Ecclesiastes 7:1–12

WISE SAYINGS

7A good name is better than fine perfume,^aa

and the day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth.^ab

²It is better to go to a house of mourning

than to go to a house of feasting,

since that is the end of all mankind,

and the living should take it to heart.^ac

³Grief is better than laughter,

for when a face is sad, a heart may be glad.^ad

⁴The heart of the wise is in a house of mourning,

but the heart of fools is in a house of pleasure.

⁵It is better to listen to rebuke from a wise person

than to listen to the song of fools,^ae

⁶for like the crackling of burning thorns under the pot,^af

so is the laughter of the fool.

This too is futile.

⁷Surely, the practice of extortion turns a wise person into a fool,^a

and a bribe corrupts the mind.^b

⁸The end of a matter is better than its beginning;

a patient spirit is better than a proud spirit.^c

⁹Don’t let your spirit rush to be angry,

for anger abides in the heart of fools.^d

¹⁰Don’t say, “Why were the former days better than these?”^e

since it is not wise of you to ask this.

¹¹Wisdom is as good as an inheritance

and an advantage to those who see the sun,

¹²because wisdom is protection as silver is protection;

but the advantage of knowledge

is that wisdom preserves the life of its owner.^f