[1] A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death,
than the day of birth. [2] It is better to go to the house of mourning than
to go to the house of feasting; for this is the end of all men, and the
living will lay it to heart. [3] Sorrow is better than laughter, for by
sadness of countenance the heart is made glad. [4] The heart of the wise is
in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
[5] It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear the
song of fools. [6] For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the
laughter of the fools; this also is vanity. [7] Surely oppression makes the
wise man foolish, and a bribe corrupts the mind. [8] Better is the end of a
thing than its beginning; and the patient in spirit is better than the
proud in spirit. [9] Be not quick to anger, for anger lodges in the bosom
of fools. [10] Say not, "Why were the former days better than these?" For
it is not from wisdom that you ask this. [11] Wisdom is good with an
inheritance, an advantage to those who see the sun. [12] For the protection
of wisdom is like the protection of money; and the advantage of knowledge
is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it. [13] Consider the work
of God; who can make straight what he has made crooked? [14] In the day of
prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; God has made
the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that
will be after him. [15] In my vain life I have seen everything; there is a
righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man
who prolongs his life in his evil-doing. [16] Be not righteous overmuch,
and do not make yourself overwise; why should you destroy yourself? [17] Be
not wicked overmuch, neither be a fool; why should you die before your
time? [18] It is good that you should take hold of this, and from that
withhold not your hand; for he who fears God shall come forth from them
all. [19] Wisdom gives strength to the wise man more than ten rulers that
are in a city. [20] Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does
good and never sins. [21] Do not give heed to all the things that men say,
lest you hear your servant cursing you; [22] your heart knows that many
times you have yourself cursed others. [23] All this I have tested by
wisdom; I said, "I will be wise"; but it was far from me. [24] That which
is, is far off, and deep, very deep; who can find it out? [25] I turned my
mind to know and to search out and to seek wisdom and the sum of things,
and to know the wickedness of folly and the foolishness which is madness.
[26] And I found more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and
nets, and whose hands are fetters; he who pleases God escapes her, but the
sinner is taken by her. [27] Behold, this is what I found, says the
Preacher, adding one thing to another to find the sum, [28] which my mind
has sought repeatedly, but I have not found. One man among a thousand I
found, but a woman among all these I have not found. [29] Behold, this
alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many
devices.
