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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"><title>Ecclesiastes 7 CEV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/ecclesiastes/7.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/ecclesiastes/7-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="//biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">CEV</a> > Ecclesiastes 7</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../ecclesiastes/6.htm" title="Ecclesiastes 6">◄</a> Ecclesiastes 7 <a href="../ecclesiastes/8.htm" title="Ecclesiastes 8">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading">Contemporary English Version</div><div class="chap"><h3 class="s1">The Best in Life</h3><p class="q1"><span class="v21_7_1"><span class="reftext" id="Eccl.7.1" class="v21_7_1">1</span><a href="#fn" id="link_Eccl.7.1!x.1" class="notelink x-link"><span></span></a> A good reputation</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v21_7_1">at the time of death</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v21_7_1">is better than loving care</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v21_7_1">at the time of birth.<a href="#fn" id="link_Eccl.7.1!f.2" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> </span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v21_7_2"><span class="reftext" id="Eccl.7.2" class="v21_7_2">2</span>It's better to go to a funeral</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v21_7_2">than to attend a feast;</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v21_7_2">funerals remind us</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v21_7_2">that we all must die.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v21_7_3"><span class="reftext" id="Eccl.7.3" class="v21_7_3">3</span>Choose sorrow over laughter</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v21_7_3">because a sad face</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v21_7_3">may hide a happy heart.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v21_7_4"><span class="reftext" id="Eccl.7.4" class="v21_7_4">4</span>A sensible person mourns,</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v21_7_4">but fools always laugh.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v21_7_5"><span class="reftext" id="Eccl.7.5" class="v21_7_5">5</span>Correction from someone wise</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v21_7_5">is better by far</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v21_7_5">than praise from fools.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v21_7_6"><span class="reftext" id="Eccl.7.6" class="v21_7_6">6</span>Foolish laughter is stupid.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v21_7_6">It sounds like thorns</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v21_7_6">crackling in a fire.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v21_7_7"><span class="reftext" id="Eccl.7.7" class="v21_7_7">7</span>Corruption<a href="#fn" id="link_Eccl.7.7!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> makes fools</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v21_7_7">of sensible people,</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v21_7_7">and bribes can ruin you.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v21_7_8"><span class="reftext" id="Eccl.7.8" class="v21_7_8">8</span>Something completed is better</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v21_7_8">than something just begun;</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v21_7_8">patience is better</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v21_7_8">than too much pride.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v21_7_9"><span class="reftext" id="Eccl.7.9" class="v21_7_9">9</span><a href="#fn" id="link_Eccl.7.9!x.1" class="notelink x-link"><span></span></a> Only fools get angry quickly</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v21_7_9">and hold a grudge.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v21_7_10"><span class="reftext" id="Eccl.7.10" class="v21_7_10">10</span>It isn't wise to ask,</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v21_7_10">“Why is everything worse</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v21_7_10">than it used to be?”</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v21_7_11"><span class="reftext" id="Eccl.7.11" class="v21_7_11">11</span>Having wisdom is better</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v21_7_11">than an inheritance.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v21_7_12"><span class="reftext" id="Eccl.7.12" class="v21_7_12">12</span>Wisdom will protect you</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v21_7_12">just like money;</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v21_7_12">knowledge with good sense</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v21_7_12">will lead you to life.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v21_7_13"><span class="reftext" id="Eccl.7.13" class="v21_7_13">13</span>Think of what God has done!</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v21_7_13">If God makes something crooked,</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v21_7_13">can you make it straight?</span></p><p class="b"></p><p class="q1"><span class="v21_7_14"><span class="reftext" id="Eccl.7.14" class="v21_7_14">14</span>When times are good,</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v21_7_14">you should be cheerful;</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v21_7_14">when times are bad,</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v21_7_14">think about what it means.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v21_7_14">God makes them both</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v21_7_14">to keep us from knowing</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v21_7_14">what will happen next.</span></p><h3 class="s1">Some of Life's Questions</h3><p class="par"><span class="v21_7_15"><span class="reftext" id="Eccl.7.15" class="v21_7_15">15</span>I have seen everything during this senseless life of mine. I have seen good citizens die for doing the right thing, while criminals live and prosper. </span><span class="v21_7_16"><span class="reftext" id="Eccl.7.16" class="v21_7_16">16</span>So don't destroy yourself by being too good or acting too smart! </span><span class="v21_7_17"><span class="reftext" id="Eccl.7.17" class="v21_7_17">17</span>Don't die before your time by being too evil or acting like a fool. </span><span class="v21_7_18"><span class="reftext" id="Eccl.7.18" class="v21_7_18">18</span>Keep to the middle of the road. You can do this if you truly respect God.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v21_7_19"><span class="reftext" id="Eccl.7.19" class="v21_7_19">19</span>Wisdom will make you stronger than the ten most powerful leaders in your city.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v21_7_20"><span class="reftext" id="Eccl.7.20" class="v21_7_20">20</span>No one in this world always does right.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v21_7_21"><span class="reftext" id="Eccl.7.21" class="v21_7_21">21</span>Don't listen to everything that everyone says, or you might hear your servant cursing you. </span><span class="v21_7_22"><span class="reftext" id="Eccl.7.22" class="v21_7_22">22</span>Haven't you cursed many others?</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v21_7_23"><span class="reftext" id="Eccl.7.23" class="v21_7_23">23</span>I told myself that I would be smart and try to understand all this, but it was too much for me. </span><span class="v21_7_24"><span class="reftext" id="Eccl.7.24" class="v21_7_24">24</span>The truth is beyond us. It's far too deep. </span><span class="v21_7_25"><span class="reftext" id="Eccl.7.25" class="v21_7_25">25</span>So I decided to learn everything I could and become wise enough to discover what life is all about. At the same time, I wanted to understand why it's stupid and senseless to be an evil fool.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v21_7_26"><span class="reftext" id="Eccl.7.26" class="v21_7_26">26</span>Here is what I discovered: A bad woman is worse than death. She is a trap, reaching out with body and soul to catch you. But if you obey God, you can escape. If you don't obey, you are done for. </span><span class="v21_7_27"><span class="reftext" id="Eccl.7.27" class="v21_7_27">27</span>With all my wisdom I have tried to find out how everything fits together, </span><span class="v21_7_28"><span class="reftext" id="Eccl.7.28" class="v21_7_28">28</span>but so far I have not been able to. I do know there is one good man in a thousand, but never have I found a good woman. </span><span class="v21_7_29"><span class="reftext" id="Eccl.7.29" class="v21_7_29">29</span>I did learn one thing: We were completely honest when God created us, but now we have twisted minds.</span></p><p class="b"></p> <a name="fn"></a><br /><br /><br /><b>Footnotes:<br /><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">7.1 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">birth: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 1.</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">7.7 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">Corruption: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Or “Oppression.”</char></note></div></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div align="center"><p><span style="font-size:11pt;">Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt;">© 2006 American Bible Society. 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