SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY TUESDAY 5 DEC. 2017

Ecclesiastes 7:1-29

1
KJV: A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.
NLT: A good reputation is more valuable than the most expensive perfume. In the same way, the day you die is better than the day you are born.

2
KJV: 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.
NLT: It is better to spend your time at funerals than at festivals. For you are going to die, and you should think about it while there is still time.

3
KJV: Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
NLT: Sorrow is better than laughter, for sadness has a refining influence on us.

4
KJV: The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
NLT: A wise person thinks much about death, while the fool thinks only about having a good time now.

5
KJV: It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
NLT: It is better to be criticized by a wise person than to be praised by a fool!

6
KJV: For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
NLT: Indeed, a fool’s laughter is quickly gone, like thorns crackling in a fire. This also is meaningless.

7
KJV: Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.
NLT: Extortion turns wise people into fools, and bribes corrupt the heart.

8
KJV: Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
NLT: Finishing is better than starting. Patience is better than pride.

9
KJV: Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
NLT: Don’t be quick-tempered, for anger is the friend of fools.

10
KJV: Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.
NLT: Don’t long for “the good old days,” for you don’t know whether they were any better than today.

11
KJV: Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun.
NLT: Being wise is as good as being rich; in fact, it is better.

12
KJV: For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.
NLT: Wisdom or money can get you almost anything, but it’s important to know that only wisdom can save your life.

13
KJV: Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?
NLT: Notice the way God does things; then fall into line. Don’t fight the ways of God, for who can straighten out what he has made crooked?

14
KJV: In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.
NLT: Enjoy prosperity while you can. But when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. That way you will realize that nothing is certain in this life.

15
KJV: All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness.
NLT: In this meaningless life, I have seen everything, including the fact that some good people die young and some wicked people live on and on.

16
KJV: Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself ?
NLT: So don’t be too good or too wise! Why destroy yourself?

17
KJV: Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
NLT: On the other hand, don’t be too wicked either—don’t be a fool! Why should you die before your time?

18
KJV: It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.
NLT: So try to walk a middle course—but those who fear God will succeed either way.

19
KJV: Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.
NLT: A wise person is stronger than the ten leading citizens of a town!

20
KJV: For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
NLT: There is not a single person in all the earth who is always good and never sins.

21
KJV: Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:
NLT: Don’t eavesdrop on others—you may hear your servant laughing at you.

22
KJV: For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
NLT: For you know how often you yourself have laughed at others.

23
KJV: All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
NLT: All along I have tried my best to let wisdom guide my thoughts and actions. I said to myself, “I am determined to be wise.” But it didn’t really work.

24
KJV: That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?
NLT: Wisdom is always distant and very difficult to find.

25
KJV: I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness:
NLT: I searched everywhere, determined to find wisdom and to understand the reason for things. I was determined to prove to myself that wickedness is stupid and that foolishness is madness.

26
KJV: And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.
NLT: I discovered that a seductive woman is more bitter than death. Her passion is a trap, and her soft hands will bind you. Those who please God will escape from her, but sinners will be caught in her snare.

27
KJV: Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account:
NLT: “This is my conclusion,” says the Teacher. “I came to this result after looking into the matter from every possible angle.

28
KJV: Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
NLT: Just one out of every thousand men I interviewed can be said to be upright, but not one woman!

29
KJV: Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
NLT: I discovered that God created people to be upright, but they have each turned to follow their own downward path.”

Stay blessed. Amen.