Ecclesiastes 7:26–29

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.

⁸¶ Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.

⁹And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.

¹⁰The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.

⁸¶ ^*Uanitie of vanities (saith the preacher) all is vanitie.

^9‖*And moreouer because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge, yea he gaue good heed, and sought out, and set in order many prouerbes.

^10†The preacher sought to finde out acceptable words, and that which was written was vpright, euen wordes of trueth.

¹THE words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

²Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.

¹¶ The wordes of the Preacher, the son of Dauid, King in Ierusalem.

^2*Uanitie of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanitie of vanities, all is vanitie.

²³If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to shew unto man his uprightness:

²³If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to shew vnto man his vprightnesse:

¹HELP, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.

¹¶ Helpe LORD, for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithfull faile from among the children of men.

¹BUT king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites;

²Of the nations concerning which the Lord said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.

³And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.

¹¶ But King Solomon loued ^*many strange women, ( ^‖together with y ^e daughter of Pharaoh) women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians & Hittites:

²Of the nations concerning which the LORD said vnto the children of Israel, ^*Yee shall not goe in to them, neither shall they come in vnto you, for surely they will turne away your heart after their gods: Solomon claue vnto these in loue.

³And he had seuen hundred wiues, Princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wiues turned away his heart.

²³¶ All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.

²⁴That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?

²³¶ All this haue I prooued by wisedome: I said, I will be wise, but it was farre from me.

²⁴That which is farre off, and exceeding deepe, who can finde it out?

⁹With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

⁹With my soule haue I desired thee in the night, yea with my spirit within me will I seeke thee early: for when thy iudgements are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learne righteousnesse.

²²For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.

²²For my people is foolish, they haue not knowen me, they are sottish children, and they haue none vnderstanding: they are wise to doe euill, but to doe good they haue no knowledge.

¹¹The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.

¹²And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.

¹¹The earth also was corrupt before God; and the earth was filled with violence.

¹²And God looked vpon the earth, and behold, it was corrupt: for all flesh had corrupted his way vpon the earth.

⁸For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.

⁹And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.

⁸For laying aside the Commandement of God, yee hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots, and cups: and many other such like things ye doe.

⁹And he said vnto them, Full well ye ^‖reiect the Commandement of God, that ye may keepe your owne tradition.

¹THIS is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him;

¹¶ This is the ^*booke of the generations of Adam: In the day that God created man, in the likenes of God made he him.

³For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.

³For we our selues also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceiued, seruing diuers lusts and pleasures, liuing in malice and enuy, hatefull, and hating one another.

²Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

³Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

²Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the aire, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience,

³Among whom also we all had our conuersation in times past, in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling ^†the desires of the flesh, and of the minde, and were by nature the children of wrath, euen as others:

²⁶¶ And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

²⁷So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

²⁶¶ And God said, ^*Let vs make man in our Image, after our likenesse: and let them haue dominion ouer the fish of the sea, and ouer the foule of the aire, and ouer the cattell, and ouer all the earth, and ouer euery creeping thing that creepeth vpon the earth.

²⁷So God created man in his owne Image, in the Image of God created hee him; ^*male and female created hee them.

⁶And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

⁷And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

⁶And the woman saw, that the tree was good for food, and that it was ^†pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she tooke of the fruit thereof, ^*and did eate, and gaue also vnto her husband with her, and hee did eate.

⁷And the eyes of them both were opened, & they knew that they were naked, and they sewed figge leaues together, and made themselues ^‖aprons.

⁵¶ And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

⁶And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.

⁵¶ And God saw, that the wickednes of man was great in the earth, and that ^‖euery imagination of the thoughts of his ^*heart was onely euill ^†continually.

⁶And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieued him at his heart.

¹²Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the Lord.

¹³For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

¹²Be astonished, O yee heauens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be yee very desolate, saith the LORD.

^13*For my people haue committed two euils: they haue forsaken me, the fountaine of liuing waters, and hewed them out cisternes, broken cisternes that can hold no water.

³⁹Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions.

³⁹Thus were they defiled with their owne works: and went a whoring with their owne inuentions.

⁸Thou answeredst them, O Lord our God: thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions.

⁸Thou answeredst them, O LORD our God: thou wast a God that forgauest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inuentions.

⁴And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.

⁵And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.

⁶And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.

⁴And they said; Goe to, let vs build vs a city and a tower, whose top may reach vnto heauen, and let vs make vs a name, lest we be scattered abroad vpon the face of the whole earth.

⁵And the LORD came downe to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.

⁶And the LORD said; Behold, the people is one, and they haue all one language: and this they begin to doe: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they haue imagined to doe.

²⁹Thus they provoked him to anger with their inventions: and the plague brake in upon them.

²⁹Thus they prouoked him to anger with their inuentions: and the plague brake in vpon them.

⁹What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;

¹⁰As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

¹¹There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

¹²They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

¹³Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:

¹⁴Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:

¹⁵Their feet are swift to shed blood:

¹⁶Destruction and misery are in their ways:

¹⁷And the way of peace have they not known:

¹⁸There is no fear of God before their eyes.

¹⁹Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

⁹What then? are wee better then they? No in no wise: for we haue before ^†proued both Iewes, and Gentiles, that they are all vnder sinne,

¹⁰As it is written, There is none righteous, no not one:

¹¹There is none that vnderstandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

¹²They are all gone out of the way, they are together become vnprofitable, there is none that doeth good, no not one.

