1A good name is better than precious oil, and the day of death, better 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; inasmuch as that is the end of all men: and let the living lay it to his heart.
3Better is vexation than laughing; for through the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
4The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of joy.
5It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than that a man should hear the song of fools.
6For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. Also this is vanity.
7For [exercising] oppression maketh a wise man mad; and bribery corrupteth the heart.
8Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: better is the patient in spirit than the proud in spirit.
9Be not rash in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in bosom of fools.
10Thou must not say, How was it that the former days were better than these? for it is not out of wisdom that thou askest concerning this.
11Wisdom is better than an inheritance, yea, preferable for those that see the sun;
12For under the shadow of wisdom [a man is equally well as] under the shadow of money; but the superior excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to him that possesseth it.
13Consider [then] the work of God; for who can make straight what he hath made crooked?
14On the day of prosperity be happy, but on the day of adversity look on: also this hath God made in equal measure with the other, to the end that man should not find the least to censure him.
15All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is many a righteous man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is many a wicked man that liveth long in his wickedness.—
16Be not righteous over much; neither show thyself over wise: why wouldst thou destroy thyself?
17Be not wicked over much, and be no fool: why wouldst thou die before thy time?
18It is good that thou shouldst take hold of that, and that also from this thou withdraw not thy hand; for he that feareth God will come forth out of them all.
19Wisdom giveth more strength to the wise than ten rulers which were in the city.
20For no man is so righteous upon earth, that he should do always good, and never sin.—
21Also take no heed unto all the words that are spoken: lest thou hear thy servant cursing thee.
22For oftentimes also doth thy own heart know that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.—
23All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
24Far is what formerly was so, and what was deep remaineth deep: who can find it out?
25Then I turned myself about together with my heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and experience, and to know the wickedness of folly, and the foolishness of madness.
26And I find as more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are bonds: he that is deemed good before God will escape from her; but the sinner will be caught by her.
27Behold, this have I found, saith Koheleth, [adding] one to the other, to find experience,
28What my soul constantly sought, but I found it not; one man among a thousand did I find; but a woman among all these did I not find.
29Lo, this only did I find, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought for many [sinful] devices.