Old/New Testament
7 A good name is better than precious ointments (A good name, or a good reputation, is better than expensive perfume); and the day of death is better than the day of birth.
2 It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to the house of a feast; for in that house the end of all men is warned (of), and a man living thinketh, what is to coming (for in that house the end of all people is warned of, and the living should think of what is to come).
3 Ire is better than laughing; for the soul of a trespasser is amended by the heaviness of (his) cheer.
4 The heart of wise men is where sorrow is; and the heart of fools is where folly gladness is.
5 It is better to be reproved of a wise man, than to be deceived by the flattering of fools; (It is better to be rebuked by a wise person, than to be deceived by the flattery of fools;)
6 for as the sound of thorns burning under a pot, so is the laughing of a fool. But also this is vanity. (for the sound of thorns burning under a pot, is like the laughter of a fool. But this is also empty and futile.)
7 False challenge troubleth a wise man, and it shall lose the strength of his heart. (Untrue words, that is, lies and slander, trouble a wise person, and they shall destroy the strength of his heart, that is, his resolve, or his determination.)
8 Forsooth the end of prayer is better than the beginning. A patient man is better than a proud man.
9 Be thou not swift to be wroth; for ire resteth in the bosom of a fool. (Do not thou be quick to get angry; for anger lieth in the heart of a fool.)
10 Say thou not, What guessest thou is the cause, that the former times were better than be now? for why such asking is fond (for such questioning is foolish).
11 Forsooth wisdom with riches is more profitable, and profiteth more to men seeing the sun. (For wisdom is more profitable than riches, and profiteth all who see the sun.)
12 For as wisdom defendeth, so money defendeth; but learning and wisdom have this moreover, that those give life to them that have them. (For like wisdom defendeth, so money defendeth; but learning and wisdom have this as well, that they give life to those who have them.)
13 Behold thou the works of God, and see that no man may amend him, whom God hath despised.
14 In a good day use thou (thy) goods, and before eschew thou an evil day (On a good day, enjoy thy good things, but shun thou them on an evil day); for God made so this day as that day, (so) that a man find not just complainings against him.
15 Also I saw these things in the days of my nativity[a]; a just man perisheth in his rightfulness, and a wicked man liveth much time in his malice. (And I have seen these things since the day of my birth/in my empty and futile days; a righteous person perisheth in his righteousness, and a wicked person liveth a great deal of time in his malice.)
16 Do not thou be just over much, neither understand thou more than is needful; lest thou be astonied. (Do not thou be too good, nor understand thou more than is useful; lest thou be regarded with contempt, or with derision.)
17 Do thou not wickedly much (Do not thou do many wicked things), and do not thou be a fool; lest thou die in a time not thine.
18 It is good, that thou sustain a just man; but also withdraw thou not thine hand from him; for he that dreadeth God, is not negligent of anything. (It is good that thou sustain the one, but also do not thou withdraw thy hand from the other; for he who feareth God, is not negligent of anything.)
19 Wisdom hath strengthened a wise man, over ten princes of a city. (Wisdom can strengthen the wise, more than ten leaders of a city.)
20 Forsooth no just man there is in [the] earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not. (But there is no righteous person in the earth who only, or who always, doeth good, and never sinneth.)
21 But also give thou not thine heart to all (the) words, that be said; lest peradventure thou hear thy servant cursing thee;
22 for thy conscience knoweth, that also thou hast cursed oft other men. (for thy conscience knoweth that thou also hast often cursed other people.)
23 I assayed all things in wisdom; I said, I shall be made wise, and it went away further from me (I said, I shall be made wise, but it went farther away from me),
24 much more than it was; and the depth is low, who shall find it? (much more than it was before; and to such a depth, yea, so low down, that who shall ever be able to find it?)
25 I compassed all things with my soul (I put my mind upon everything, yea), to know, and to behold, and (to) seek (out) wisdom, and reason, and to know the wickedness of a fool, and the error of unprudent men.
26 And I found a woman bitterer than death, the which is (like) the snare of hunters, and her heart is (like) a net, and her hands be (like) bonds; he that pleaseth God shall escape her, but he that is a sinner, shall be taken of her. (And I found a woman more bitter than death, who is like a hunter’s snare, and her heart is like a net, and her hands be like bonds; he who pleaseth God shall escape her, but he who is a sinner shall be caught by her.)
27 Lo! I found this, said Ecclesiastes, (concerning) one (thing) and (an)other, that I should find (the) reason,
28 which my soul seeketh yet; and (other things) I found not. I found one man of a thousand; and I found not a woman of all. (which my soul yet seeketh; but other things I did not find. I found one man out of a thousand; but I did not find one woman out of all of them.)
29 I found this only, that God made a man rightful [that God made man right]; and (then) he meddled himself with questions without number. (I found only this, that God made a person upright, or clear-headed; but then he mixed himself in/mixed himself up with too many questions.)
