Ecclesiastes, the Preacher

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- Kapitel 7 -

The value of wisdom

Why is it necessary for a man to seek things that are greater than himself, when he does not know what is advantageous for himself in his life, during the number of the days of his sojourn, and while time passes by like a shadow? Or who will be able to tell him what will be in the future after him under the sun?(a)

A good name is better than precious ointments, and a day of death is better than a day of birth.

It is better to go to a house of mourning, than to a house of feasting. For in the former, we are admonished about the end of all things, so that the living consider what may be in the future.

Anger is better than laughter. For through the sadness of the countenance, the soul of one who offends may be corrected.(b)

The heart of the wise is a place of mourning, and the heart of the foolish is a place of rejoicing.

It is better to be corrected by a wise man, than to be deceived by the false praise of the foolish.

For, like the crackling of thorns burning under a pot, so is the laughter of the foolish. But this, too, is emptiness.

A false accusation troubles the wise man and saps the strength of his heart.

The end of a speech is better than the beginning. Patience is better than arrogance.

Do not be quickly moved to anger. For anger resides in the sinews of the foolish.

You should not say: “What do you think is the reason that the former times were better than they are now?” For this type of question is foolish.

Wisdom with riches is more useful and more advantageous, for those who see the sun.(c)

For as wisdom protects, so also does money protect. But learning and wisdom have this much more: that they grant life to one who possesses them.

Consider the works of God, that no one is able to correct whomever he has despised.

The limits of human wisdom

In good times, enjoy good things, but beware of an evil time. For just as God has established the one, so also the other, in order that man may not find any just complaint against him.

I also saw this, in the days of my vanity: a just man perishing in his justice, and an impious man living a long time in his malice.

Do not try to be overly just, and do not try to be more wise than is necessary, lest you become stupid.(d)

Do not act with great impiety, and do not choose to be foolish, lest you die before your time.(e)

It is good for you to support a just man. Furthermore, you should not withdraw your hand from him, for whoever fears God, neglects nothing.

Wisdom has strengthened the wise more than ten princes of a city.

But there is no just man on earth, who does good and does not sin.

So then, do not attach your heart to every word that is spoken, lest perhaps you may hear your servant speaking ill of you.

For your conscience knows that you, too, have repeatedly spoken evil of others.

I have tested everything in wisdom. I have said: “I will be wise.” And wisdom withdrew farther from me,

so much more than it was before. Wisdom is very profound, so who shall reveal her?

I have examined all things in my soul, so that I may know, and consider, and seek out wisdom and reason, and so that I may recognize the impiety of the foolish, and the error of the imprudent.

And I have discovered a woman more bitter than death: she who is like the snare of a hunter, and whose heart is like a net, and whose hands are like chains. Whoever pleases God shall flee from her. But whoever is a sinner shall be seized by her.

Behold, Ecclesiastes said, I have discovered these things, one after another, in order that I might discover the explanation

which my soul still seeks and has not found. One man among a thousand, I have found; a woman among them all, I have not found.

This alone have I discovered: that God made man righteous, and yet he has adulterated himself with innumerable questions. Who is so great as the wise? And who has understood the meaning of the word?(f)

Fußnoten

(a)7:1 This verse in the Latin occurs at the end of chapter 6 in other editions.(Conte)

(b)7:4 Anger:That is, correction, or just wrath and zeal against evil.(Challoner)

(c)7:12 The phrase ‘for those who see the sun’ means ‘in this life’. The saying applies to worldly affairs, but not to obtaining eternal life.(Conte)

(d)7:17 Over just:Viz., By an excessive rigour in censuring the ways of God in bearing with the wicked.(Challoner)

(e)7:18 Be not overmuch wicked:That is, lest by the greatness of your sin you leave no room for mercy.(Challoner)

(f)7:30 Of the word:That is, of this obscure and difficult matter.(Challoner)

The value of wisdom

A good name is better than fine perfume; and the day of death better than the day of one’s birth.

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 should take this to heart.

Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the face the heart is made good.

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

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

For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.

Surely extortion makes the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroys the understanding.

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

Don’t be hasty in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools.

Don’t say, “Why were the former days better than these?” For you do not ask wisely about this.

Wisdom is as good as an inheritance. Yes, it is more excellent for those who see the sun.

For wisdom is a defense, even as money is a defense; but the excellency of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.

Consider the work of God, for who can make that straight which he has made crooked?

In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yes, God has made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything after him.

The limits of human wisdom

All this I have seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who lives long in his evildoing.

Don’t be overly righteous, neither make yourself overly wise. Why should you destroy yourself?

Don’t be too wicked, neither be foolish. Why should you die before your time?

It is good that you should take hold of this. Yes, also don’t withdraw your hand from that; for he who fears God will come out of them all.

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

Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and doesn’t sin.

Also don’t take heed to all words that are spoken, lest you hear your servant curse you;

for often your own heart knows that you yourself have likewise cursed others.

All this I have proved in wisdom. I said, “I will be wise;” but it was far from me.

That which is, is far off and exceedingly deep. Who can find it out?

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

I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and traps, whose hands are chains. Whoever pleases God shall escape from her; but the sinner will be ensnared by her.

“Behold, I have found this,” says the Preacher, “to one another, to find an explanation

which my soul still seeks, but I have not found. I have found one man among a thousand, but I have not found a woman among all those.

Behold, I have only found this: that God made mankind upright; but they search for many inventions.”