Ecclesiastes 7:1–14

A agood bname is better than precious bointment; and cthe day of death than the day of one’s birth. 2 It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will dlay it to his heart. 3 * eSorrow is better than laughter: ffor by the sadness of the countenance gthe heart is made better. 4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. 5 hIt is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools. 6 For ias the * crackling of thorns under a pot, kso is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.

7 Surely loppression mmaketh a wise man mad; and na gift destroyeth the heart. 8 Better is othe end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and pthe patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. 9 qBe not hasty in thy spirit pto be angry: for anger rresteth in the bosom of fools. 10 Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire * wisely concerning this. 11 Wisdom is * good with an inheritance: and by it there is sprofit tto them that see the sun. 12 For wisdom is a * defence, and money is a * defence: but the uexcellency of knowledge is, that wisdom wgiveth life to xthem that have it. 13 Consider the work of God: for who can ymake that straight, which he hath yzmade crooked? 14 aIn the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath * set the one over against the other, bto the end that man should find nothing after him.