Ecclesiastes 6 | Biblion Bible Reader

WEB·Ecclesiastes 7

¹A good name is better than fine perfume; and the day of death better than the day of one’s birth.

KJVA good name^H8034 is better^H2896 than precious^H2896 ointment^H8081; and the day^H3117 of death^H4194 than the day^H3117 of one's birth^H3205^(H8736).

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 should take this to heart.

KJVIt is better^H2896 to go^H3212^(H8800) to the house^H1004 of mourning^H60, than to go^H3212^(H8800) to the house^H1004 of feasting^H4960: for^H834 that is the end^H5490 of all men^H120; and the living^H2416 will lay^H5414^(H8799) it to his heart^H3820.

³ Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the face the heart is made good.

KJVSorrow^H3708 is better^H2896 than laughter^H7814: for by the sadness^H7455 of the countenance^H6440 the heart^H3820 is made better^H3190^(H8799).

⁴ The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

KJVThe heart^H3820 of the wise^H2450 is in the house^H1004 of mourning^H60; but the heart^H3820 of fools^H3684 is in the house^H1004 of mirth^H8057.

⁵ It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise than for a man to hear the song of fools.

KJVIt is better^H2896 to hear^H8085^(H8800) the rebuke^H1606 of the wise^H2450, than for a man^H376 to hear^H8085^(H8802) the song^H7892 of fools^H3684.

⁶ For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.

KJVFor as the crackling^H6963 of thorns^H5518 under a pot^H5518, so is the laughter^H7814 of the fool^H3684: this also is vanity^H1892.

⁷ Surely extortion makes the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroys the understanding.

KJVSurely oppression^H6233 maketh a wise man^H2450 mad^H1984^(H8779); and a gift^H4979 destroyeth^H6^(H8762) the heart^H3820.

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

KJVBetter^H2896 is the end^H319 of a thing^H1697 than the beginning^H7225 thereof: and the patient^H750 in spirit^H7307 is better^H2896 than the proud^H1362 in spirit^H7307.

⁹ Don’t be hasty in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools.

KJVBe not hasty^H926^(H8762) in thy spirit^H7307 to be angry^H3707^(H8800): for anger^H3708 resteth^H5117^(H8799) in the bosom^H2436 of fools^H3684.

¹⁰ Don’t say, “Why were the former days better than these?” For you do not ask wisely about this.

KJVSay^H559^(H8799) not thou, What is the cause that the former^H7223 days^H3117 were better^H2896 than these? for thou dost not enquire^H7592^(H8804) wisely^H2451 concerning this.

¹¹ Wisdom is as good as an inheritance. Yes, it is more excellent for those who see the sun.

KJVWisdom^H2451 is good^H2896 with an inheritance^H5159: and by it there is profit^H3148 to them that see^H7200^(H8802) the sun^H8121.

¹² 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.

KJVFor wisdom^H2451 is a defence^H6738, and money^H3701 is a defence^H6738: but the excellency^H3504 of knowledge^H1847 is, that wisdom^H2451 giveth life^H2421^(H8762) to them that have^H1167 it.

¹³ Consider the work of God, for who can make that straight which he has made crooked?

KJVConsider^H7200^(H8798) the work^H4639 of God^H430: for who can^H3201^(H8799) make that straight^H8626^(H8763), which he hath made crooked^H5791^(H8765)?

¹⁴ 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.

KJVIn the day^H3117 of prosperity^H2896 be joyful^H2896, but in the day^H3117 of adversity^H7451 consider^H7200^(H8798): God^H430 also hath set^H6213^(H8804) the one over against^H5980 the other, to the end^H1700 that man^H120 should find^H4672^(H8799) nothing^H3972 after^H310 him.

¹⁵ 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.

KJVAll things have I seen^H7200^(H8804) in the days^H3117 of my vanity^H1892: there is^H3426 a just^H6662 man that perisheth^H6^(H8802) in his righteousness^H6664, and there is a wicked^H7563 man that prolongeth^H748^(H8688) his life in his wickedness^H7451.

