Ecclesiastes

Questions the meaning of life and the value of worldly pursuits, concluding that fearing God is important.

Chapter 7

KJV: A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.

Geneva: (7:3) A good name is better then a good oyntment, and the day of death, then the day that one is borne.

KJV: 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 will lay it to his heart.

Geneva: (7:4) It is better to goe to the house of mourning, then to goe to the house of feasting, because this is the ende of all men: and the liuing shall lay it to his heart.

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

Geneva: (7:5) Anger is better then laughter: for by a sad looke the heart is made better.

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

Geneva: (7:6) The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning: but the heart of fooles is in the house of mirth.

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

Geneva: (7:7) Better it is to heare ye rebuke of a wise man, then that a man should heare the song of fooles.

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

Geneva: (7:8) For like ye noyse of the thornes vnder the pot, so is the laughter of the foole: this also is vanitie.

KJV: Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.

Geneva: (7:9) Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad: and the rewarde destroyeth the heart.

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

Geneva: (7:10) The ende of a thing is better then the beginning thereof, and the pacient in spirit is better then the proude in spirit.

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

Geneva: (7:11) Be not thou of an hastie spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosome of fooles.

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

Geneva: (7:12) Say not thou, Why is it that the former dayes were better then these? For thou doest not enquire wisely of this thing.

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

Geneva: (7:13) Wisedome is good with an inheritance, and excellent to them that see the sunne.

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

Geneva: (7:14) For man shall rest in the shadowe of wisedome, and in the shadowe of siluer: but the excellencie of the knowledge of wisedome giueth life to the possessers thereof.

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

Geneva: (7:15) Beholde the worke of God: for who can make straight that which he hath made crooked?

KJV: In 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.

Geneva: (7:16) In the day of wealth be of good comfort, and in the day of affliction consider: God also hath made this contrary to that, to the intent that man shoulde finde nothing after him.

KJV: All 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.

Geneva: (7:17) I haue seene all things in the dayes of my vanitie: there is a iust man that perisheth in his iustice, and there is a wicked man that continueth long in his malice.

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

Geneva: (7:18) Be not thou iust ouermuch, neither make thy selfe ouerwise: wherefore shouldest thou be desolate?

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

Geneva: (7:19) Be not thou wicked ouermuch, neither be thou foolish: wherefore shouldest thou perish not in thy time?

KJV: It 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.

Geneva: (7:20) It is good that thou lay hold on this: but yet withdrawe not thine hand from that: for he that feareth God, shall come forth of them all.

KJV: Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.

Geneva: (7:21) Wisedome shall strengthen the wise man more then ten mightie princes that are in ye citie.

KJV: For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

Geneva: (7:22) Surely there is no man iust in the earth, that doeth good and sinneth not.

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

Geneva: (7:23) Giue not thine heart also to all ye wordes that men speake, lest thou doe heare thy seruant cursing thee.

KJV: For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.

Geneva: (7:24) For often times also thine heart knoweth that thou likewise hast cursed others.

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

Geneva: (7:2) All this haue I prooued by wisedome: I thought I will be wise, but it went farre from me.

KJV: That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?

Geneva: (7:26) It is farre off, what may it be? And it is a profound deepenesse, who can finde it?

KJV: I 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:

Geneva: (7:27) I haue compassed about, both I and mine heart to knowe and to enquire and to search wisedome, and reason, and to knowe the wickednesse of follie, and the foolishnesse of madnesse,

KJV: And 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.

Geneva: (7:28) And I finde more bitter then death the woman whose heart is as nettes and snares, and her handes, as bands: he that is good before God, shalbe deliuered from her, but the sinner shall be taken by her.

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

Geneva: (7:29) Beholde, sayth the Preacher, this haue I found, seeking one by one to finde the count:

KJV: Which 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.

Geneva: (7:30) And yet my soule seeketh, but I finde it not: I haue found one man of a thousand: but a woman among them all haue I not founde.

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

Geneva: (7:31) Onely loe, this haue I founde, that God hath made man righteous: but they haue sought many inuentions.

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