---
title: Ecclesiastes 7
slug: kjv/ecclesiastes-7
createdAt: 2024-08-21T02:21:23.805Z
---

**1 **A good name *is* better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.

**2 ***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.

**3 **Sorrow *is* better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.

**4 **The heart of the wise *is* in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools *is* in the house of mirth.

**5 ***It is* better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.

**6 **For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so *is* the laughter of the fool: this also *is* vanity.

**7 **Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.

**8 **Better *is* the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: *and* the patient in spirit *is* better than the proud in spirit.

**9 **Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.

**10 **Say not thou, What is *the cause* that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.

**11 **Wisdom *is* good with an inheritance: and *by it there is* profit to them that see the sun.

**12 **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.

**13 **Consider the work of God: for who can make *that* straight, which he hath made crooked?

**14 **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.

**15 **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. **16 **Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself? **17 **Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time? **18 ***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.

**19 **Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty *men* which are in the city. **20 **For *there is* not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not. **21 **Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee: **22 **For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.

**23 **All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it *was* far from me. **24 **That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out? **25 **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: **26 **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.

**27 **Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, *counting* one by one, to find out the account: **28 **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. **29 **Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.