Ecclesiastes · Catholic Public Domain Version
Ecclesiastes 7 Catholic Public Domain Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (3)
- Esther and Daniel are the Vulgate books (Esther 1–16 with the Greek additions as chapters 10:4–16; Daniel 1–14 with the Song of the Three, Susanna and Bel). Baruch 6 is the Letter of Jeremiah.
- The translator's footnotes, cross-references, chapter summaries and book introductions in the CrossWire module are not shown.
- No imprimatur; single translator.
1 Why is it necessary for a man to seek things that are greater than himself, when he does not know what is advantageous for himself in his life, during the number of the days of his sojourn, and while time passes by like a shadow? Or who will be able to tell him what will be in the future after him under the sun?
1 MEJOR es la [buena] fama que el buen ungüento; y el día de la muerte que el día del nacimiento.
2 A good name is better than precious ointments, and a day of death is better than a day of birth.
2 Mejor es ir á la casa del luto que á la casa del convite: porque aquello es el fin de todos los hombres; y el que vive parará mientes.
3 It is better to go to a house of mourning, than to a house of feasting. For in the former, we are admonished about the end of all things, so that the living consider what may be in the future.
3 Mejor es el enojo que la risa: porque con la tristeza del rostro se enmendará el corazón.
4 Anger is better than laughter. For through the sadness of the countenance, the soul of one who offends may be corrected.
4 El corazón de los sabios, en la casa del luto; mas el corazón de los insensatos, en la casa del placer.
5 The heart of the wise is a place of mourning, and the heart of the foolish is a place of rejoicing.
5 Mejor es oir la reprensión del sabio, que la canción de los necios.
6 It is better to be corrected by a wise man, than to be deceived by the false praise of the foolish.
6 Porque la risa del necio es como el estrépito de las espinas debajo de la olla. Y también esto es vanidad.
7 For, like the crackling of thorns burning under a pot, so is the laughter of the foolish. But this, too, is emptiness.
7 Ciertamente la opresión hace enloquecer al sabio: y el presente corrompe el corazón.
8 A false accusation troubles the wise man and saps the strength of his heart.
8 Mejor es el fin del negocio que su principio: mejor es el sufrido de espíritu que el altivo de espíritu.
9 The end of a speech is better than the beginning. Patience is better than arrogance.
9 No te apresures en tu espíritu á enojarte: porque la ira en el seno de los necios reposa.
10 Do not be quickly moved to anger. For anger resides in the sinews of the foolish.
10 Nunca digas: ¿Qué es la causa que los tiempos pasados fueron mejores que éstos? Porque nunca de esto preguntarás con sabiduría.
11 You should not say: “What do you think is the reason that the former times were better than they are now?” For this type of question is foolish.
11 Buena es la ciencia con herencia; y más á los que ven el sol.
12 Wisdom with riches is more useful and more advantageous, for those who see the sun.
12 Porque escudo es la ciencia, y escudo es el dinero: mas la sabiduría excede en que da vida á sus poseedores.
13 For as wisdom protects, so also does money protect. But learning and wisdom have this much more: that they grant life to one who possesses them.
13 Mira la obra de Dios; porque ¿quién podrá enderezar lo que él torció?
14 Consider the works of God, that no one is able to correct whomever he has despised.
14 En el día del bien goza del bien; y en el día del mal considera. Dios también hizo esto delante de lo otro, porque el hombre no halle nada tras de él.
15 In good times, enjoy good things, but beware of an evil time. For just as God has established the one, so also the other, in order that man may not find any just complaint against him.
15 Todo esto he visto en los días de mi vanidad. Justo hay que perece por su justicia, y hay impío que por su maldad alarga [sus días].
16 I also saw this, in the days of my vanity: a just man perishing in his justice, and an impious man living a long time in his malice.
16 No seas demasiado justo, ni seas sabio con exceso: ¿por qué te destruirás?
17 Do not try to be overly just, and do not try to be more wise than is necessary, lest you become stupid.
17 No hagas mal mucho, ni seas insensato: ¿por qué morirás antes de tu tiempo?
18 Do not act with great impiety, and do not choose to be foolish, lest you die before your time.
18 Bueno es que tomes esto, y también de estotro no apartes tu mano; porque el que á Dios teme, saldrá con todo.
19 It is good for you to support a just man. Furthermore, you should not withdraw your hand from him, for whoever fears God, neglects nothing.
19 La sabiduría fortifica al sabio más que diez poderosos la ciudad en que fueron.
20 Wisdom has strengthened the wise more than ten princes of a city.
20 Ciertamente no hay hombre justo en la tierra, que haga bien y nunca peque.
21 But there is no just man on earth, who does good and does not sin.
21 Tampoco apliques tu corazón á todas las cosas que se hablaren, porque no oigas á tu siervo que dice mal de ti:
22 So then, do not attach your heart to every word that is spoken, lest perhaps you may hear your servant speaking ill of you.
22 Porque tu corazón sabe, como tú también dijiste mal de otros muchas veces.
23 For your conscience knows that you, too, have repeatedly spoken evil of others.
23 Todas estas cosas probé con sabiduría, diciendo: Hacerme he sabio: mas ella se alejó de mí.
24 I have tested everything in wisdom. I have said: “I will be wise.” And wisdom withdrew farther from me,
24 Lejos está lo que fué; y lo muy profundo ¿quién lo hallará?
25 so much more than it was before. Wisdom is very profound, so who shall reveal her?
25 Yo he rodeado con mi corazón por saber, y examinar, é inquirir la sabiduría, y la razón; y por conocer la maldad de la insensatez, y el desvarío del error;
26 I have examined all things in my soul, so that I may know, and consider, and seek out wisdom and reason, and so that I may recognize the impiety of the foolish, and the error of the imprudent.