¹³Their throat is an open sepulchre, with their tongues they haue vsed deceit, the poyson of Aspes is vnder their lippes:

¹⁴Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse:

¹⁵Their feet are swift to shed blood.

¹⁶Destruction & misery are in their wayes:

¹⁷And the way of peace haue they not knowen.

¹⁸There is no feare of God before their eyes.

¹⁹Now we know that what things soeuer the Law saith, it saith to them who are vnder the Law: that euery mouth may bee stopped, and all the world may become ^‖guilty before God.

⁴⁰Saying unto Aaron, Make us gods to go before us: for as for this Moses, which brought us out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.

⁴¹And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.

⁴²Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness?

⁴³Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them: and I will carry you away beyond Babylon.

^40*Saying vnto Aaron, Make vs gods to goe before vs. For as for this Moses, which brought vs out of the land of Egypt, we wote not what is become of him.

⁴¹And they made a calfe in those dayes, and offered sacrifice vnto the idole, and reioyced in the workes of their owne hands.

⁴²Then God turned, and gaue them vp to worship the hoste of heauen, ^*as it is written in the booke of the Prophets, O ye house of Israel, haue ye offered to me slaine beasts, and sacrifices, by the space of fourty yeeres in the wildernesse?

⁴³Yea, ye tooke vp the Tabernacle of Moloch, and the starre of your God Remphan, figures which ye made, to worship them: and I will carie you away beyond Babylon.

⁶Behold, the princes of Israel, every one were in thee to their power to shed blood.

⁷In thee have they set light by father and mother: in the midst of thee have they dealt by oppression with the stranger: in thee have they vexed the fatherless and the widow.

⁸Thou hast despised mine holy things, and hast profaned my sabbaths.

⁹In thee are men that carry tales to shed blood: and in thee they eat upon the mountains: in the midst of thee they commit lewdness.

¹⁰In thee have they discovered their fathers’ nakedness: in thee have they humbled her that was set apart for pollution.

¹¹And one hath committed abomination with his neighbour’s wife; and another hath lewdly defiled his daughter in law; and another in thee hath humbled his sister, his father’s daughter.

¹²In thee have they taken gifts to shed blood; thou hast taken usury and increase, and thou hast greedily gained of thy neighbours by extortion, and hast forgotten me, saith the Lord God.

¹³¶ Behold, therefore I have smitten mine hand at thy dishonest gain which thou hast made, and at thy blood which hath been in the midst of thee.

^6†Behold the princes of Israel, euerie one were in thee to their power to shead blood.

^7‖In thee haue they set light by father and mother: in the middest of thee haue they dealt by oppression with the stranger: in thee haue they vexed the fatherlesse and the widow:

⁸Thou hast despised mine holy things, & hast prophaned my sabbaths:

^9†In thee are men that carie tales to shead blood: and in thee they eate vpon the mountaines: in the middest of thee they commit lewdnesse.

^10**In thee haue they discouered their fathers nakednesse: in thee haue they humbled her that was set apart for pollution.

^{11‖**‖‖*}And one hath committed abomination with his neighbours wife, and an other hath lewdly defiled his daughter in law, and an other in thee hath humbled his sister, his fathers daughter.

¹²In thee haue they taken gifts to shead blood: thou hast taken vsury and increase, and thou hast greedily gained of thy neighbours by extortion, and hast forgotten me, saith the LORD God.

¹³¶ ^*Behold therefore, I haue smitten mine hand at thy dishonest gaine which thou hast made, and at thy blood which hath bene in the midst of thee.

²¹Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

²²Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

²³And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

²⁴Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:

²⁵Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

²⁶For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

²⁷And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

²⁸And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

²⁹Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,

³⁰Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

³¹Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

³²Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

²¹Because that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankefull, but became vaine in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened:

²²Professing themselues to be wise, they became fooles:

²³And changed the glory of the vncorruptible ^*God, into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birdes, and foure footed beasts, and creeping things:

²⁴Wherefore God also gaue them vp to vncleannesse, through the lusts of their owne hearts, to dishonour their owne bodies betweene themselues:

²⁵Who changed the trueth of God into a lye, and worshipped and serued the creature more then the Creatour, who is blessed for euer. Amen.

²⁶For this cause God gaue them vp vnto vile affections: for euen their women did change the naturall vse into that which is against nature:

²⁷And likewise also the men, leauing the naturall vse of the woman, burned in their lust one towards another, men with men working that which is vnseemely, and receiuing in themselues that recompense of their errour which was meet.

²⁸And euen as they did not like to ^‖retaine God in their knowledge, God gaue them ouer to ^‖a reprobate minde, to doe those things which are not conuenient:

²⁹Being filled with all vnrighteousnes, fornication, wickednesse, couetousnes, maliciousnes, full of enuie, murther, debate, deceit, malignitie, whisperers,

³⁰Backbiters, haters of God, despitefull, proude, boasters, inuenters of euill things, disobedient to parents;

³¹Without vnderstanding, couenant breakers, without ^‖naturall affection, implacable, vnmercifull;

³²Who knowing the iudgement of God, (that they which commit such things, are worthy of death) not onely do the same, but ^‖haue pleasure in them that doe them.