Ecclesiastes 7

1What needeth a man to seek things that are above him, whereas he knoweth not what is profitable for him in his life, in all the days of his pilgrimage, and the time that passeth like a shadow? Or who can tell him what shall be after him under the sun?

2A good name is better than precious ointments: and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.

3It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to the house of feasting: for in that we are put in mind of the end of all, and the living thinketh what is to come.

4Anger is better than laughter: because by the sadness of the countenance the mind of the offender is corrected.

5The heart of the wise is where there is mourning, and the heart of fools where there is mirth.

6It is better to be rebuked by a wise man, than to be deceived by the flattery of fools.

7For as the crackling of thorns burning under a pot, so is the laughter of a fool: now this also is vanity.

8Oppression troubleth the wise, and shall destroy the strength of his heart.

9Better is the end of a speech than the beginning. Better is the patient man than the presumptuous.

10Be not quickly angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of a fool.

11Say not: What thinkest thou is the cause that former times were better than they are now? for this manner of question is foolish.

12Wisdom with riches is more profitable, and bringeth more advantage to them that see the sun.

13For as wisdom is a defence, so money is a defence: but learning and wisdom excel in this, that they give life to him that possesseth them.

14Consider the works of God, that no man can correct whom he hath despised.

15In the good day enjoy good things, and beware beforehand of the evil day: for God hath made both the one and the other, that man may not find against him any just complaint.

16These things also I saw in the days of my vanity: A just man perisheth in his justice, and a wicked man liveth a long time in his wickedness.

17Be not over just: and be not more wise than is necessary, lest thou become stupid.

18Be not overmuch wicked: and be not foolish, lest thou die before thy time.

19It is good that thou shouldst hold up the just, yea and from him withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God, neglecteth nothing.

20Wisdom hath strengthened the wise more than ten princes of the city.

21For there is no just man upon earth, that doth good, and sinneth not.

22But do not apply thy heart to all words that are spoken: lest perhaps thou hear thy servant reviling thee.

23For thy conscience knoweth that thou also hast often spoken evil of others.

24I have tried all things in wisdom. I have said: I will be wise: and it departed farther from me,

25Much more than it was: it is a great depth, who shall find it out?

26I have surveyed all things with my mind, to know, and consider, and seek out wisdom and reason: and to know the wickedness of the fool, and the error of the imprudent:

27And I have found a woman more bitter than death, who is the hunter’s snare, and her heart is a net, and her hands are bands. He that pleaseth God shall escape from her: but he that is a sinner, shall be caught by her.

28Lo this have I found, said Ecclesiastes, weighing one thing after another, that I might find out the account,

29Which yet my soul seeketh, and I have not found it. One man among a thousand I have found, a woman among them all I have not found.

30Only this I have found, that God made man right, and he hath entangled himself with an infinity of questions. Who is as the wise man? and who hath known the resolution of the word?

1Melius est nomen bonum quam unguenta pretiosa, et dies mortis die nativitatis.

2Melius est ire ad domum luctus quam ad domum convivii; in illa enim finis cunctorum admonetur hominum, et vivens cogitat quid futurum sit.

3Melior est ira risu, quia per tristitiam vultus corrigitur animus delinquentis.

4Cor sapientium ubi tristitia est, et cor stultorum ubi lætitia.

5Melius est a sapiente corripi, quam stultorum adulatione decipi;

6quia sicut sonitus spinarum ardentium sub olla, sic risus stulti. Sed et hoc vanitas.

7Calumnia conturbat sapientem, et perdet robur cordis illius.

8Melior est finis orationis quam principium. Melior est patiens arrogante.

9Ne sis velox ad irascendum, quia ira in sinu stulti requiescit.

10Ne dicas : Quid putas causæ est quod priora tempora meliora fuere quam nunc sunt? stulta enim est hujuscemodi interrogatio.

11Utilior est sapientia cum divitiis, et magis prodest videntibus solem.

12Sicut enim protegit sapientia, sic protegit pecunia; hoc autem plus habet eruditio et sapientia, quod vitam tribuunt possessori suo.

13Considera opera Dei, quod nemo possit corrigere quem ille despexerit.

14In die bona fruere bonis, et malam diem præcave; sicut enim hanc, sic et illam fecit Deus, ut non inveniat homo contra eum justas querimonias.

