A good name is better than precious oil; and the day of death, than the day of one's birth.
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.
Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made {Or, better}glad.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
{Or, For}Surely extortion maketh the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroyeth the understanding.
Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof; and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be {Or, vexed}angry; for {Or, vexation}anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire {Hebrew: out of wisdom.}wisely concerning this.
Wisdom {Or, is good together with an inheritance, and profitable unto them &c.}is as good as an inheritance; yea, more excellent is it for them that see the sun.
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.
Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?
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.
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.
Be not righteous overmuch; neither make thyself overwise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
Be not overmuch wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
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.
Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers that are in a city.
{Or, For}Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
Also {Hebrew: give not thy heart.}take not heed unto all words that are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee;
for oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
All this have I {Or, tried by}proved in wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
That which {Or, hath been}is, is far off and exceeding deep; who can find it out?
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 {Or, the wickedness of folly, and foolishness which is madness}that wickedness is folly, and that foolishness is madness.
And I find more bitter than death the woman {Or, who is a snare, and her heart is as nets}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.
Behold, this have I found, saith the Preacher, {Or, weighting one thing after another, to find out the reason}laying one thing to another, to find out the account;
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.
Behold, this only have I found: that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
Querverweise zu Prediger 7,8 Pred 7,8
They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.
By pride cometh only contention;But with the well-advised is wisdom.
He that goeth forth and weepeth, {Or, bearing the measure of seed}bearing seed for sowing,Shall doubtless come again with joy, bringing his sheaves with him.
He that is slow to anger is of great understanding;But he that is hasty of spirit {Or, carrieth away}exalteth folly.
Therefore thus saith the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, O my people that dwellest in Zion, be not afraid of {Hebrew: Asshur.}the Assyrian, though he smite thee with the rod, and lift up his staff against thee, after the manner of Egypt.
A wrathful man stirreth up contention;But he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.
For yet a very little while, and the indignation against thee shall be accomplished, and mine anger shall be directed to his destruction.
He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty;And he that ruleth his spirit, than he that taketh a city.
He is come to Aiath, he is passed through Migron; at Michmash he layeth up his baggage;
they are gone over the pass; {Or, Geba is our lodging, they cry}they have taken up their lodging at Geba; Ramah trembleth; Gibeah of Saul is fled.
Cry aloud with thy voice, O daughter of Gallim! hearken, O Laishah! O thou poor Anathoth!
Madmenah is a fugitive; the inhabitants of Gebim {Or, make their households flee}flee for safety.
This very day shall he halt at Nob: he shaketh his hand at the mount of the {Another reading is, house.}daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem.
Behold, the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, will lop the boughs with terror: and the high of stature shall be hewn down, and the lofty shall be brought low.
And he will cut down the thickets of the forest with iron, and Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one.
He that is of a greedy spirit stirreth up strife;But he that putteth his trust in Jehovah shall be made fat.
But Abraham said, {Greek: Child.}Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things: but now here he is comforted, and thou art in anguish.
In your {Or, stedfastness}patience ye shall win your {Or, lives}souls.
Behold, we call them blessed that endured: ye have heard of the {Or, endurance}patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord, how that the Lord is full of pity, and merciful.
to them that by {Or, stedfastness}patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and incorruption, eternal life:
Wherefore girding up the loins of your mind, be sober and set your hope perfectly on the grace that {Greek: is being brought.}is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
but unto them that are factious, and obey not the truth, but obey unrighteousness, shall be wrath and indignation,
For ye have need of {Or, stedfastness}patience, that, having done the will of God, ye may receive the promise.
Be ye also patient; establish your hearts: for the {Greek: presence.}coming of the Lord is at hand.
For what glory is it, if, when ye sin, and are buffeted for it, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye shall take it patiently, this is {Greek: grace.}acceptable with God.
For hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps:
{Or, Likewise...elder; yea, all of you one to another. Gird yourselves with humility}Likewise, ye younger, be subject unto the elder. Yea, all of you gird yourselves with humility, to serve one another: for God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time;