26 Y yo he hallado más amarga que la muerte la mujer, la cual es redes, y lazos su corazón; sus manos [como] ligaduras. El que agrada á Dios escapará de ella; mas el pecador será preso en ella.
27 And I have discovered a woman more bitter than death: she who is like the snare of a hunter, and whose heart is like a net, and whose hands are like chains. Whoever pleases God shall flee from her. But whoever is a sinner shall be seized by her.
27 He aquí, esto he hallado, dice el Predicador, [pesando] las cosas una por una para hallar la razón;
28 Behold, Ecclesiastes said, I have discovered these things, one after another, in order that I might discover the explanation
28 Lo que aun busca mi alma, y no encuentro: un hombre entre mil he hallado; mas mujer de todas éstas nunca hallé.
29 which my soul still seeks and has not found. One man among a thousand, I have found; a woman among them all, I have not found.
29 He aquí, solamente he hallado esto: que Dios hizo al hombre recto, mas ellos buscaron muchas cuentas.
30 This alone have I discovered: that God made man righteous, and yet he has adulterated himself with innumerable questions. Who is so great as the wise? And who has understood the meaning of the word?
30 Not in this translation
Cross references (29)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Revelation 14:13; Proverbs 22:1; Ecclesiastes 4:2; 2 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:21–23
- 2 Psalm 90:12; Hebrews 9:27; Deuteronomy 32:29; Deuteronomy 32:46; Philippians 3:19
- 3 2 Corinthians 7:9–11; Romans 5:3–4; James 4:8–10; John 16:20–22; Hebrews 12:10–11
- 4 Matthew 8:14–16; Luke 7:12–13; 1 Samuel 25:36; Nehemiah 2:2–5; Jeremiah 51:39
- 5 Proverbs 15:31–32; Psalm 141:5; Revelation 3:19; Proverbs 13:18; Proverbs 17:10
- 6 Psalm 58:9; Psalm 118:12; Ecclesiastes 2:2; Luke 6:25; Jude 12–13
- 7 Deuteronomy 16:19; Exodus 23:8; Proverbs 17:23; Ecclesiastes 4:1; Isaiah 1:23
- 8 Hebrews 10:36; Psalm 126:5–6; Proverbs 14:29; 1 Peter 1:13; James 5:11
- 9 James 1:19; Proverbs 14:17; Proverbs 16:32; Ephesians 4:26–27; Proverbs 26:23–26
- 10 Psalm 14:2–3; Genesis 6:11–12; Romans 1:22–32; Isaiah 50:1; Judges 6:13
- 11 Ecclesiastes 11:7; 1 Timothy 6:17–19; Proverbs 8:10–11; Ecclesiastes 2:13; Ecclesiastes 9:15–18
- 12 Proverbs 8:35; Proverbs 2:7; Proverbs 3:18; Proverbs 11:4; Judges 9:15
- 13 Ecclesiastes 1:15; Job 12:14; Psalm 107:43; Isaiah 14:27; Ecclesiastes 3:11
- 14 Ecclesiastes 3:4; Ecclesiastes 3:22; Deuteronomy 8:3; Ecclesiastes 12:13; James 5:13
- 15 Ecclesiastes 8:12–14; Ecclesiastes 6:12; Psalm 73:3–13; Matthew 23:34–35; Ecclesiastes 9:1–2
- 16 Romans 12:3; Proverbs 25:16; Colossians 2:18; James 3:13–17; Matthew 6:1–7
- 17 Proverbs 10:27; Job 22:16; Psalm 55:23; Acts 12:23; Acts 5:10
- 18 Ecclesiastes 12:13; Ecclesiastes 11:6; Malachi 4:2; Ecclesiastes 8:12; Luke 1:50
- 19 Proverbs 21:22; Colossians 1:9–11; Ecclesiastes 9:13–18; Proverbs 24:5; 2 Samuel 20:16–22
- 20 Romans 3:23; Isaiah 53:6; 1 John 1:8–10; James 3:2; Proverbs 20:9
- 21 Proverbs 30:10; Isaiah 29:21; 2 Samuel 16:10; 2 Samuel 19:19; 1 Corinthians 13:5–7
- 22 James 3:9; Matthew 15:19; Matthew 18:32–35; 1 Kings 2:44; John 8:7–9
- 23 Romans 1:22; 1 Corinthians 1:20; Genesis 3:5; 1 Kings 11:1–8; 1 Kings 3:11–12
- 24 Romans 11:33; Isaiah 55:8–9; 1 Timothy 6:16; Psalm 139:6; Job 28:28
- 25 Ecclesiastes 10:13; Joshua 7:13; Ecclesiastes 2:15; Proverbs 17:12; Ecclesiastes 3:16–17
- 26 Proverbs 22:14; Proverbs 5:3–5; Proverbs 2:16; Proverbs 2:18–19; Ecclesiastes 2:26
- 27 Ecclesiastes 12:8–10; Ecclesiastes 1:1–2
- 28 Job 33:23; Psalm 12:1; 1 Kings 11:1–3; Isaiah 26:9; Ecclesiastes 7:23–24
- 29 Jeremiah 4:22; Genesis 6:11–12; Mark 7:8–9; Titus 3:3; Genesis 5:1
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
… about eating and drinking, which he often repeats, and very much commends, does not savor the dainties of carnal pleasures, is made plain enough when he says, "It is better to go into the house of mourning than to go into the house of feasting." And a little after He says, "The heart of the wise is in the house …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
For God, according to the Preacher, made man upright, and they have themselves sought out many inventions.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
… is better to go into the house of mourning than to go into the house of feasting." And a little after He says, "The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, and the heart of the simple in the house of feasting." But I think that more worthy of quotation from this book which relates to both …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)