| NET Bible | New International Version |
| 1A good reputation is better than precious perfume; likewise, the day of one's death is better than the day of one's birth. | 1A good name is better than fine perfume, and the day of death better than the day of birth. |
| 2It is better to go to a funeral than a feast. For death is the destiny of every person, and the living should take this to heart. | 2It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of everyone; the living should take this to heart. |
| 3Sorrow is better than laughter, because sober reflection is good for the heart. | 3Frustration is better than laughter, because a sad face is good for the heart. |
| 4The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of merrymaking. | 4The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure. |
| 5It is better for a person to receive a rebuke from those who are wise than to listen to the song of fools. | 5It is better to heed the rebuke of a wise person than to listen to the song of fools. |
| 6For like the crackling of quick-burning thorns under a cooking pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This kind of folly also is useless. | 6Like the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of fools. This too is meaningless. |
| 7Surely oppression can turn a wise person into a fool; likewise, a bribe corrupts the heart. | 7Extortion turns a wise person into a fool, and a bribe corrupts the heart. |
| 8The end of a matter is better than its beginning; likewise, patience is better than pride. | 8The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride. |
| 9Do not let yourself be quickly provoked, for anger resides in the lap of fools. | 9Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools. |
| 10Do not say, "Why were the old days better than these days?" for it is not wise to ask that. | 10Do not say, "Why were the old days better than these?" For it is not wise to ask such questions. |
| 11Wisdom, like an inheritance, is a good thing; it benefits those who see the light of day. | 11Wisdom, like an inheritance, is a good thing and benefits those who see the sun. |
| 12For wisdom provides protection, just as money provides protection. But the advantage of knowledge is this: Wisdom preserves the life of its owner. | 12Wisdom is a shelter as money is a shelter, but the advantage of knowledge is this: Wisdom preserves those who have it. |
| 13Consider the work of God: For who can make straight what he has bent? | 13Consider what God has done: Who can straighten what he has made crooked? |
| 14In times of prosperity be joyful, but in times of adversity consider this: God has made one as well as the other, so that no one can discover what the future holds. | 14When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider this: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, no one can discover anything about their future. |
| 15During the days of my fleeting life I have seen both of these things: Sometimes a righteous person dies prematurely in spite of his righteousness, and sometimes a wicked person lives long in spite of his evil deeds. | 15In this meaningless life of mine I have seen both of these: the righteous perishing in their righteousness, and the wicked living long in their wickedness. |
| 16So do not be excessively righteous or excessively wise; otherwise you might be disappointed. | 16Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise-- why destroy yourself? |
| 17Do not be excessively wicked and do not be a fool; otherwise you might die before your time. | 17Do not be overwicked, and do not be a fool-- why die before your time? |
| 18It is best to take hold of one warning without letting go of the other warning; for the one who fears God will follow both warnings. | 18It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes. |
| 19Wisdom gives a wise person more protection than ten rulers in a city. | 19Wisdom makes one wise person more powerful than ten rulers in a city. |
| 20For there is not one truly righteous person on the earth who continually does good and never sins. | 20Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins. |
| 21Also, do not pay attention to everything that people say; otherwise, you might even hear your servant cursing you. | 21Do not pay attention to every word people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you-- |
| 22For you know in your own heart that you also have cursed others many times. | 22for you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others. |
| 23I have examined all this by wisdom; I said, "I am determined to comprehend this"--but it was beyond my grasp. | 23All this I tested by wisdom and I said, "I am determined to be wise"-- but this was beyond me. |
| 24Whatever has happened is beyond human understanding; it is far deeper than anyone can fathom. | 24Whatever exists is far off and most profound-- who can discover it? |
| 25I tried to understand, examine, and comprehend the role of wisdom in the scheme of things, and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the insanity of folly. | 25So I turned my mind to understand, to investigate and to search out wisdom and the scheme of things and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the madness of folly. |
| 26I discovered this: More bitter than death is the kind of woman who is like a hunter's snare; her heart is like a hunter's net and her hands are like prison chains. The man who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is captured by her. | 26I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a trap and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God will escape her, but the sinner she will ensnare. |
| 27The Teacher says: I discovered this while trying to discover the scheme of things, item by item. | 27"Look," says the Teacher, "this is what I have discovered: "Adding one thing to another to discover the scheme of things-- |
| 28What I have continually sought, I have not found; I have found only one upright man among a thousand, but I have not found one upright woman among all of them. | 28while I was still searching but not finding-- I found one upright man among a thousand, but not one upright woman among them all. |
| 29This alone have I discovered: God made humankind upright, but they have sought many evil schemes. | 29This only have I found: God created mankind upright, but they have gone in search of many schemes." |
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