15Hæc quoque vidi in diebus vanitatis meæ : justus perit in justitia sua, et impius multo vivit tempore in malitia sua.

16Noli esse justus multum, neque plus sapias quam necesse est, ne obstupescas.

17Ne impie agas multum, et noli esse stultus, ne moriaris in tempore non tuo.

18Bonum est te sustentare justum : sed et ab illo ne subtrahas manum tuam; quia qui timet Deum nihil negligit.

19Sapientia confortavit sapientem super decem principes civitatis;

20non est enim homo justus in terra qui faciat bonum et non peccet.

21Sed et cunctis sermonibus qui dicuntur ne accomodes cor tuum, ne forte audias servum tuum maledicentem tibi;

22scit enim conscientia tua quia et tu crebro maledixisti aliis.

23Cuncta tentavi in sapientia. Dixi : Sapiens efficiar : et ipsa longius recessit a me,

24multo magis quam erat. Et alta profunditas, quis inveniet eam?

25Lustravi universa animo meo, ut scirem et considerarem, et quærerem sapientiam, et rationem, et ut cognoscerem impietatem stulti, et errorem imprudentium :

26et inveni amariorem morte mulierem, quæ laqueus venatorum est, et sagena cor ejus; vincula sunt manus illius. Qui placet Deo effugiet illam; qui autem peccator est capietur ab illa.

27Ecce hoc inveni, dixit Ecclesiastes, unum et alterum ut invenirem rationem,

28quam adhuc quærit anima mea, et non inveni. Virum de mille unum reperi; mulierem ex omnibus non inveni.

29Solummodo hoc inveni, quod fecerit Deus hominem rectum, et ipse se infinitis miscuerit quæstionibus. Quis talis ut sapiens est? et quis cognovit solutionem verbi?

1ἀγαθὸν ὄνομα ὑπὲρ ἔλαιον ἀγαθὸν καὶ ἡμέρα τοῦ θανάτου ὑπὲρ ἡμέραν γενέσεως αὐτοῦ

2ἀγαθὸν πορευθῆναι εἰς οἶκον πένθους ἢ ὅτι πορευθῆναι εἰς οἶκον πότου καθότι τοῦτο τέλος παντὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου καὶ ὁ ζῶν δώσει εἰς καρδίαν αὐτοῦ

3ἀγαθὸν θυμὸς ὑπὲρ γέλωτα ὅτι ἐν κακίᾳ προσώπου ἀγαθυνθήσεται καρδία

4καρδία σοφῶν ἐν οἴκῳ πένθους καὶ καρδία ἀφρόνων ἐν οἴκῳ εὐφροσύνης

5ἀγαθὸν τὸ ἀκοῦσαι ἐπιτίμησιν σοφοῦ ὑπὲρ ἄνδρα ἀκούοντα ᾆσμα ἀφρόνων

6ὅτι ὡς φωνὴ τῶν ἀκανθῶν ὑπὸ τὸν λέβητα οὕτως γέλως τῶν ἀφρόνων καί γε τοῦτο ματαιότης

7ὅτι ἡ συκοφαντία περιφέρει σοφὸν καὶ ἀπόλλυσι τὴν καρδίαν εὐτονίας αὐτοῦ

8ἀγαθὴ ἐσχάτη λόγων ὑπὲρ ἀρχὴν αὐτοῦ ἀγαθὸν μακρόθυμος ὑπὲρ ὑψηλὸν πνεύματι

9μὴ σπεύσῃς ἐν πνεύματί σου τοῦ θυμοῦσθαι ὅτι θυμὸς ἐν κόλπῳ ἀφρόνων ἀναπαύσεται

10μὴ εἴπῃς τί ἐγένετο ὅτι αἱ ἡμέραι αἱ πρότεραι ἦσαν ἀγαθαὶ ὑπὲρ ταύτας ὅτι οὐκ ἐν σοφίᾳ ἐπηρώτησας περὶ τούτου

11ἀγαθὴ σοφία μετὰ κληροδοσίας καὶ περισσεία τοῖς θεωροῦσιν τὸν ἥλιον

12ὅτι ἐν σκιᾷ αὐτῆς ἡ σοφία ὡς σκιὰ τοῦ ἀργυρίου καὶ περισσεία γνώσεως τῆς σοφίας ζωοποιήσει τὸν παρ' αὐτῆς

