1 A good name is better than precious perfume, and the day of death better than the day of one’s birth.

A good name is better than oil of much worth. And the day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth.

2 I t 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 heart.

It is better to go to a house of sorrow than to go to a house of much eating. For this is the end of all men, and the living takes it to heart.

3 S orrow is better than laughter, for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better and gains gladness.

To have sorrow is better than to laugh because when a face is sad, the heart may become strong.

4 T he heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth and sensual joy.

The heart of the wise is in the house of sorrow, while the heart of fools is in the house where there is fun.

5 I t is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear the song of fools.

It is better to listen to the sharp words of a wise man than to listen to the song of fools.

6 F or like the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity (emptiness, falsity, and futility)!

For the laughing of a fool is like the sound of a thorn bush burning under a pot. This also is for nothing.

7 S urely oppression and extortion make a wise man foolish, and a bribe destroys the understanding and judgment.

For sure a bad power makes the wise man angry. And to get paid in secret for wrong-doing destroys the heart.

8 B etter is the end of a thing than the beginning of it, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

The end of something is better than its beginning. Not giving up in spirit is better than being proud in spirit.

9 D o not be quick in spirit to be angry or vexed, for anger and vexation lodge in the bosom of fools.

Do not be quick in spirit to be angry. For anger is in the heart of fools.

10 D o not say, Why were the old days better than these? For it is not wise or because of wisdom that you ask this.

Do not say, “Why were the days of the past better than these?” For it is not wise to ask this.

11 W isdom is as good as an inheritance, yes, more excellent it is for those who see the sun.

Wisdom with a gift passed down from father to son is good and a help to those who see the sun.

12 F or wisdom is a defense even as money is a defense, but the excellency of knowledge is that wisdom shields and preserves the life of him who has it.

For wisdom keeps one from danger just as money keeps one from danger. But the good thing about much learning is that wisdom keeps alive those who have it.

13 C onsider the work of God: who can make straight what He has made crooked?

Think of the work of God, for who is able to make straight what He has not made straight?

14 I n the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider that God has made the one side by side with the other, so that man may not find out anything that shall be after him.

In the day of well-being be happy. But in the day of trouble, think about this: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man can never know what is going to happen.

15 I have seen everything in the days of my vanity (my emptiness, falsity, vainglory, and futility): there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his evildoing.

In the days of my life I have seen everything, but my life has been worth nothing. There is a right and good man who is destroyed while he is right and good. And there is a sinful man who lives long in his wrong-doing.

16 B e not righteous overmuch, neither strive to make yourself overwise—why should you destroy yourself ?

Do not be too right and good, and do not be too wise. Why should you destroy yourself?

17 b e not wicked overmuch or willfully, neither be foolish—why should you die before your time?

Do not be too sinful, and do not be a fool. Why should you die before your time?

18 I t is good that you should take hold of this and from that withdraw not your hand; for he who fears and worships God will come forth from them all.

It is good that you take hold of one thing, and do not let go of the other. For the one who fears God will have both of them.

19 w isdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers or valiant generals who are in the city.

Wisdom gives more strength to a wise man than ten rulers have in a city.

20 S urely there is not a righteous man upon earth who does good and never sins.

For sure there is not a right and good man on earth who always does good and never sins.

21 D o not give heed to everything that is said, lest you hear your servant cursing you—

Do not listen to all the things that are said, or you might hear your servant cursing you.

22 F or often your own heart knows that you have likewise cursed others.

For you know in your heart that many times you have cursed others.

23 A ll this have I tried and proved by wisdom. I said, I will be wise —but it was far from me.

I tested all this with wisdom, and I said, “I will be wise,” but it was far from me.

24 T hat which is is far off, and that which is deep is very deep—who can find it out ?

Wisdom has been far away and hidden. Who can find it?

25 I 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.

I turned my mind to know, to find out, and to look for wisdom and the reason of things, and to know how sinful it is to be foolish, and that being mad is foolish.

26 A nd I found that more bitter than death is the woman whose heart is snares and nets and whose hands are bands. Whoever pleases God shall escape from her, but the sinner shall be taken by her.

And I found that the woman whose heart is traps and nets, and whose hands are chains is more bitter than death. He who pleases God will get away from her. But the sinner will be taken in by her.

27 B ehold, this I have found, says the Preacher, while weighing one thing after another to find out the right estimate —

“See, I have found this out,” says the Preacher. “I have added one thing to another to find the reason,

28 W hich I am still seeking but have not found—one upright man among a thousand have I found, but an upright woman among all those have I not found.

which I am still looking for but have not found. I have found one man among a thousand, but I have not found a woman among all these.

29 B ehold, this is the only I have found: God made man upright, but they have sought out many devices.

See, I have found only this, that God made men right, but they have found many sinful ways.”