Ecclesiastes/Qohelet 7

KING JAMES BIBLE	NEW JERUSALEM
1 A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.	1 Better a good name than costly oil, the day of death than the day of 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.	2 Better go to the house of mourning than to the house of feasting; for to this end everyone comes, let theliving take this to heart.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.	3 Better sadness than laughter: a joyful heart may be concealed behind sad looks.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.	4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, the heart of fools in the house of gaiety.
5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.	5 Better attend to the reprimand of the wise than listen to a song sung by a fool.
6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.	6 For like the crackling of thorns under the cauldron is the laughter of fools: and that too is futile.
7 Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.	7 But being oppressed drives a sage mad, and a present corrupts 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.	8 Better the end of a matter than its beginning, better patience than ambition.
9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.	9 Do not be too easily exasperated, for exasperation dwel s in the heart 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.	10 Do not ask why the past was better than the present, for this is not a question prompted by wisdom.
11 Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun.	11 Wisdom is as good as a legacy, profitable to those who enjoy the light of 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.	12 For as money protects, so does wisdom, and the advantage of knowledge is this: that wisdom bestowslife on those who possess her.
13 Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?	13 Consider God's creation: who, for instance, can straighten what God has bent?
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.	14 When things are going wel , enjoy yourself, and when they are going badly, consider this: God hasdesigned the one no less than the other so that we should take nothing for granted.
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.	15 In my futile life, I have seen everything: the upright person perishing in uprightness and the wickedperson surviving in wickedness.
16 Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?	16 Do not be upright to excess and do not make yourself unduly wise: why should you destroy yourself?
17 Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?	17 Do not be wicked to excess, and do not be a fool: why die before your 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.	18 It is wise to hold on to one and not let go of the other, since the godfearing wil find both.
19 Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.	19 Wisdom makes the wise stronger than a dozen governors in a city.
20 For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.	20 No one on earth is sufficiently upright to do good without ever sinning.
21 Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:	21 Again, do not listen to all that people say, then you wil not hear your servant abusing you.
22 For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.	22 For often, as you very wel know, you have abused others.
23 All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.	23 Thanks to wisdom, I have found all this to be true; I resolved to be wise, but this was beyond myreach!
24 That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?	24 The past is out of reach, buried deep -- who can discover it?
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:	25 But I have reached the point where, having learnt, explored and investigated wisdom and reflection, Irecognise evil as being a form of madness, and fol y as something stupid.
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.	26 And I find woman more bitter than Death, she is a snare, her heart is a net, and her arms are chains.The man who is pleasing to God eludes her, but the sinner is captured by her.
27 Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account:	27 This is what I think, says Qoheleth, having examined one thing after another to draw some conclusion,
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.	28 which I am still looking for, although unsuccessful y: one man in a thousand, I may find, but a womanbetter than other women-never.
29 Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.	29 This alone is my conclusion: God has created man straightforward, and human artifices are humaninventions.