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  • Ecclesiastes 7
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Ecclesiastes 7:1

Indexes
  • Research Guide

    The Watchtower,

    4/15/2008, p. 25

    8/15/2003, p. 3

  • Publications Index

    it-2 209, 468; lvs 177-178; w08 4/15 25; w03 8/15 3; dp 313-314; w98 11/15 32; w97 2/15 12; w97 4/15 27


    w81 2/15 20-22, 24, 30; g81 12/22 14-15; w80 7/15 31; w80 9/15 6; g80 12/22 24; g79 12/8 4; g78 8/8 4-5; w77 378; g75 12/22 28; ts 15-16; w72 517; w71 387; w71 646; ad 1033, 1203; w68 434; w63 197; g63 3/8 7, 22; ns 7; w59 503; w58 495; w57 471

Ecclesiastes 7:2

Indexes
  • Research Guide

    Awake!,

    3/22/2003, p. 21

    The Watchtower,

    6/1/2002, p. 4

  • Publications Index

    it-2 209; g03 3/22 21; w02 6/1 4; g94 9/8 21-22; w90 10/15 31


    w81 2/15 20-21; w78 6/1 7; w77 344, 346; w77 378; g75 7/22 15; ts 15-16; g74 12/8 27-28; ad 1033; g66 7/22 6; g62 1/22 13; w58 495; w57 471

Ecclesiastes 7:3

Indexes
  • Publications Index

    it-2 209


    w81 2/15 21; w77 378-379; g75 7/22 15; g74 12/8 27-28; g72 1/8 4; ad 1033; w61 420; w57 472

Ecclesiastes 7:4

Indexes
  • Research Guide

    The Watchtower,

    4/15/2008, p. 22

  • Publications Index

    it-2 209, 447; w08 4/15 22


    w81 2/15 21-22; w77 379; ts 15-16; ad 1033, 1188; w58 495; w57 472

Ecclesiastes 7:5

Footnotes
  • *

    7:5 Lit. than anybody listening

Indexes
  • Publications Index

    it-2 209


    w81 2/15 22; w77 379; yy 132; w74 304; ad 1033; w63 151; w57 472

Ecclesiastes 7:6

Footnotes
  • *

    7:6 Lit. like the sound of briers under the pot (briers and pot being the same word in Hebrew)

Indexes
  • Research Guide

    The Watchtower,

    11/1/2006, p. 15

  • Publications Index

    it-2 209; w06 11/1 15; w96 3/15 4


    w81 2/15 22; g80 9/8 28; w77 379; g72 1/8 4; ad 1033; w57 472

Ecclesiastes 7:7

Footnotes
  • *

    7:7 Susp.

  • *

    7:7 Codd. and ruins the heart of his loins (unc.) Var. and a gift ruins a heart

Indexes
  • Research Guide

    The Watchtower,

    9/1/2010, p. 4

  • Publications Index

    it-2 291; w10 9/1 4; w92 7/1 4


    g84 11/8 4; w79 6/15 13; w77 415; w74 617; w57 580

Ecclesiastes 7:8

Footnotes
  • *

    7:8 Lit. one patient of spirit than one proud of spirit

Indexes
  • Research Guide

    The Watchtower,

    9/1/2000, p. 4

  • Publications Index

    w00 9/1 4; w95 6/15 10-11


    w80 3/1 3; w79 3/1 3-4; bw 15-16; w78 12/15 6-7; w77 86; w77 415-416; yy 143; w74 8-9; w73 370; g73 3/8 3; w72 68; w61 203; w58 643; w44 245

Ecclesiastes 7:9

Indexes
  • Research Guide

    The Watchtower,

    8/1/2005, pp. 13-15

  • Publications Index

    it-2 263; w05 8/1 13-15; ba 25-26; w91 2/1 24


    w80 4/1 14; w79 3/1 3-4; w77 86; w77 415-416; w74 104; w73 370; w72 68; w65 306; w61 203; g61 1/8 19; g61 12/22 12; w60 148; w57 154; w47 15; w44 245

Ecclesiastes 7:10

Footnotes
  • *

    7:10 Var. not in wisdom

Indexes
  • Research Guide

    The Watchtower,

    3/15/2012, pp. 26-27

    12/1/2002, p. 32

  • Publications Index

    w12 3/15 26-27; w02 12/1 32; g96 12/22 15


    g79 8/22 9; w77 416; w77 675-677, 679; w73 643

Ecclesiastes 7:11

Indexes
  • Research Guide

    The Watchtower,

    9/1/2004, p. 28

  • Publications Index

    w04 9/1 28


    w77 446-447

Ecclesiastes 7:12

Footnotes
  • *

    7:12 Var. wisdom affords a shade, money a shade

Indexes
  • Research Guide

    Awake!,

    6/2007, pp. 20-21

    The Watchtower,

    9/1/2004, p. 28

    8/1/2003, p. 5

  • Publications Index

    g 6/07 20-21; w04 9/1 28; w03 8/1 5; w98 5/15 6; g97 9/22 12; w93 2/15 8-9; gm 164; w87 9/15 25


    w84 5/15 9; w84 7/1 4, 25; g81 7/22 18-19; hp 55-56; g80 8/22 22; w79 9/15 5; g78 10/8 15-16; w77 446-447; w76 4; g76 3/8 13; w74 419; g74 9/22 10; w72 419; g72 9/8 27; g67 1/8 12; g65 10/8 6; g63 3/8 5; w61 179; w55 147; w51 163

