1A good name is better than precious oil; and the day of death, than the day of one’s birth.
2It 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 lay it to his heart.
3Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made glad.
4The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
5It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
6For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
7Surely extortion makes the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroys the understanding.
8Better is the end of a thing than its beginning; and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
9Do not be hasty in your spirit to be angry; for anger rests in the bosom of fools.
10Do not say, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? For you do not inquire wisely concerning this.
11Wisdom is as good as an inheritance; yes, it is more excellent for those who see the sun.
12For wisdom is a defense, even as money is a defense; but the excellence of knowledge is, that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.
13Consider the work of God: for who can make straight what he has made crooked?
14In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yes, God has made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything that shall be after him.
15All this I have seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his evildoing.
16Do not be overly righteous; nor make yourself overly wise: why should you destroy yourself?
17Do not be overly wicked, nor be foolish: why should you die before your time?
18It is good that you should take hold of this; yes, also do not withdraw your hand from that: for he who fears God shall come forth from them all.
19Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.
20Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth, who does good, and does not sin.
21Also do not take heed to all words that are spoken, lest you hear your servant curse you;
22for often also your own heart knows that you yourself likewise have cursed others.
23All this I have tested in wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
24What is, is far off and exceedingly deep; who can find it out?
25I turned about, and my heart was set to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason of things, and to know that wickedness is folly, and that foolishness is madness.
26And I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are bonds: whoever pleases God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.
27Behold, this I have found, says the Preacher, adding one thing to another, to find out the account;
28which my soul still seeks, but I have not found: one man among a thousand I have found; but a woman among all those I have not found.
29Behold, this only I have found: that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.