ris3n's Apologetics Codex

Passage

Ecclesiastes 7.20

Book: Ecclesiastes · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

Immediate context (±2 verses)

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ASV (ASV)

"18. It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from that withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth from them all. 19. Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers that are in a city."

"20. Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not."

"21. Also take not heed unto all words that are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee; 22. for oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others." (Ecclesiastes 7:18-22, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"18. It is good that you should take hold of this. Yes, also from that don’t withdraw your hand; for he who fears God will come out of them all. 19. Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city."

"20. Surely there is not a righteous man on earth, who does good and doesn’t sin."

"21. Also don’t take heed to all words that are spoken, lest you hear your servant curse you; 22. for often your own heart knows that you yourself have likewise cursed others." (Ecclesiastes 7:18-22, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"18. 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. 19. Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city."

"20. For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not."

"21. Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee: take: Heb. give not thine heart 22. For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others." (Ecclesiastes 7:18-22, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"18. [It is] good that thou dost lay hold on this, and also, from that withdrawest not thy hand, for whoso is fearing God goeth out with them all. 19. The wisdom giveth strength to a wise man, more than wealth the rulers who have been in a city."

"20. Because there is not a righteous man on earth that doth good and sinneth not."

"21. Also to all the words that they speak give not thy heart, that thou hear not thy servant reviling thee. 22. For many times also hath thy heart known that thou thyself also hast reviled others." (Ecclesiastes 7:18-22, YLT)

Setting

  • Speaker: Qohelet (traditionally Solomon)
  • Audience: wisdom-seekers facing life's apparent vanity
  • Location: Israel
  • Time period: traditionally c. 935 BC (Solomon); some scholars date later c. 450-200 BC

Theological reading

Key words

Quoted in

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

  • ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
  • WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
  • KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
  • YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.