7 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.

15 All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: cthere is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth dhis life in his wickedness. 16 Be not righteous over much; eneither make thyself fover wise: why shouldest thou †destroy thyself? 17 Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: gwhy shouldest thou die †before thy time? 18 It is good that thou shouldest take hold of hthis; yea, also from ithis kwithdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all. 19 lWisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mmighty men which are in the city. 20 nFor there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and nsinneth not. 21 Also †otake no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear pthy servant curse thee: 22 oFor oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.

23 All this have I proved by wisdom: qI said, I will be wise; but it was far from me. 24 That which is far off, and rexceeding deep, swho can find it out? 25 †tI applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the ureason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness: 26 And I find more wbitter than death the woman, whose heart is xsnares and nets, and her hands as bands: †whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but ythe sinner shall be taken by her. 27 Behold, this have I found, zsaith the preacher, ||counting one by one, to find out the account: 28 Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: abone man among a thousand have I found; but a woman camong all those have I not found. 29 Lo, this only have I found, dthat God hath made man upright; but ethey have sought out many finventions.