Ecclesiastes 7 – Studienbibel

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: in that that is the end of all men, and the living takes it to heart.

3 Vexation 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 in the house of mirth.

5 It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise, than 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 makes a wise man mad, and a gift destroys the heart.

8 Better is the end of a thing than its beginning; better is a patient spirit than a proud spirit.

9 Be not hasty in ŷour spirit to be vexed; for vexation rests in the bosom of fools.

10 Say not, How is it that the former days were better than these? for ŷou do not inquire wisely concerning this.

11 Wisdom is as good as an inheritance, and profitable to them that see the sun.

12 For wisdom is a defense as money is a defense; but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom makes them that possess it to live.

13 Consider the work of God; for who can make straight what he has made crooked?

14 In the day of prosperity enjoy good, and in the day of adversity consider: God has also set the one beside the other, to the end that man should find out nothing of what will be after him.

15 All this have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a righteous man that perishes by his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongs his days by his wickedness.

16 Be not righteous overmuch; neither make ŷourself overwise: why should ŷou destroy ŷourself?

17 Be not overmuch wicked, neither be ŷou foolish: why should ŷou die before ŷour time?

18 It is good that ŷou should take hold of this; yes, also from that withdraw not ŷour hand: for he that fears God comes forth from them all.

19 Wisdom strengthens the wise more than ten mighty men that are in a city.

20 Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth, that does good and sins not.

21 Also give not heed unto all words that are spoken, lest ŷou hear ŷour servant curse ŷou.

22 For also ŷour own heart knows that oftentimes ŷou ŷourself likewise have cursed others.

23 All this have I tried by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.

24 Whatever has been, is far off, and exceeding deep: who will find it out?

25 I turned, I and my heart, to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom and reason, and to know wickedness to be folly, and foolishness to be madness;

26 and I found more bitter than death the woman whose heart is nets and snares, and whose hands are bands: whoever pleases God will escape from her; but the sinner will be caught by her.

27 See this which I have found, says the Preacher, searching one by one to find out the reason;

28 which my soul yet seeks, and I have not found: one man among a thousand have I found, but a woman among all those have I not found.

29 Only see this which I have found: that God made man upright, but they have sought out many devices.