1 A name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death 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: in that that is the end of all men, and the living taketh it to heart.

3 V exation is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.

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

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

6 F or as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.

7 S urely oppression maketh a wise man mad, and a gift destroyeth the heart.

8 B etter is the end of a thing than its beginning; better is a patient spirit than a proud spirit.

9 B e not hasty in thy spirit to be vexed; for vexation resteth in the bosom of fools.

10 S ay not, How is it that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.

11 W isdom is as good as an inheritance, and profitable to them that see the sun.

12 F or wisdom is a defence money is a defence; but the excellency of knowledge is, wisdom maketh them that possess it to live.

13 C onsider the work of God; for who can make straight what he hath made crooked?

14 I n the day of prosperity enjoy good, and in the day of adversity consider: God hath also set the one beside the other, to the end that man should find out nothing after him.

15 A ll have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a righteous that perisheth by his righteousness, and there is a wicked that prolongeth by his wickedness.

16 B e not righteous overmuch; neither make thyself overwise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?

17 B e not overmuch wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?

18 I t is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from that withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God cometh forth from them all.

19 W isdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty that are in a city.

20 S urely there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doeth good and sinneth not.

21 A lso give not heed unto all words that are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee.

22 F or also thine own heart knoweth that oftentimes thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.

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

24 W hatever hath been, is far off, and exceeding deep: who will find it out?

25 I turned, I and my heart, to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom and reason, and to know wickedness to be folly, and foolishness to be madness;

26 a nd I found more bitter than death the woman whose heart is nets and snares, whose hands are bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be caught by her.

27 S ee this which I have found, saith the Preacher, one by one to find out the reason;

28 w hich my soul yet seeketh, and I have not found: one man among a thousand have I found, but a woman among all those have I not found.

29 O nly see this which I have found: that God made man upright, but they have sought out many devices.