{"meta":{"source":"Prime Bible","sourceUrl":"https://primebible.com","license":"Public domain (translation text); see citation policy at /citation-policy","organization":"501(c)(3) nonprofit — EIN 41-2531951","canonicalUrl":"https://primebible.com/asv/ecclesiastes/7","llmTxt":"https://primebible.com/llms.txt","generatedAt":"2026-05-29T22:35:47.564Z"},"reference":{"translation":"ASV","book":"Ecclesiastes","bookSlug":"ecclesiastes","chapter":7,"testament":"OLD"},"navigation":{"previousChapter":6,"nextChapter":8,"totalChapters":12,"totalVerses":29},"verses":[{"verseNumber":1,"text":"A good name is better than precious oil; and the day of death, than the day of one's birth."},{"verseNumber":2,"text":"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."},{"verseNumber":3,"text":"Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made glad."},{"verseNumber":4,"text":"The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth."},{"verseNumber":5,"text":"It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools."},{"verseNumber":6,"text":"For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity."},{"verseNumber":7,"text":"Surely extortion maketh the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroyeth the understanding."},{"verseNumber":8,"text":"Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof; and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit."},{"verseNumber":9,"text":"Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in the bosom of fools."},{"verseNumber":10,"text":"Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this."},{"verseNumber":11,"text":"Wisdom is as good as an inheritance; yea, more excellent is it for them that see the sun."},{"verseNumber":12,"text":"For wisdom is a defence, even as money is a defence; but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom preserveth the life of him that hath it."},{"verseNumber":13,"text":"Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?"},{"verseNumber":14,"text":"In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yea, God hath made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything that shall be after him."},{"verseNumber":15,"text":"All this have I seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his evil-doing."},{"verseNumber":16,"text":"Be not righteous overmuch; neither make thyself overwise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?"},{"verseNumber":17,"text":"Be not overmuch wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?"},{"verseNumber":18,"text":"It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from that withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth from them all."},{"verseNumber":19,"text":"Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers that are in a city."},{"verseNumber":20,"text":"Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not."},{"verseNumber":21,"text":"Also take not heed unto all words that are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee;"},{"verseNumber":22,"text":"for oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others."},{"verseNumber":23,"text":"All this have I proved in wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me."},{"verseNumber":24,"text":"That which is, is far off and exceeding deep; who can find it out?"},{"verseNumber":25,"text":"I turned about, and my heart was set to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason of things , and to know that wickedness is folly, and that foolishness is madness."},{"verseNumber":26,"text":"And I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her."},{"verseNumber":27,"text":"Behold, this have I found, saith the Preacher, laying one thing to another, to find out the account;"},{"verseNumber":28,"text":"which my soul still seeketh, but I have not found: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found."},{"verseNumber":29,"text":"Behold, this only have I found: that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions."}],"citation":{"inline":"Ecclesiastes 7 (ASV)","markdown":"[Ecclesiastes 7](https://primebible.com/asv/ecclesiastes/7)","sbl":"Prime Bible. *The Bible.* ASV. https://primebible.com/asv/ecclesiastes/7 (accessed 2026-05-29)."}}