Ecclesiastes

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

1A good reputation is worth more than costly perfume. And the day you die is better than the day you were born.

Note"Precious ointment" means expensive perfumed oil, which was a costly luxury item in that time.

2It 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.

2It is better to visit a house where people are grieving than one where people are feasting. Death comes to everyone. The living should take that to heart.

3Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.

3Sorrow is better than laughter. A sad face can do the heart good.

4The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

4Wise people think about the house where someone has died. Foolish people think only about the house of fun.

5It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.

5It is better to listen when a wise person corrects you than to listen to the songs of fools.

6For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.

6A fool's laughter is like thorn branches crackling under a cooking pot. It flares up fast and means nothing.

7Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.

7Cheating and pressure can turn a wise man into a fool. A bribe ruins the heart.

NoteThe KJV word "gift" here means a bribe, and "mad" means acting like a fool, not mentally ill.

8Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

8The end of something is better than its beginning. A patient spirit is better than a proud one.

9Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.

9Do not let yourself get angry quickly. Anger makes itself at home inside fools.

10Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.

10Do not ask, "Why were the old days better than now?" That is not a wise question to ask.

11Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun.

11Wisdom is good, like money handed down in a family. It helps everyone who is alive to see the sun.

Note"Those who see the sun" is a way of saying people who are alive.

12For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.

12Wisdom protects you, and so does money. But knowledge has this advantage: wisdom keeps its owner alive.

13Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?

13Look at what God does. Who can straighten out what he has bent?

14In 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.

14When things go well, be glad. When things go badly, stop and think. God made both kinds of days, so no one can find out what is coming next.

15All 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.

15In my short and empty life I have seen both of these. A good man dying even though he did right, and a wicked man living long even though he did wrong.

16Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself ?

16Do not try to be extremely righteous, and do not try to be extremely wise. Why ruin yourself?

17Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?

17Do not be very wicked, and do not be a fool. Why die before your time?

18It 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.

18It is good to take hold of the one warning and not let go of the other. Whoever respects God will follow both.

19Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.

19Wisdom makes a wise man stronger than ten rulers in a city.

20For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

20There is no one on earth who always does right and never sins.

21Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:

21Do not listen closely to everything people say. You might hear your own servant speaking badly of you.

22For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.

22You know in your own heart that you have often spoken badly of others too.

23All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.

23I tested all of this with wisdom. I said, "I will be wise." But wisdom stayed far out of my reach.

24That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?

24Whatever is out there is far away and very deep. Who can figure it out?

25I 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:

25I set my mind to study and explore. I wanted to find wisdom and the reason behind things, and to understand how stupid wickedness is, and how senseless foolishness is.

26And 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.

26And I found something more bitter than death: the woman who is a trap. Her heart is a net and her hands are chains. The man who pleases God gets away from her, but the sinner is caught.

27Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account:

27"Look," says the Teacher, "this is what I found. I added up one thing after another to find an answer.

28Which 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.

28I kept searching and did not find it. Among a thousand people I found one upright man, but among all of them I found no such woman.

29Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.

29This alone I have found: God made people straight and honest, but they have thought up many schemes of their own."

NoteThe KJV word "inventions" does not mean machines. It means plans and schemes that people came up with themselves.