13ἰδὲ τὰ ποιήματα τοῦ θεοῦ ὅτι τίς δυνήσεται τοῦ κοσμῆσαι ὃν ἂν ὁ θεὸς διαστρέψῃ αὐτόν

14ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ἀγαθωσύνης ζῆθι ἐν ἀγαθῷ καὶ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κακίας ἰδέ καί γε σὺν τοῦτο σύμφωνον τούτῳ ἐποίησεν ὁ θεὸς περὶ λαλιᾶς ἵνα μὴ εὕρῃ ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ μηδέν

15σὺν τὰ πάντα εἶδον ἐν ἡμέραις ματαιότητός μου ἔστιν δίκαιος ἀπολλύμενος ἐν δικαίῳ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔστιν ἀσεβὴς μένων ἐν κακίᾳ αὐτοῦ

16μὴ γίνου δίκαιος πολὺ καὶ μὴ σοφίζου περισσά μήποτε ἐκπλαγῇς

17μὴ ἀσεβήσῃς πολὺ καὶ μὴ γίνου σκληρός ἵνα μὴ ἀποθάνῃς ἐν οὐ καιρῷ σου

18ἀγαθὸν τὸ ἀντέχεσθαί σε ἐν τούτῳ καί γε ἀπὸ τούτου μὴ ἀνῇς τὴν χεῖρά σου ὅτι φοβούμενος τὸν θεὸν ἐξελεύσεται τὰ πάντα

19ἡ σοφία βοηθήσει τῷ σοφῷ ὑπὲρ δέκα ἐξουσιάζοντας τοὺς ὄντας ἐν τῇ πόλει

20ὅτι ἄνθρωπος οὐκ ἔστιν δίκαιος ἐν τῇ γῇ ὃς ποιήσει ἀγαθὸν καὶ οὐχ ἁμαρτήσεται

21καί γε εἰς πάντας τοὺς λόγους οὓς λαλήσουσιν μὴ θῇς καρδίαν σου ὅπως μὴ ἀκούσῃς τοῦ δούλου σου καταρωμένου σε

22ὅτι πλειστάκις πονηρεύσεταί σε καὶ καθόδους πολλὰς κακώσει καρδίαν σου ὅπως καί γε σὺ κατηράσω ἑτέρους

23πάντα ταῦτα ἐπείρασα ἐν τῇ σοφίᾳ εἶπα σοφισθήσομαι

24καὶ αὐτὴ ἐμακρύνθη ἀπ' ἐμοῦ μακρὰν ὑπὲρ ὃ ἦν καὶ βαθὺ βάθος τίς εὑρήσει αὐτό

25ἐκύκλωσα ἐγώ καὶ ἡ καρδία μου τοῦ γνῶναι καὶ τοῦ κατασκέψασθαι καὶ ζητῆσαι σοφίαν καὶ ψῆφον καὶ τοῦ γνῶναι ἀσεβοῦς ἀφροσύνην καὶ σκληρίαν καὶ περιφοράν

26καὶ εὑρίσκω ἐγὼ πικρότερον ὑπὲρ θάνατον σὺν τὴν γυναῖκα ἥτις ἐστὶν θηρεύματα καὶ σαγῆναι καρδία αὐτῆς δεσμοὶ χεῖρες αὐτῆς ἀγαθὸς πρὸ προσώπου τοῦ θεοῦ ἐξαιρεθήσεται ἀπ' αὐτῆς καὶ ἁμαρτάνων συλλημφθήσεται ἐν αὐτῇ

27ἰδὲ τοῦτο εὗρον εἶπεν ὁ Ἐκκλησιαστής μία τῇ μιᾷ τοῦ εὑρεῖν λογισμόν

28ὃν ἔτι ἐζήτησεν ἡ ψυχή μου καὶ οὐχ εὗρον ἄνθρωπον ἕνα ἀπὸ χιλίων εὗρον καὶ γυναῖκα ἐν πᾶσι τούτοις οὐχ εὗρον

29πλὴν ἰδὲ τοῦτο εὗρον ὃ ἐποίησεν ὁ θεὸς σὺν τὸν ἄνθρωπον εὐθῆ καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐζήτησαν λογισμοὺς πολλούς