Ecclesiastes 7:13

Indexes
  • Publications Index

    w99 5/1 29


    w77 447

Ecclesiastes 7:14

Indexes
  • Publications Index

    w99 5/1 29


    w77 447

Ecclesiastes 7:15

Footnotes
  • *

    7:15 Lit. seen everything in

  • *

    7:15 Or (twice) by his

Indexes
  • Publications Index

    w77 447-448; w53 62

Ecclesiastes 7:16

Indexes
  • Research Guide

    The Watchtower,

    10/15/2010, p. 9

    Young People Ask, Volume 2, p. 228

  • Publications Index

    it-2 1192; w10 10/15 9; yp2 228; w98 8/1 11; w95 10/15 31; g94 2/8 8-9; om 37; g88 8/22 12


    w82 6/1 14; w80 3/15 3; w77 469-470; w77 522; w77 620; lp 188-189; w76 563; w75 707; w74 575; w63 273; w56 344; w54 419; w53 62

Ecclesiastes 7:17

Indexes
  • Publications Index

    w91 10/15 5-6


    w77 469-470; w63 273; w56 344; w53 62

Ecclesiastes 7:18

Indexes
  • Publications Index

    w77 469-470; w54 419; w53 62

Ecclesiastes 7:19

Indexes
  • Research Guide

    The Watchtower,

    11/1/2006, p. 15

  • Publications Index

    w06 11/1 15


    w77 447

Ecclesiastes 7:20

Indexes
  • Publications Index

    g77 11/8 4

Ecclesiastes 7:21

Indexes
  • Research Guide

    Awake!,

    10/22/2001, p. 14

  • Publications Index

    g01 10/22 14; g89 7/22 19


    g84 2/22 22-23; w77 495; w76 37-38

Ecclesiastes 7:22

Indexes
  • Research Guide

    Awake!,

    10/22/2001, p. 14

  • Publications Index

    g01 10/22 14; g89 7/22 19


    w77 495; w76 37

Ecclesiastes 7:23

Indexes
  • Publications Index

    w77 495

Ecclesiastes 7:24

Indexes
  • Publications Index

    w77 495

Ecclesiastes 7:25

Indexes
  • Publications Index

    w77 495

Ecclesiastes 7:26

Indexes
  • Publications Index

    w77 495-496

Ecclesiastes 7:27

Indexes
  • Publications Index

    w77 496; w57 723; w53 63

Ecclesiastes 7:28

Indexes
  • Research Guide

    The Watchtower,

    1/15/2015, pp. 28-29

    1/15/2007, p. 31

  • Publications Index

    w15 1/15 28-29; w07 1/15 31; w87 9/15 25


    w79 11/15 9; w77 496; w57 723; w53 63

Ecclesiastes 7:29

Indexes
  • Publications Index

    w99 5/1 28-29


    g80 4/8 6; w77 122; w77 496; w74 615; hu 10; g74 10/8 13; w72 230; w64 390; w62 57; w57 692; w53 63; nh 71; g46 1/2 18

Parallel Translations

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The Bible in Living English
Ecclesiastes 7:1-29

Ecclesiastes

7 A name is better than choice oil; and the day of death than that of one’s birth.

2 Better to go to the house of mourning than to the house of banqueting, inasmuch as that is the end of all humanity, and the living man will take it to heart.

3 Better gloominess than laughter, because by grimness in the face the mind is in good spirits.

4 Wise men’s hearts are in a house of mourning, but fools’ hearts are in a house of merrymaking.

5* Better to listen to a wise man’s rebuke than anybody’s listening to the singing of fools. 6* For like the sound of fires of briers, such is fools’ laughter.

7** And this too is nonsense, that denial of justice maddens a wise man and ruins sensible men’s brains.

8* Better the future of a thing than its past; better a patient spirit than a pretentious spirit.

9 Do not rush into getting your spirit vexed, because vexation rests in fools’ bosoms.

10* Do not say “What has happened, that past times were better than these?” for it is not out of wisdom that you ask about this.

11 Wisdom with an inheritance is a good thing, and to the advantage of those who see the sun. 12* For the shade of money is like the shade of wisdom, but the advantage of knowledge is, wisdom gives life to its possessors.

13 See God’s work; for who is able to set straight what he crooks?

14 On a day of good be in a good mood, and on a day of evil see: God made this too to go with that, with a view to man’s not finding out anything that is to follow.

15** I have seen everything happen in my days of nonsense. There is such a thing as a right-doer perishing in his right-doing, and there is such a thing as a wrong-doer getting a long life in his wrong-doing. 16 Do not be an extreme right-doer and do not go in excessively for wisdom: why turn anchorite? 17 Do not go to extremes in doing wrong, and do not be foolish: why die before your time? 18 Better hold on to this and not let go of that, because one who fears God will get through with all of it.

19 —Wisdom is stronger for the wise man than any ten autocrats that there have been in the city.— 20 For there is no human saint on earth that does what is good and never sins.

21 Do not take notice, either, of all words that are spoken, that you may not hear your slave curse you; 22 for you know yourself that many times you yourself have cursed others.

23 All this I probed by wisdom. I thought I would be wise; but that was too far off for me. 24 What is is far off and deep, deep; who is to find it out?

25 I have gone about, my heart and I, to know and to explore and search out wisdom and science, and to know wrong to be folly, and fooling to be craziness. 26 And I find a bitterer thing than death: woman, whose heart is toils and nets and whose arms are fetters; one whom God finds good will get clear of her, but a sinner will be caught on her. 27 See, this I have found, says Koheleth, putting one thing with another to get a result, 28 that my soul still searched and I did not find. One out of a thousand of mankind I found, but a woman among all these I never did find. 29 This alone, see, I did find: that God made man straight, but they have hunted out many contrivances.

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