Ecclesiastes 7

A good name is better than good oil; and the day of death than the day of birth.

Ἀγαθὸν ὄνομα ὑπὲρ ἔλαιον ἀγαθὸν, καὶ ἡμέρα τοῦ θανάτου ὑπὲρ ἡμέραν γεννήσεως.

It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the banquet house: since this is the end of every man; and the living man will apply good warning to his heart.

Ἀγαθὸν πορευθῆναι εἰς οἶκον πένθους ἢ ὅτι πορευθῆναι εἰς οἶκον πότου· καθότι τοῦτο τέλος παντὸς ἀνθρώπου, καὶ ὁ ζῶν δώσει ἀγαθὸν εἰς καρδίαν αὐτοῦ.

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

Ἀγαθὸν θυμὸς ὑπὲρ γέλωτα, ὅτι ἐν κακίᾳ προσώπου ἀγαθυνθήσεται καρδία.

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

Καρδία σοφῶν ἐν οἴκῳ πένθους, καὶ καρδία ἀφρόνων ἐν οἴκῳ εὐφροσύνης.

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

Ἀγαθὸν τὸ ἀκοῦσαι ἐπιτίμησιν σοφοῦ ὑπὲρ ἄνδρα ἁκούοντα ᾆσμα ἀφρόνων.

As the sound of thorns under a caldron, so is the laughter of fools: this is also vanity.

Ὡς φωνὴ ἀκανθῶν ὑπὸ τὸν λέβητα, οὕτως γέλως τῶν ἀφρόνων· καί γε τοῦτο ματαιότης.

For oppression makes a wise man mad, and destroys his noble heart.

Ὅτι ἡ συκοφαντία περιφέρει σοφὸν, καὶ ἀπόλλυσι τὴν καρδίαν εὐγενείας αὐτοῦ.

The end of a matter is better than the beginning thereof: the patient is better than the high-minded.

Ἀγαθὴ ἐσχάτη λόγων ὑπὲρ ἀρχὴν αὐτοῦ, ἀγαθὸν μακρόθυμος ὑπὲρ ὑψηλὸν πνεύματι.

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

Μὴ σπεύσῃς ἐν πνεύματί σου τοῦ θυμοῦσθαι, ὅτι θυμὸς ἐν κόλπῳ ἀφρόνων ἀναπαύσεται.

Say not, What has happened, that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire in wisdom concerning this.

Μὴ εἴπῃς, τί ἐγένετο, ὅτι αἱ ἡμέραι αἱ πρότεραι ἦσαν ἀγαθαὶ ὑπὲρ ταύτας; ὅτι οὐκ ἐν σοφίᾳ ἐπηρώτησας περὶ τούτου.

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

Ἀγαθὴ σοφία μετὰ κληρονομίας, καὶ περίσσεια τοῖς θεωροῦσι τὸν ἥλιον.

For wisdom in its shadow is as the shadow of silver: and the excellence of the knowledge of wisdom will give life to him that has it.

Ὅτι ἐν σκιᾷ αὐτῆς ἡ σοφία ὡς σκιὰ ἀργυρίου, καὶ περίσσεια γνώσεως τῆς σοφίας ζωοποιήσει τὸν παρʼ αὐτῆς.

Behold the works of God: for who shall be able to straighten him whom God has made crooked?

Ἴδε τὰ ποιήματα τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὅτι τίς δυνήσεται κοσμῆσαι ὃν ἂν ὁ Θεὸς διαστρέψῃ αὐτόν;

In the day of prosperity live joyfully, and consider in the day of adversity: consider, I say, God also has caused the one to agree with the other for this reason, that man should find nothing after him.

Ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ἀγαθωσύνης ζῆθι ἐν ἀγαθῷ, καὶ ἴδε ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κακίας· ἴδε, καί γε σὺν τούτῳ συμφώνως τοῦτο ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς περὶ λαλιᾶς, ἵνα μὴ εὕρῃ ἄνθρωπος ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ οὐδέν.

I have seen all things in the days of my vanity: there is a just man perishing in his justice, and there is an ungodly man remaining in his wickedness.

Σύμπαντα εἶδον ἐν ἡμέραις ματαιότητός μου· ἐστὶ δίκαιος ἀπολλύμενος ἐν δικαίῳ αὐτοῦ, καί ἐστιν ἀσεβὴς μένων ἐν κακίᾳ αὐτοῦ.

Be not very just; neither be very wise: lest thou be confounded.

Μὴ γίνου δίκαιος πολὺ, μηδὲ σοφίζου περισσὰ, μή ποτε ἐκπλαγῇς.

Be not very wicked; and be not stubborn: lest thou shouldest die before thy time.