¹⁶ Don’t be overly righteous, neither make yourself overly wise. Why should you destroy yourself?

KJVBe not righteous^H6662 over much^H7235^(H8687); neither make thyself over^H3148 wise^H2449^(H8691): why shouldest thou destroy^H8074^(H8709) thyself?

¹⁷ Don’t be too wicked, neither be foolish. Why should you die before your time?

KJVBe not over much^H7235^(H8687) wicked^H7561^(H8799), neither be thou foolish^H5530: why shouldest thou die^H4191^(H8799) before thy time^H6256?

¹⁸ 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.

KJVIt is good^H2896 that thou shouldest take hold^H270^(H8799) of this; yea, also from this^H2088 withdraw^H3240^(H8686) not thine hand^H3027: for he that feareth^H3373 God^H430 shall come forth^H3318^(H8799) of them all.

¹⁹ Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.

KJVWisdom^H2451 strengtheneth^H5810^(H8799) the wise^H2450 more than ten^H6235 mighty^H7989 men which are in the city^H5892.

²⁰ Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and doesn’t sin.

KJVFor there is not a just^H6662 man^H120 upon earth^H776, that doeth^H6213^(H8799) good^H2896, and sinneth^H2398^(H8799) not.

²¹ Also don’t take heed to all words that are spoken, lest you hear your servant curse you;

KJVAlso take^H5414^(H8799) no heed^H3820 unto all words^H1697 that are spoken^H1696^(H8762); lest thou hear^H8085^(H8799) thy servant^H5650 curse^H7043^(H8764) thee:

²² for often your own heart knows that you yourself have likewise cursed others.

KJVFor oftentimes^H6471^H7227 also thine own heart^H3820 knoweth^H3045^(H8804) that thou thyself likewise hast cursed^H7043^(H8765) others^H312.

²³ All this I have proved in wisdom. I said, “I will be wise;” but it was far from me.

KJVAll this^H2090 have I proved^H5254^(H8765) by wisdom^H2451: I said^H559^(H8804), I will be wise^H2449^(H8799); but it was far^H7350 from me.

²⁴ That which is, is far off and exceedingly deep. Who can find it out?

KJVThat which is far off^H7350, and exceeding deep^H6013, who can find it out^H4672^(H8799)?

²⁵ 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.

KJVI applied^H5437^(H8804) mine heart^H3820 to know^H3045^(H8800), and to search^H8446^(H8800), and to seek out^H1245^(H8763) wisdom^H2451, and the reason^H2808 of things, and to know^H3045^(H8800) the wickedness^H7562 of folly^H3689, even of foolishness^H5531 and madness^H1947:

²⁶ 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.

KJVAnd I find^H4672^(H8802) more bitter^H4751 than death^H4194 the woman^H802, whose heart^H3820 is snares^H4685 and nets^H2764, and her hands^H3027 as bands^H612: whoso pleaseth^H2896^H6440 God^H430 shall escape^H4422^(H8735) from her; but the sinner^H2398^(H8802) shall be taken^H3920^(H8735) by her.

²⁷ “Behold, I have found this,” says the Preacher, “to one another, to find an explanation

KJVBehold^H7200^(H8798), this have I found^H4672^(H8804), saith^H559^(H8804) the preacher^H6953, counting one^H259 by one^H259, to find out^H4672^(H8800) the account^H2808:

²⁸ 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.

KJVWhich yet my soul^H5315 seeketh^H1245^(H8765), but I find^H4672^(H8804) not: one^H259 man^H120 among a thousand^H505 have I found^H4672^(H8804); but a woman^H802 among all those have I not found^H4672^(H8804).

²⁹ Behold, I have only found this: that God made mankind upright; but they search for many inventions.”

KJVLo^H7200^(H8798), this only^H905 have I found^H4672^(H8804), that God^H430 hath made^H6213^(H8804) man^H120 upright^H3477; but they have sought out^H1245^(H8765) many^H7227 inventions^H2810.

