Ecclesiastes 7 - Easy To Read Version

¹ It is better to have a good name (respect)\par than good perfume. {\cf2\super [30]} \par

² It is even better to go to a funeral\par than to a party.\par Why? Because all people must die,\par and every person alive\par should accept this.\par

³ Sorrow is even better than laughter.\par Why? Because when our face is sad,\par our heart becomes good.\par

⁴ A wise person thinks about death,\par but a foolish person thinks only\par about having a good time.\par

⁵ It is better to be criticized by a wise man\par than to be praised by a foolish person.\par

⁶ The laughter of fools is such a waste.\par It is like thorns burning under a pot.\par \{The thorns burn up so fast,\par that the pot does not get hot.\} {\cf2\super [31]} \par

⁷ Even a wise man will forget his wisdom,\par if someone pays him enough money.\par That money destroys his understanding.\par

⁸ It is better to finish something\par than to start it.\par It is better to be gentle and patient\par than to be proud and impatient.\par

⁹ Don’t become angry quickly.\par Why? Because being angry is foolish.\par

¹⁰ Don’t say,\par “Life was better in the ‘good old days.’\par What happened?”\par Wisdom doesn’t lead us\par to ask that question.\par

¹¹ Wisdom is better if you also have property. Really, wise people {\cf2\super [32]} will get more than enough wealth.

¹² Wisdom and money can protect you. But knowledge gained through wisdom is even better—it can save your life!\par

¹³ Look at the things God has made. You can’t change a thing, even if you think it is wrong!

¹⁴ When life is good, enjoy it. But when life is hard, remember that God gives us good times and hard times. And no one knows what will happen in the future.\par

^15-17 In my short life, I have seen everything. I have seen good men die young. And I have seen evil men living long lives.

^18-20 Try to be a little of this and a little of that. {\cf2\super [33]} Even God’s followers will do some good things and some bad things.

²¹ Don’t listen to all the things people say. You might hear your own servant saying bad things about you.

²² And you know that many times you too have said bad things about other people.

²³ I used my wisdom and thought about all these things. I wanted to be truly wise. But it was impossible.

²⁴ I can’t understand why things are like they are. It is too hard for anyone to understand.

²⁵ I studied and I tried very hard to find true wisdom. I tried to find a reason for everything. \{What did I learn?\} I learned that it is foolish to be evil, and it is crazy to act like a foolish person.

^26-28 I also found that \{some women are dangerous like traps\}. Their hearts are like nets, and their arms are like chains. It is worse than death to be caught by those women. A person that follows God will run away from those women. But a sinner will be caught by them.

²⁹ “There is one other thing I have learned: God made people good. But people found many ways to be bad.”