8 Who is such as a wise man? and who knoweth the solving, either expounding, of a word? The wisdom of a man shineth in his cheer; and the mightiest shall change his face (The wisdom of a person shineth in their face; and maketh even the mightiest to change his expression, or his countenance).
2 I keep the mouth of the king, and the commandments and [the] swearings of God. (I counsel, or advice, thee to obey the king’s commands, and to keep your oath, or your pledge, to God.)
3 Haste thou not to go away from his face, and dwell thou not in evil work. For he shall do all thing, that he will (For he shall do anything, that he desireth);
4 and his word is full of power, and no man may say to him (and no one can say to him), Why doest thou so?
5 He that keepeth the commandment of God, shall not feel anything of evil; the heart of a wise man understandeth time and answer.
6 Time and season is to each work; and much torment is of a man,
7 for he knoweth not [the] things passed, and he may not know by any messenger [the] things to come.
8 It is not in the power of man to forbid the spirit, that is, his soul, from going out from the body, neither he hath power in the day of death, neither he is suffered to have rest, when the battle nigheth; neither wickedness shall save a wicked man.
9 I beheld all these things, and I gave mine heart in(to) all works, that be done under the sun. Sometime a man is lord of a man, to his evil.
10 I saw wicked men buried, which, when they lived yet, were in (the) holy place; and they were praised in the city, as men of just works; but also this is vanity. (I saw the wicked buried, which, when they still lived, were in the holy place; and they were praised in the city, as people of righteous works; but this is also empty and futile.)
11 Forsooth for the sentence is not brought forth soon against evil men, the sons of men do evils without any dread. (But because the punishment is not brought forth quickly against evil people, the sons and daughters of men do evil without any fear.)
12 Nevertheless of that, that a sinner doeth evil an hundred times, and is suffered by patience, I knew that good it shall be to men dreading God, that reverence his face, or presence. (Nevertheless, even though a sinner may do evil a hundred times, and is patiently allowed to, I know that it shall be good for those who fear God, yea, for those who have reverence before his face, or in his presence.)
13 Good be not to the wicked man, neither his days be made long; but pass they as shadow, that dread not the face of the Lord. (But good shall not be to a wicked person, nor shall his days be made long; but they shall pass like a shadow, those who do not fear the face of the Lord/those who do not have reverence before the Lord.)
14 Also another vanity there is, that is done on earth. Just men there be, to whom evils come, as if they did the works of wicked men; and wicked men there be, that be as secure, as if they had (done) the deeds of just men; but I deem also this most vain. (There is also another vanity, that is done on the earth/There is also more that is empty and futile, that is found on the earth. There be good, or righteous, people, to whom evils come as if they did the works of the wicked; and there be wicked people, who be as secure as if they had done the deeds of the good, or of the righteous; but I also judge this to be most empty and futile.)
15 Therefore I praised gladness, that no good was to a man under the sun, but to eat, and drink, and to be joyful; and that he should bear away with himself only this of his travail, in the days of his life, which God gave to him under the sun. (And so I praised pleasure, or enjoyment, yea, that there was no better thing for anyone under the sun, but to eat, and drink, and to be joyful; for he hath only this from all his labour, which he can carry away with himself, in all the days of his life, which God gave to him under the sun.)
16 And I setted mine heart to know wisdom, and to understand the parting, which is turned in earth. A man is, that by days and nights, taketh not sleep with his eyes. (And I set my heart to know wisdom, and to understand what is done on the earth. And in trying to understand this, a person might not close his eyes in sleep for many days and nights.)
17 And I understood, that of all the works of God, a man may find no reason of those things, that be done under the sun (And I understood, that of all the works of God, a person can find no reason for those things, that be done under the sun); and inasmuch as he travaileth more to seek (it out), by so much (the more) he shall find (it) less; yea, though a wise man say that he knoweth, (or understandeth, what is done under the sun,) he shall not be able to find (it out).
9 I treated all these things in mine heart, to understand diligently. Just men, and wise men there be, and their works be in the hand of God; and nevertheless a man knoweth not, whether he is worthy of love or of hate. (I treated, or considered, all these things in my mind, to diligently understand them. There be the righteous, and the wise, and all their works be in God’s hands; yet nevertheless a person knoweth not whether he is worthy of love, or of hate.)
2 But all things be kept uncertain into the time to coming; for all things befall evenly to a just man and to a wicked man, to a good man and to an evil man, to a clean man and to an unclean man, to a man offering offerings and sacrifices, and to a man despising sacrifices; as a good man, so and a sinner; as a forsworn man, so and he that greatly sweareth truth (as to a good man, and so to a sinner; as to a forsworn man, and so to him who greatly sweareth truth).
3 This thing is the worst among all things, that be done under the sun, that the same thing befall to all men; wherefore and the hearts of the sons of men be filled with malice and with despising in their life; and after these things, they shall be led down into hells. (This thing is the worst among all things, that be done under the sun, that the same thing befall to all people; yea, the hearts of the sons and daughters of men be filled with malice and despising during their lives; and then after these things, they go down to Sheol, or the land of the dead/they go down to hell.)