WEB·Ecclesiastes 6

¹There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is heavy on men:

KJVThere is^H3426 an evil^H7451 which I have seen^H7200^(H8804) under the sun^H8121, and it is common^H7227 among men^H120:

² a man to whom God gives riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacks nothing for his soul of all that he desires, yet God gives him no power to eat of it, but an alien eats it. This is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

KJVA man^H376 to whom God^H430 hath given^H5414^(H8799) riches^H6239, wealth^H5233, and honour^H3519, so that he wanteth^H2638 nothing for his soul^H5315 of all that he desireth^H183^(H8691), yet God^H430 giveth him not power^H7980^(H8686) to eat^H398^(H8800) thereof, but a stranger^H376^H5237 eateth^H398^(H8799) it: this is vanity^H1892, and it is an evil^H7451 disease^H2483.

³ If a man fathers a hundred children, and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not filled with good, and moreover he has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better than he;

KJVIf a man^H376 beget^H3205^(H8686) an hundred^H3967 children, and live^H2421^(H8799) many^H7227 years^H8141, so that the days^H3117 of his years^H8141 be many^H7227, and his soul^H5315 be not filled^H7646^(H8799) with good^H2896, and also that he have no burial^H6900; I say^H559^(H8804), that an untimely birth^H5309 is better^H2896 than he.

⁴ for it comes in vanity, and departs in darkness, and its name is covered with darkness.

KJVFor he cometh^H935^(H8804) in with vanity^H1892, and departeth^H3212^(H8799) in darkness^H2822, and his name^H8034 shall be covered^H3680^(H8792) with darkness^H2822.

⁵ Moreover it has not seen the sun nor known it. This has rest rather than the other.

KJVMoreover he hath not seen^H7200^(H8804) the sun^H8121, nor known^H3045^(H8804) any thing: this^H2088 hath more rest^H5183 than^H2088 the other.

⁶ Yes, though he live a thousand years twice told, and yet fails to enjoy good, don’t all go to one place?

KJVYea, though^H432 he live^H2421^(H8804) a thousand^H505 years^H8141 twice^H6471 told, yet hath he seen^H7200^(H8804) no good^H2896: do not all go^H1980^(H8802) to one^H259 place^H4725?

⁷ All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.

KJVAll the labour^H5999 of man^H120 is for his mouth^H6310, and yet the appetite^H5315 is not filled^H4390^(H8735).

⁸ For what advantage has the wise more than the fool? What has the poor man, that knows how to walk before the living?

KJVFor what hath the wise^H2450 more^H3148 than the fool^H3684? what hath the poor^H6041, that knoweth^H3045^(H8802) to walk^H1980^(H8800) before the living^H2416?

⁹ Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

KJVBetter^H2896 is the sight^H4758 of the eyes^H5869 than the wandering^H1980^(H8800) of the desire^H5315: this is also vanity^H1892 and vexation^H7469 of spirit^H7307.

¹⁰ Whatever has been, its name was given long ago; and it is known what man is; neither can he contend with him who is mightier than he.

KJVThat which hath been is named^H7121^(H8738)^H8034 already^H3528, and it is known^H3045^(H8737) that it is man^H120: neither may^H3201^(H8799) he contend^H1777^(H8800) with him that is mightier^H8623 than he.

¹¹ For there are many words that create vanity. What does that profit man?

KJVSeeing there be^H3426 many^H7235^(H8687) things^H1697 that increase^H7235^(H8688) vanity^H1892, what is man^H120 the better^H3148?

¹² For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he spends like a shadow? For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?

KJVFor who knoweth^H3045^(H8802) what is good^H2896 for man^H120 in this life^H2416, all^H4557 the days^H3117 of his vain^H1892 life^H2416 which he spendeth^H6213^(H8799) as a shadow^H6738? for who can tell^H5046^(H8686) a man^H120 what shall be after^H310 him under the sun^H8121?

Section titles come from the Biblion commentary, not from Scripture.

You can also read or listen to the Introduction to the book of Ecclesiastes.