The Value of Practical Wisdom

7 A agood name is better than precious ointment,

And the day of death than the day of one’s bbirth;

2 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 take it to cheart.

3 1Sorrow is better than laughter,

dFor by a sad countenance the heart is made 2better.

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

But the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

5 eIt is better to 3hear the rebuke of the wise

Than for a man to hear the song of fools.

6 fFor like the 4crackling of thorns under a pot,

So is the laughter of the fool.

This also is vanity.

7 Surely oppression destroys a wise man’s reason,

gAnd a bribe 5debases the heart.

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

hThe patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

9 iDo not hasten in your spirit to be angry,

For anger rests in the bosom of fools.

10 Do not say,

“Why were the former days better than these?”

For you do not inquire wisely concerning this.