4 No man there is, that liveth ever, and that hath trust of this thing; better is a quick dog than a dead lion. (But for everyone who liveth, there is still hope; yea, a living dog is better than a dead lion.)
5 For they that live know that they shall die; but dead men know nothing more, neither have meed further; for their mind is given to forgetting. (For they who live at least know that they shall die; but the dead know nothing, nor have any further reward; even the memory of them is forgotten.)
6 Also the(ir) love, and hatred, and envy, (have) perished (al)together; and they have no part in this world, and in the work that is done under the sun.
7 Therefore go thou, just man, and eat thy bread in gladness, and drink thy wine with joy; for thy works please God. (And so, O righteous person, go thou, and eat thy bread with happiness, and drink thy wine with joy; for thy works please God.)
8 In each time thy clothes be white, and oil fail not from thine head. (At all times let thy clothes be white, and let thy head not lack oil.)
9 Use thou life with the wife which thou lovest, in all the days of the life of thine unstableness, that be given to thee under the sun, in all the time of thy vanity; for this is thy part in thy life and [thy] travail, by which thou travailest under the sun. (Enjoy thou life with the wife whom thou lovest, in all the days of thy unstable, or thy changing, life, that be given to thee under the sun, in all thy empty and futile time; for this is thy portion in thy life, and thy labour in which thou labourest under the sun.)
10 Work thou busily, whatever thing thine hand may do; for neither work, neither reason, nor knowing, nor wisdom, shall be at hells, whither thou hastest. (Busily work thou, at whatever thy hands can do; for neither work, nor reason, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, be in the land of the dead, where thou hastenest.)
11 I turned me to another thing, and I saw under [the] sun, that running is not of swift men, neither battle is of strong men, neither bread is of wise men, neither riches be of teachers, nor grace is of craftsmen; but time and hap is in all things[b]. (I turned me to another thing, and I saw under the sun, that the race is not always to the swift, or the battle to the strong, or bread to the wise, or riches to those who teach, or favour to the skilled, but timing and happenstance be to everything.)
12 A man knoweth not his end; but as fishes be taken with an hook, and as birds be taken with a snare, so men be taken in (an) evil time, when it cometh suddenly [up]on them.
13 Also I saw this wisdom under the sun, and I proved it the most.
14 A little city, and few men therein; a great king came against it, and compassed it with pales, and he builded strongholds, either engines, by compass; and [the] besieging was made perfect. (There was a small city, with only a few people in it; a great king came against it, and surrounded it with posts, and he built strongholds, or bulwarks, all around it; and so the siege was made perfect.)
15 And a poor man and a wise was found therein; and he delivered the city by his wisdom, and no man bethought afterward on that poor man. (And a poor but wise man was found there; and he saved the city by his wisdom, but afterward no one thought much about that poor man.)
16 And I said, that wisdom is better than strength; how therefore is the wisdom of a poor man despised, and his words be not heard? (And I have always said, that wisdom is better than strength; and so why is the wisdom of a poor man despised, and his words not listened to?)
17 The words of wise men be heard in silence, more than the cry of a prince among fools. (The words of the wise should be heard in silence, much more than the loud cry of a leader of a group of fools.)
18 Better is wisdom than armours of battle; and he that sinneth in one thing, shall lose many goods. (Better is wisdom than the arms, or the weapons, of battle; and he who sinneth in one thing, shall lose much that is good.)
13 Lo! this third time I come to you, and in the mouth of two or of three witnesses [and in the mouth of two or three witnesses] every word shall stand.
2 I said before, and [I] say before, as present twice, and now absent, to them that before have sinned, and to all others; for if I come again, I shall not spare.
3 Whether ye seek the proof of that Christ, that speaketh in me, which is not feeble in you, [but is mighty in you]?[a]
4 For though he was crucified of infirmity, but he liveth of the virtue of God. For also we be frail in him [For why and we be sick in him], but we shall live with him of the virtue of God in us.
5 Assay yourselves, if ye be in the faith; ye yourselves prove. Whether ye know not yourselves, for Christ Jesus is in you? but (it) happens ye be reprovable [no but peradventure, ye be reprovable].
6 But I hope, that ye know, that we be not reprovable.
7 And we pray the Lord, that ye do nothing of evil; not that we seem approved [not that we seem proved], but that ye do that that is good, and that we be as reprovable.
8 For we be able to do nothing against truth, but for the truth. [Forsooth we may do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.]
9 For we joy, when we be frail [when we be sick], but ye be mighty; and we pray this thing, your perfection.
10 Therefore I absent write these things, that I present do not harder, by the power, which the Lord gave to me into edification, and not into your destruction[b].
11 Brethren, henceforward joy ye, be ye perfect, excite ye [be ye perfect, and teach ye]; understand ye the same thing; have ye peace, and God of peace and of love shall be with you [and God of peace and love shall be with you].
12 Greet ye well together in holy kiss.
13 All holy men greet you well.
14 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the charity of God, and the communing of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.
2001 by Terence P. Noble