Ecclesiastes Chapter 7 | KJV & Biblical Hebrew

1

טוֹב֙ שֵׁ֣ם מִשֶּׁ֔מֶן ט֔וֹב וְי֥וֹם הַמָּ֖וֶת מִיּ֥וֹם הִוָּלְד֖וֹ׃

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

A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of birth.

2

טוֹב֙ לָלֶ֣כֶת אֶל בֵּית אֵ֔בֶל מִלֶּ֖כֶת אֶל בֵּ֣ית מִשְׁתֶּ֑ה בַּאֲשֶׁ֕ר ה֖וּא סוֹף כָּל הָאָדָ֑ם וְהַחַ֖י יִתֵּ֥ן אֶל לִבּֽוֹ׃

KJVIt 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.

It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart.

3

טוֹב֙ כַּ֣עַס מִשְּׂח֔וֹק כִּ֥י בְרֹ֛עַ פָּנִ֖ים יִיטַ֥ב לֵֽב׃

KJVSorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.

Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of face the heart is made glad.

4

לֵ֤ב חֲכָמִים֙ בְּבֵ֣ית אֵ֔בֶל וְלֵ֥ב כְּסִילִ֖ים בְּבֵ֥ית שִׂמְחָֽה׃

KJVThe heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

5

טוֹב֙ לִשְׁמֹ֣עַ גַּעֲרַ֣ת חָכָ֔ם מֵאִ֕ישׁ שֹׁמֵ֖עַ שִׁ֥יר כְּסִילִֽים׃

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

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

6

כִּ֣י כְק֤וֹל הַסִּירִים֙ תַּ֣חַת הַסִּ֔יר כֵּ֖ן שְׂחֹ֣ק הַכְּסִ֑יל וְגַם זֶ֖ה הָֽבֶל׃

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

For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fools; this also is vanity.

7

כִּ֤י הָעֹ֙שֶׁק֙ יְהוֹלֵ֣ל חָכָ֔ם וִֽיאַבֵּ֖ד אֶת לֵ֥ב מַתָּנָֽה׃

KJVSurely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.

Surely oppression drives the wise man crazy, and a bribe corrupts the heart.

8

טוֹב֙ אַחֲרִ֣ית דָּבָ֔ר מֵרֵאשִׁית֑וֹ טוֹב֙ אֶ֣רֶךְ ר֔וּחַ מִגְּבַ֖הּ רֽוּחַ׃

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

Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

9

אַל תְּבַהֵ֥ל בְּרוּחֲךָ֖ לִכְע֑וֹס כִּ֣י כַ֔עַס בְּחֵ֥יק כְּסִילִ֖ים יָנֽוּחַ׃

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

Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the heart of fools.

10

אַֽל תֹּאמַ֕ר מֶ֣ה הָיָ֔ה שֶׁהַיָּמִ֥ים הָרִאשֹׁנִ֖ים הָי֣וּ טוֹבִ֑ים מֵאֵ֖לֶּה כִּ֣י לֹ֥א מֵחָכְמָ֖ה שָׁאַ֥לְתָּ עַל זֶֽה׃

KJVSay not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.

Say not, "Why were the former days better than these?" for it is not from wisdom that you ask this.

11

טוֹבָ֥ה חָכְמָ֖ה עִם נַחֲלָ֑ה וְיֹתֵ֕ר לְרֹאֵ֖י הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃

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

Wisdom is good with an inheritance, an advantage to those who see the sun.

12

כִּ֛י בְּצֵ֥ל הַחָכְמָ֖ה בְּצֵ֣ל הַכָּ֑סֶף וְיִתְר֣וֹן דַּ֔עַת הַחָכְמָ֖ה תְּחַיֶּ֥ה בְעָלֶֽיהָ׃

KJVFor wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.

For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.

13

רְאֵ֕ה אֶת מַעֲשֵׂ֖ה הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים כִּ֣י מִ֤י יוּכַל֙ לְתַקֵּ֔ן אֵ֖ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר עִוְּתֽוֹ׃

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

Consider the work of God: who can make straight what he has made crooked?

14

בְּי֤וֹם טוֹבָה֙ הֱיֵ֣ה בְטוֹב֔ וּבְי֥וֹם רָעָ֖ה רְאֵ֑ה גַּ֣ם אֶת זֶ֤ה לְעֻמַּת זֶה֙ עָשָׂ֣ה הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים עַל דִּבְרַת֙ שֶׁלֹּ֣א יִמְצָ֣א הָאָדָ֔ם אַחֲרָ֖יו מְאֽוּמָה׃

KJVIn 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.

In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him.

15

אֶת הַכֹּ֥ל רָאִ֖יתִי בִּימֵ֣י הֶבְלִ֑י יֵ֣שׁ צַדִּ֗יק אֹבֵד֙ בְּצִדְק֔וֹ וְיֵ֣שׁ רָשָׁ֔ע מַאֲרִ֖יךְ בְּרָעָתֽוֹ׃

KJVAll 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.

In my vain life I have seen everything. There is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his evildoing.

16

אַל תְּהִ֥י צַדִּיק֙ הַרְבֵּ֔ה וְאַֽל תִּתְחַכַּ֖ם יוֹתֵ֑ר לָ֖מָּה תִּשּׁוֹמֵֽם׃

KJVBe not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?

