .
Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit .
Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit , for anger settles in the lap of a fool .
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools .
Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these? For it is unwise of you to ask about this.
Say not thou , What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.
Wisdom , like an inheritance, is good , and it benefits those who see the sun.
Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun.
For wisdom , like money, is a shelter , and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of its owner .
For wisdom is a defence , and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is , that wisdom giveth life to them that have it .
Consider the work of God: Who can straighten what He has bent ?
Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked ?
In 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.
In 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.
In 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.
All 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.
Do not be overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise . Why should you destroy yourself ?
Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise : why shouldest thou destroy thyself ?
Do not be excessively wicked, and do not be a fool. Why should you die before your time?
Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
It is good to grasp the one and not let the other slip from your hand . For he who fears God will follow both warnings .
It 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 .
Wisdom makes the wise man stronger than ten rulers in a city.
Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.
Surely there is no righteous man on earth who does good and never sins .
For there is not a just man upon earth , that doeth good , and sinneth not .
Do not pay attention to every word that is spoken , or you may hear your servant cursing you.
Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken ; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:
For you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others.
For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
All this I tested by wisdom , saying , I resolve to be wise .” But it was beyond me.
All this have I proved by wisdom : I said , I will be wise ; but it was far from me.
What exists is out of reach and very deep . Who can fathom it?
That which is far off, and exceeding deep , who can find it out ?
I 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 .
I 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 :
And 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 .
And 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 .
Behold, says the Teacher , “I have discovered this by adding one thing to another to find an explanation.
Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher , counting one by one , to find out the account:
While 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 .
Which 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.
Only this have I found : I have discovered that God made men upright , but they have sought out many schemes .
Lo, this only have I found , that God hath made man upright ; but they have sought out many inventions .

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible and King James Version. Public domain; source text distributed by BSB Publishing, LLC.; UK publication rights are administered by the Crown's patentee; public domain in most other jurisdictions..