Ecclesiastes 7:24–26

³³O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

³³O the depth of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God! how vnsearchable are his iudgements, and his wayes past finding out!

¹⁶Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.

¹⁶Who onely hath immortalitie, dwelling in the light, which no man can approch vnto, whom no man hath seene, nor can see: to whom be honour and power euerlasting. Amen.

⁸¶ For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

⁹For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

⁸¶ For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your wayes my wayes, saith the LORD.

⁹For as the heauens are higher then the earth, so are my wayes higher then your wayes, and my thoughts then your thouhts.

²⁸And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.

^28*And vnto man he said, Behold, the feare of the LORD, that is wisedome, and to depart from euill, is vnderstanding.

⁶Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderfull for me: it is high, I cannot attaine vnto it.

⁷Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?

⁸It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?

⁷Canst thou by searching finde out God? canst thou finde out the Almightie vnto perfection?

⁸ It is ^†as high as heauen, what canst thou doe? deeper then hell, what canst thou know?

¹²But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?

¹³Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.

¹⁴The depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me.

¹⁵It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.

¹⁶It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.

¹⁷The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.

¹⁸No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.

¹⁹The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold.

²⁰Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?

²¹Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.

²²Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.

²³God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof.

¹²But where shall wisedome bee found? and where is the place of vnderstanding?

¹³Man knoweth not the price thereof neither is it found in the land of the liuing.

^14*The depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me.

^15†It ^*cannot be gotten for golde, neither shall siluer be weighed for the price thereof.

¹⁶It cannot be valued with the golde of Ophir, with the precious Onix, or the Saphire.

¹⁷The golde and the chrystall cannot equall it: and the exchange of it shall not be for ^‖iewels of fine golde.

¹⁸No mention shalbe made of ^‖Corall, or of Pearles: for the price of wisedome is aboue Rubies.

¹⁹The Topaze of Ethiopia shall not equall it, neither shall it be valued with pure golde.

^20*Whence then commeth wisedome? and where is the place of vnderstanding?

²¹Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all liuing, and kept close from the foules of the ^‖ayre.

²²Destruction and death say, Wee haue heard the fame thereof with our eares.

²³God vnderstandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof.

⁶Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O Lord, thou preservest man and beast.

^6†Thy righteousnesse is like the great mountaines; thy iudgements are a great deepe; O LORD, thou preseruest man and beast.

¹¹¶ For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off.

¹²It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?

¹³Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?

¹⁴But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.

¹¹¶ For this Commaundement which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it farre off.

^12*It is not in heauen, that thou shouldest say, Who shal goe vp for vs to heauen, and bring it vnto vs, that wee may heare it, and doe it?

¹³Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall goe ouer the sea for vs, and bring it vnto vs, that we may heare it, and doe it?

¹⁴But the word is very nigh vnto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest doe it.

¹³The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.

^13†The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishnesse: and the end of his talke is mischieuous madnesse.

¹³Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow: for thus saith the Lord God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.

¹³Up, sanctifie the people, and say, Sanctifie your selues against to morrow: for thus saith the LORD God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, vntill ye take away the accursed thing from among you.

³And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

⁴For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;

⁵And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;

⁶And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;

⁷And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:

⁸(For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)

⁹The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

³And through couetousnesse shall they with fained words, make marchandise of you, whose iudgement now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbreth not.

⁴For if God spared not the Angels that sinned, but cast them downe to hell, and deliuered them into chaines of darkenesse, to be reserued vnto iudgment:

⁵And spared not the old world, but saued Noah the eight person a preacher of righteousnesse, bringing in the flood vpon the world of the vngodly:

⁶And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes, condemned them with an ouerthrowe, making them an ensample vnto those that after should liue vngodly:

⁷And deliuered iust Lot, vexed with the filthy conuersation of the wicked:

⁸(For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing & hearing, vexed his righteous soule from day to day, with their vnlawfull deeds.)

⁹The Lord knoweth how to deliuer the godly out of temptations, and to reserue the vniust vnto the day of iudgement to be punished:

³Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,

⁴And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

⁵For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:

⁶Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:

⁷But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

⁸But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

⁹The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

³Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last dayes scoffers, walking after their owne lusts,

⁴And saying, Where is the promise of his comming? For since the fathers fell asleepe, all things continue as they were frō the beginning of the creation.

⁵For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heauens were of olde, and the earth ^†standing out of the water, and in the water,

⁶Whereby the world that then was, being ouerflowed with water, perished.

⁷But the heauens and the earth which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserued vnto fire against the day of Iudgement, and perdition of vngodly men.

⁸But (beloued) bee not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand yeeres, and a thousand yeeres as one day.

⁹The Lord is not slacke cōcerning his promise (as some men count slacknesse) but is long-suffring to vs-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

¹²And she answered him, Nay, my brother, do not force me; for no such thing ought to be done in Israel: do not thou this folly.

¹²And she answered him, Nay, my brother, doe not ^†force me: for ^*†no such thing ought to bee done in Israel; doe not thou this folly.

¹³And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith.

¹⁴I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

¹⁵That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.

¹⁶I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.

¹⁷And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.

¹³And I gaue my heart to seeke and search out by wisedome, concerning all things that are done vnder heauen: this sore trauell hath God giuen to the sonnes of man, ^‖to be exercised therewith.

¹⁴I haue seene all the workes that are done vnder the Sunne, and behold, all is vanitie, and vexation of spirit.

^15* That which is crooked, cannot be made straight: and ^†that which is wanting cannot be numbred.

¹⁶I communed with mine owne heart, saying, Loe, I am come to great estate, and haue gotten ^*more wisedome then all they that haue beene before me in Ierusalem: yea my heart ^†had great experience of wisedome & knowledge.