Be not overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself?

17

אַל תִּרְשַׁ֥ע הַרְבֵּ֖ה וְאַל תְּהִ֣י סָכָ֑ל לָ֥מָּה תָמ֖וּת בְּלֹ֥א עִתֶּֽךָ׃

KJVBe not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?

Be not overly wicked, neither be a fool. Why should you die before your time?

18

טוֹב֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תֶּאֱחֹ֣ז בָּזֶ֔ה וְגַ֥ם מִזֶּ֛ה אַל תַּנַּ֥ח אֶת יָדֶ֖ךָ כִּ֣י יְרֵ֣א אֱלֹהִ֔ים יֵצֵ֖א אֶת כֻּלָּֽם׃

KJVIt 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.

It is good that you should take hold of this, and from that withhold not your hand, for the one who fears God shall come out from both of them.

19

הַחָכְמָ֛ה תָּעֹ֥ז לֶֽחָכָ֖ם מֵעֲשָׂרָ֣ה שַׁלִּיטִ֑ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָי֖וּ בָּעִֽיר׃

KJVWisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.

Wisdom gives strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.

20

כִּ֣י אָדָ֔ם אֵ֥ין צַדִּ֖יק בָּאָ֑רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַעֲשֶׂה טּ֖וֹב וְלֹ֥א יֶחֱטָֽא׃

KJVFor there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.

21

גַּ֗ם לְכָל הַדְּבָרִ֛ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר יְדַבֵּ֖רוּ אַל תִּתֵּ֣ן לִבֶּ֑ךָ אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹא תִשְׁמַע֙ אֶת עַבְדְּךָ֔ מְקַלְלֶֽךָ׃

KJVAlso take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:

Do not take to heart all the things that people say, lest you hear your servant cursing you.

22

כִּ֣י גַם פְּעָמִ֥ים רַבּ֛וֹת יָדַ֥ע לִבֶּ֖ךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר גַּם אַתָּ֛ה קִלַּ֥לְתָּ אֲחֵרִֽים׃

KJVFor oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.

Your heart knows that many times you yourself have cursed others.

23

כָּל זֹ֥ה נִסִּ֖יתִי בַּחָכְמָ֑ה אָמַ֙רְתִּי֙ אֶחְכָּ֔מָה וְהִ֖יא רְחוֹקָ֥ה מִמֶּֽנִּי׃

KJVAll this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.

All this I have tested by wisdom. I said, "I will be wise," but it was far from me.

24

רָח֖וֹק מַה שֶּׁהָיָ֑ה וְעָמֹ֥ק עָמֹ֖ק מִ֥י יִמְצָאֶֽנּוּ׃

KJVThat which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?

That which is, is far off, and deep, very deep; who can find it out?

25

סַבּ֤וֹתִי אֲנִי֙ וְלִבִּ֔י לָדַ֖עַת וְלָת֣וּר וּבַקֵּ֣שׁ חָכְמָ֑ה וְחֶשְׁב֕וֹן וְלָדַ֥עַת רֶ֛שַׁע כֶּ֥סֶל וְהַסִּכְל֖וּת הוֹלֵלֽוֹת׃

KJVI 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:

I turned my heart to know and to search out and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know the wickedness of folly and the foolishness that is madness.

26

וּמוֹצֶ֣א אֲנִ֗י מַר מִמָּ֙וֶת֙ אֶת הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה אֲשֶׁר הִ֣יא מְצוֹדִ֔ים וַחֲרָמִ֖ים לִבָּ֑הּ אֲסוּרִ֣ים יָדֶ֔יהָ ט֤וֹב לִפְנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים֙ יִמָּלֵ֣ט מִמֶּ֔נָּה וְחוֹטֵ֖א יִלָּ֥כֶד בָּֽהּ׃

KJVAnd 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.

And I find something more bitter than death: the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are fetters. He who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is taken by her.

27

רְאֵ֕ה זֶ֖ה מָצָ֣אתִי אָמְרָ֣ה קֹהֶ֑לֶת אַחַ֤ת לְאַחַת֙ לִמְצֹ֣א חֶשְׁב֔וֹן׃

KJVBehold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account:

Behold, this is what I found, says the Preacher, adding one thing to another to find the scheme of things—

28

אֲשֶׁ֨ר עוֹד בִּקְשָׁ֧ה נַפְשִׁ֛י וְלֹ֥א מָצָ֖אתִי אָדָ֣ם אֶחָ֣ד מֵאֶ֑לֶף מָצָ֕אתִי וְאִשָּׁ֥ה בְכָל אֵ֖לֶּה לֹ֥א מָצָֽאתִי׃

KJVWhich 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.

which my soul has sought repeatedly, but I have not found. One man among a thousand I found, but a woman among all these I have not found.

29

לְבַ֣ד רְאֵ֔ה זֶ֖ה מָצָ֑אתִי אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשָׂ֤ה הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת הָֽאָדָ֣ם יָשָׁ֔ר וְהֵ֥מָּה בִקְשׁ֖וּ חִשְּׁבֹנ֥וֹת רַבִּֽים׃

KJVLo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.

See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes.

Ecclesiastes — Chapter 7