Ecclesiastes 7:29–8:1

29 This only have I found:

God created mankind upright,

but they have gone in search of many schemes.”

1 Who is like the wise?

Who knows the explanation of things?

A person’s wisdom brightens their face

and changes its hard appearance.

29 Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.

1 Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? a man’s wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his face shall be changed.

29 But I did find this: God created people to be virtuous, but they have each turned to follow their own downward path.”

1 How wonderful to be wise,

to analyze and interpret things.

Wisdom lights up a person’s face,

softening its harshness.

29 Truly, this only I have found:

That God made man upright,

But they have sought out many schemes.”

1 Who is like a wise man? And who knows the interpretation of a thing?

A man’s wisdom makes his face shine,

And the sternness of his face is changed.

29 One thing I have learned:

God made people good,

but they have found all kinds of ways to be bad.”

1 No one is like the wise person

who can understand what things mean.

Wisdom brings happiness;

it makes sad faces happy.

29 Behold, this only have I found: that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.

1 Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? A man’s wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the hardness of his face is changed.

29 Only see this which I have found: that God made man upright, but they have sought out many devices.

1 Who is as the wise? and who knoweth the explanation of things? A man’s wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his face is changed.

29 I have found only this: God made people decent, but they looked for many ways ⸤to avoid being decent⸥.” 

1 Who is really wise? Who knows how to explain things? Wisdom makes one’s face shine, and it changes one’s grim look. 

29 Only see this: I have discovered that God made people upright, but they pursued many schemes.”

1 Who is like the wise person, and who knows the interpretation of a matter? A man’s wisdom brightens his face, and the sternness of his face is changed.

29 See, this alone I found, that God made human beings straightforward, but they have devised many schemes.

1 Who is like the wise man?

And who knows the interpretation of a thing?

Being wise makes one’s face shine,

but arrogance changes one’s face.

29 Look! This alone I found: God made mankind upright, but they have devised many schemes.”

1 Who is like the sage?

Who knows the interpretation of a thing?

A man’s wisdom makes his face shine,

and the hardness of his face is changed.

29 Here’s the only other thing I found.

God made men honest.

But they’ve made many evil plans.”

1 Who is like a wise man?

Who knows how to explain things?

Wisdom makes a man’s face bright.

It softens the look on his face.

29 “Behold, I have found only this, that God made men upright, but they have sought out many devices.”

1 Who is like the wise man and who knows the interpretation of a matter? A man’s wisdom illumines him and causes his stern face to beam.