Ecclesiastes 7:7-8 in English

⁷ Surely extortion maketh the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroyeth the understanding.

⁸ Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof; and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

⁷ For oppression makes a wise man mad, and destroys his noble heart.

⁸ The end of a matter is better than the beginning thereof: the patient is better than the high-minded.

⁷ Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.

⁸ Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

⁷ Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.

⁸ Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

⁷ As the sound of thorns under a caldron, so is the laughter of fools: this is also vanity.

⁸ for oppression makes a wise man mad, and destroys his noble heart.

⁷ Surely extortion maketh a wise man foolish; and a gift destroyeth the understanding.

⁸ Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

⁷ When wise people say to others, “You must pay me a lot of money for me to protect you,” that causes those wise people to become foolish, and accepting bribes causes people to become unable to do what is fair/just.

⁸ Finishing something is better than starting something, and being patient is better than being proud.

⁷ As the sound of thorns under a cauldron, so is the laughter of fools: this is also vanity.

⁸ for oppression makes a wise man mad, and destroys his noble heart.

⁷ Surely extortion makes the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroys the understanding.

⁸ Better is the end of a thing than its beginning. The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

⁷ Surely extortion makes the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroys the understanding.

⁸ Better is the end of a thing than its beginning. The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

⁷ Surely extortion makes the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroys the understanding.

⁸ Better is the end of a thing than its beginning. The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

⁷ The wise are troubled by the ways of the cruel, and the giving of money is the destruction of the heart.

⁸ The end of a thing is better than its start, and a gentle spirit is better than pride.

⁷ Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad, and a gift destroyeth the heart.

⁸ Better is the end of a thing than its beginning; better is a patient spirit than a proud spirit.

⁷ For as the crackling of thorns burning under a pot, so is the laughter of a fool: now this also is vanity.

⁸ Oppression troubleth the wise, and shall destroy the strength of his heart.

⁷ Extorting money from others makes wise people into fools, and accepting bribes corrupts the mind.

⁸ Completing something is better than starting it. Being patient is better than being proud.

⁷ Better it is to heare ye rebuke of a wise man, then that a man should heare the song of fooles.

⁸ For like ye noyse of the thornes vnder the pot, so is the laughter of the foole: this also is vanitie.

⁷ Surely oppression turneth a wise man into a fool; and a gift destroyeth the understanding.

⁸ Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof; and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

⁷ Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.

⁸ Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

⁷ For exercising oppression maketh a wise man mad; and bribery corrupteth the heart.

⁸ Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: better is the patient in spirit than the proud in spirit.

⁷ For oppression makes a wise man mad, And destroys his noble heart.

⁸ The end of a matter is better than the beginning thereof: The patient is better than the high-minded.

⁷ Surely the gain of oppression maketh a wise man foolish, and a gift corrupteth the understanding.

⁸ Better is the end of a thing than its beginning. Better is the patient in spirit than the proud in spirit.

⁷ Extortion certainly makes a wise man foolish, and a bribe corrupts the heart.

⁸ Better is the end of a matter than the beginning; and the people patient in spirit are better than the proud in spirit.

⁷ Surely extortion makes the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroys the understanding.

⁸ Better is the end of a thing than its beginning. The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

⁷ Surely extortion makes the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroys the understanding.

⁸ Better is the end of a thing than its beginning. The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

⁷ Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.

⁸ Better is the end of a thing than its beginning: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

⁷ Surely extortion makes the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroys the understanding.

⁸ Better is the end of a thing than its beginning. The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

⁷ Surely extortion makes the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroys the understanding.

⁸ Better is the end of a thing than its beginning. The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

⁷ False challenge troubleth a wise man, and it shall lose the strength of his heart.

⁸ Forsooth the end of prayer is better than the beginning. A patient man is better than a proud man.

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.

⁷ Surely oppression maketh the wise mad, And a gift destroyeth the heart.

⁸ Better is the latter end of a thing than its beginning, Better is the patient of spirit, than the haughty of spirit.