1 Wisdom
1 A good name is better than fine perfume, 1 and the day of death better than the day of birth.
2 It is better to go to a house of mourning 2 than to go to a house of feasting, 2 for death is the destiny of everyone; 2 the living should take this to heart.
3 Frustration is better than laughter, 3 because a sad face is good for the heart.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, 4 but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.
5 It is better to heed the rebuke of a wise person 5 than to listen to the song of fools.
6 Like the crackling of thorns under the pot, 6 so is the laughter of fools. 6 This too is meaningless.
7 Extortion turns the wise into fools, 7 and a bribe corrupts the heart.
8 The end of a matter is better than its beginning, 8 and patience is better than pride.
9 Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, 9 for anger resides in the lap of fools.
10 Do not say, "Why were the old days better than these?" 10 For it is not wise to ask such questions.
11 Wisdom, like an inheritance, is a good thing 11 and benefits those who see the sun.
12 Wisdom is a shelter 12 as money is a shelter, 12 but the advantage of knowledge is this: 12 Wisdom preserves the life of its possessor.
13 Consider what God has done: 13 Who can straighten 13 what he has made crooked?
14 When times are good, be happy; 14 but when times are bad, consider: 14 God has made the one 14 as well as the other. 14 Therefore, you cannot discover 14 anything about your future.
15 In this meaningless life of mine I have seen both of these: 15 the righteous perishing in their righteousness, 15 and the wicked living long in their wickedness.
16 Do not be overrighteous, 16 neither be overwise— 16 why destroy yourself ?
17 Do not be overwicked, 17 and do not be a fool— 17 why die before your time?
18 It is good to grasp the one 18 and not let go of the other. 18 Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes.[a]
19 Wisdom makes one wise person more powerful 19 than ten rulers in a city.
20 Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, 20 no one who does what is right and never sins.
21 Do not pay attention to every word people say, 21 or you may hear your servant cursing you—
22 for you know in your heart 22 that many times you yourself have cursed others.
23 All this I tested by wisdom and I said, 23 "I am determined to be wise"— 23 but this was beyond me.
24 Whatever exists is far off and most profound— 24 who can discover it?
25 So I turned my mind to understand, 25 to investigate and to search out wisdom and the scheme of things 25 and to understand the stupidity of wickedness 25 and the madness of folly.
26 I find more bitter than death 26 the woman who is a snare, 26 whose heart is a trap 26 and whose hands are chains. 26 The man who pleases God will escape her, 26 but the sinner she will ensnare.
27 "Look," says the Teacher,[b] "this is what I have discovered: 27 "Adding one thing to another to discover the scheme of things— 28 while I was still searching 28 but not finding— 28 I found one upright man among a thousand, 28 but not one upright woman among them all.
29 This only have I found: 29 God created humankind upright, 29 but they have gone in search of many schemes."
