Ecclesiastes 7

Wisdom for Life

7A good reputation is more valuable than costly perfume. And the day you die is better than the day you are born.H8034H2896H2896H8081H3117H4194H3117H32052Better to spend your time at funerals than at parties. After all, everyone dies—so the living should take this to heart.H2896H3212H1004H60H3212H1004H4960H834H5490H120H2416H5414H38203Sorrow is better than laughter, for sadness has a refining influence on us.H3708H2896H7814H7455H6440H3820H31904A wise person thinks a lot about death, while a fool thinks only about having a good time.H3820H2450H1004H60H3820H3684H1004H80575Better to be criticized by a wise person than to be praised by a fool.H2896H8085H1606H2450H376H8085H7892H36846A fool’s laughter is quickly gone, like thorns crackling in a fire. This also is meaningless.H6963H5518H5518H7814H3684H18927Extortion turns wise people into fools, and bribes corrupt the heart.H6233H2450H1984H4979H6H38208Finishing is better than starting. Patience is better than pride.H2896H319H1697H7225H750H7307H2896H1362H73079Control your temper, for anger labels you a fool.H926H7307H3707H3708H5117H2436H368410Don’t long for “the good old days.” This is not wise.H559H7223H3117H2896H7592H245111Wisdom is even better when you have money. Both are a benefit as you go through life.H2451H2896H5159H3148H7200H812112Wisdom and money can get you almost anything, but only wisdom can save your life.H2451H6738H3701H6738H3504H1847H2451H2421H116713Accept the way God does things, for who can straighten what he has made crooked?H7200H4639H430H3201H8626H579114Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. Remember that nothing is certain in this life.H3117H2896H2896H3117H7451H7200H430H6213H5980H1700H120H4672H3972H310

The Limits of Human Wisdom

15I have seen everything in this meaningless life, including the death of good young people and the long life of wicked people.H7200H3117H1892H3426H6662H6H6664H7563H748H745116So don’t be too good or too wise! Why destroy yourself?H6662H7235H3148H2449H807417On the other hand, don’t be too wicked either. Don’t be a fool! Why die before your time?H7235H7561H5530H4191H625618Pay attention to these instructions, for anyone who fears God will avoid both extremes

.H2896H270H2088H3240H3027H3373H430H331819One wise person is stronger than ten leading citizens of a town!H2451H5810H2450H6235H7989H589220Not a single person on earth is always good and never sins.H6662H120H776H6213H2896H239821Don’t eavesdrop on others—you may hear your servant curse you.H5414H3820H1697H1696H8085H5650H704322For you know how often you yourself have cursed others.H6471H7227H3820H3045H7043H31223I have always tried my best to let wisdom guide my thoughts and actions. I said to myself, “I am determined to be wise.” But it didn’t work.H2090H5254H2451H559H2449H735024Wisdom is always distant and difficult to find.H7350H6013H467225I searched everywhere, determined to find wisdom and to understand the reason for things. I was determined to prove to myself that wickedness is stupid and that foolishness is madness.H5437H3820H3045H8446H1245H2451H2808H3045H7562H3689H5531H194726I discovered that a seductive woman

is a trap more bitter than death. Her passion is a snare, and her soft hands are chains. Those who are pleasing to God will escape her, but sinners will be caught in her snare.H4672H4751H4194H802H3820H4685H2764H3027H612H2896H6440H430H4422H2398H392027“This is my conclusion,” says the Teacher. “I discovered this after looking at the matter from every possible angle.H7200H4672H559H6953H259H259H4672H280828Though I have searched repeatedly, I have not found what I was looking for. Only one out of a thousand men is virtuous, but not one woman!H5315H1245H4672H259H120H505H4672H802H467229But I did find this: God created people to be virtuous, but they have each turned to follow their own downward path.”H7200H905H4672H430H6213H120H3477H1245H7227H2810