Μὴ ἀσεβήσῃς πολὺ, καὶ μὴ γίνου σκληρὸς, ἵνα μὴ ἀποθάνῃς ἐν οὐ καιρῷ σου.

It is well for thee to hold fast by this; also by this defile not thine hand: for to them that fear God all things shall come forth well.

Ἀγαθὸν τὸ ἀντέχεσθαί σε ἐν τούτῳ, καί γε ἀπὸ τούτου μὴ μιάνῃς τὴν χεῖρά σου, ὅτι φοβουμένοις τὸν Θεὸν ἐξελεύσεται τὰ πάντα.

Wisdom will help the wise man more than ten mighty men which are in the city.

Ἡ σοφία βοηθήσει τῷ σοφῷ ὑπὲρ δέκα ἐξουσιάζοντας τοὺς ὄντας ἐν τῇ πόλει.

For there is not a righteous man in the earth, who will do good, and not sin.

Ὅτι ἄνθρωπος οὐκ ἔστι δίκαιος ἐν τῇ γῇ, ὃς ποιήσει ἀγαθὸν καὶ οὐχ ἁμαρτήσεται.

Also take no heed to all the words which ungodly men shall speak; lest thou hear thy servant cursing thee.

Καί γε εἰς πάντας λόγους οὓς λαλήσουσιν ἀσεβεῖς, μὴ θῇς καρδίαν σου, ὅπως μὴ ἀκούσῃς τοῦ δούλου σου καταρωμένου σε.

For many times he shall trespass against thee, and repeatedly shall he afflict thine heart; for thus also hast thou cursed others.

Ὅτι πλειστάκις πονηρεύσεταί σε, καὶ καθόδους πολλὰς κακώσει καρδίαν σου, ὅτι ὡς καί γε σὺ κατηράσω ἑτέρους.

All these things have I proved in wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.

Πάντα ταῦτα ἐπείρασα ἐν σοφίᾳ· εἶπα, σοφισθήσομαι· καὶ αὕτη ἐμακρύνθη ἀπʼ ἐμοῦ.

That which is far beyond what was, and a great depth, who shall find it out?

Μακρὰν ὑπὲρ ὃ ἦν, καὶ βαθὺ βάθος, τίς εὑρήσει αὐτό;

I and my heart went round about to know, and to examine, and to seek wisdom, and the account of things, and to know the folly and trouble and madness of the ungodly man.

Ἐκύκλωσα ἐγὼ καὶ ἡ καρδία μου τοῦ γνῶναι καὶ τοῦ κατασκέψασθαι καὶ τοῦ ζητῆσαι σοφίαν καὶ ψῆφον, καὶ τοῦ γνῶναι ἀσεβοῦς ἀφροσύνην καὶ ὀχληρίαν καὶ περιφοράν.

And I find her to be, and I will pronounce to be more bitter than death the woman which is a snare, and her heart nets, who has a band in her hands: he that is good in the sight of God shall be delivered from her; but the sinner shall be caught by her.

Καὶ εὑρίσκω ἐγὼ αὐτὴν, καὶ ἐρῶ πικρότερον ὑπὲρ θάνατον· σὺν τὴν γυναῖκα ἥτις ἐστι θήρευμα, καὶ σαγῆναι καρδία αὐτῆς, δεσμὸς εἰς χεῖρας αὐτῆς· ἀγαθὸς πρὸ προσώπου τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐξαιρεθήσεται ἀπʼ αὐτῆς, καὶ ἁμαρτάνων συλληφθήσεται ἐν αὐτῇ.

Behold, this have I found, said the Preacher, seeking by one at a time to find out the account,

Ἴδε τοῦτο εὗρον, εἶπεν ὁ Ἐκκλησιαστής· μία τῇ μιᾷ τοῦ εὑρεῖν λογισμὸν,

which my soul sought after, but I found not: for I have found one man of a thousand; but a woman in all these I have not found.

ὃν ἐπεζήτησεν ἡ ψυχή μου, καὶ οὐχ εὗρον· καὶ ἄνθρωπον ἕνα ἀπὸ χιλίων εὗρον, καὶ γυναῖκα ἐν πᾶσι τούτοις οὐχ εὗρον.

But, behold, this have I found, that God made man upright; but they have sought out many devices. Who knows the wise? and who knows the interpretation of a saying?

Πλὴν ἴδε τοῦτο εὗρον, ὃ ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς σὺν τὸν ἄνθρωπον εὐθῆ· καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐζήτησαν λογισμοὺς πολλούς. Τίς οἶδε σοφοὺς, καὶ τίς οἶδε λύσιν ῥήματος;