^17*And I gaue my heart to know wisedome, and to know madnesse and folly: I perceiued that this also is vexation of spirit.

¹I SAID in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.

²I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?

³I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life.

¹¶ I said in mine heart, Goe to now, I wil prooue thee with mirth, therfore enioy pleasure: and behold, this also is vanitie.

²I saide of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?

^3*††I sought in mine heart to giue my selfe vnto wine, (yet acquainting mine heart with wisedome) and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sonnes of men, which they should doe vnder the heauen all the dayes of their life.

¹²¶ And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.

¹²¶ ^*‖And I turned my selfe to behold wisedome, and madnesse and folly: for what can the man doe, that commeth after the king? euen that which hath bene already done.

¹⁵Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity.

^15†Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the foole, so it happeneth euen to me, and why was I then more wise? then I said in my heart, That this also is vanitie.

²⁰Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun.

²⁰Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despaire of all the labour which I tooke vnder the Sunne.

¹⁶¶ And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.

¹⁷I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.

¹⁶¶ And moreouer, I sawe vnder the Sunne the place of iudgement, that wickednesse was there; and the place of righteousnesse, that iniquitie was there.

^17†I said in mine heart, God shall iudge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there, for euery purpose and for euery worke.

²⁷Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account:

^27‖Behold, this haue I found (saith the Preacher) counting one by one to finde out the account:

¹FOR all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them.

²All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.

³This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

¹¶ ^†For all this I considered in my heart, euen to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their workes, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either loue, or hatred, by all that is before them.

^2*All things come alike to all: there is one euent to the righteous and to the wicked, to the good and to the cleane, and to the vncleane; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner, and hee that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.

³This is an euill among all things that are done vnder the Sunne, that there is one euent vnto all: yea also the heart of the sonnes of men is full of euill, and madnesse is in their heart while they liue, and after that they goe to the dead.

⁷And the sons of Jacob came out of the field when they heard it: and the men were grieved, and they were very wroth, because he had wrought folly in Israel in lying with Jacob’s daughter; which thing ought not to be done.

⁷And the sonnes of Iacob came out of the field when they heard it, and the men were grieued: and they were very wroth, because hee had wrought folly in Israel, in lying with Iacobs daughter; which thing ought not to be done.

¹RIGHTEOUS art thou, O Lord, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously?

²Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root: they grow, yea, they bring forth fruit: thou art near in their mouth, and far from their reins.

¹¶ ^‖*Righteous art thou, O LORD, when I pleade with thee: yet let mee talke with thee of thy iudgements: Wherefore doeth the way of the wicked prosper? Wherefore are all they happie that deale very treacherously?

^2†Thou hast planted them, yea they haue taken root: they grow, yea they bring foorth fruit, thou art neere in their mouth, and farre from their reines.

¹²Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly.

¹²Let a beare robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather then a foole in his folly.

¹¹As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.

^11*†As a dogge returneth to his vomite: so a foole returneth to his folly.

¹⁴The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the Lord shall fall therein.

^14*The mouth of strange women is a deepe pit: he that is abhorred of the LORD shall fall therein.

³¶ For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil:

⁴But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a twoedged sword.

⁵Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell.

³¶ ^*†For the lips of a strange woman drop as an hony combe, and her mouth is smoother then oyle.

⁴But her end is bitter as wormewood, sharpe as a two edged sword.

^5*Her feete goe downe to death: her steps take hold on hell.

¹⁶To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words;

¹⁶To deliuer thee from the strange woman, ^* euen from the stranger, which flattereth with her words:

²⁶For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

^26†*For God giueth to a man that is good in his sight, wisedome, and knowledge, and ioy: but to the sinner hee giueth traueile, to gather and to heape vp that he may giue to him that is good before God: This also is vanitie and vexation of spirit.

¹⁸For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead.

¹⁹None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life.

¹⁸For her house inclineth vnto death, and her pathes vnto the dead:

¹⁹None that goe vnto her, returne againe, neither take they hold of the pathes of life.

²⁷For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit.

²⁸She also lieth in wait as for a prey, and increaseth the transgressors among men.

^27*For an whore is a deepe ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit.

^28*‖She also lyeth in wait as for a pray, and increaseth the transgressours among men.

²¹With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.

²²He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;

²³Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.

²⁴¶ Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth.

²⁵Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.

²⁶For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her.

²⁷Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.

²¹With much faire speech she caused him to yeeld, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.

^22†He goeth after her straightway, as an oxe goeth to the slaughter, or as a foole to the correction of the stocks,

²³Til a dart strike through his liuer, as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.

²⁴¶ Hearken vnto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth.

²⁵Let not thine heart decline to her wayes, goe not astray in her paths.

²⁶For shee hath cast downe many wounded: yea many strong men haue bene slaine by her.

^27*Her house is the way to hell, going downe to the chambers of death.

¹⁸And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up this once, for he hath shewed me all his heart. Then the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and brought money in their hand.

¹⁹And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.

²⁰And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the Lord was departed from him.

²¹¶ But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house.

¹⁸And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the LORDs of the Philistines, saying, Come vp this once, for hee hath shewed me all his heart. Then the lords of the Philistines came vp vnto her, & brought money in their hand.

¹⁹And she made him sleepe vpon her knees, and she called for a man, and she caused him to shaue off the seuen lockes of his head, and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.

²⁰And she said, The Philistines be vpon thee, Samson. And hee awoke out of his sleepe, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake my selfe. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him.

²¹¶ But the Philistines tooke him and ^†put out his eyes, and brought him downe to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brasse, and he did grind in the prison house.

¹⁸But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell.

¹⁸But hee knoweth not that the dead are there, and that her guests are in the depths of hell.