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The Contrast of Wisdom and Folly
A good name is better than precious ointment,
and the day of death than the day of birth.
A good name is better than precious ointment,
and the day of death than the day of birth.
Wisdom
A good name is better than fine perfume,
and the day of death better than the day of birth.
A good name is better than fine perfume,
and the day of death better than the day of birth.
It is better to go to the house of mourning
than to go to the house of feasting,
for this is the end of all mankind,
and the living will lay it to heart.
than to go to the house of feasting,
for this is the end of all mankind,
and the living will lay it to heart.
It is better to go to a house of mourning
than to go to a house of feasting,
for death is the destiny of everyone;
the living should take this to heart.
than to go to a house of feasting,
for death is the destiny of everyone;
the living should take this to heart.
Sorrow is better than laughter,
for by sadness of face the heart is made glad.
for by sadness of face the heart is made glad.
Frustration is better than laughter,
because a sad face is good for the heart.
because a sad face is good for the heart.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,
but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,
but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.
but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.
It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise
than to hear the song of fools.
than to hear the song of fools.
It is better to heed the rebuke of a wise person
than to listen to the song of fools.
than to listen to the song of fools.
Like the crackling of thorns under the pot,
so is the laughter of fools.
This too is meaningless.
so is the laughter of fools.
This too is meaningless.
Surely oppression drives the wise into madness,
and a bribe corrupts the heart.
and a bribe corrupts the heart.
Extortion turns a wise person into a fool,
and a bribe corrupts the heart.
and a bribe corrupts the heart.
Better is the end of a thing than its beginning,
and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
The end of a matter is better than its beginning,
and patience is better than pride.
and patience is better than pride.
Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit,
for anger resides in the lap of fools.
for anger resides in the lap of fools.
Say not, “Why were the former days better than these?”
For it is not from wisdom that you ask this.
For it is not from wisdom that you ask this.
Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?”
For it is not wise to ask such questions.
For it is not wise to ask such questions.
Wisdom is good with an inheritance,
an advantage to those who see the sun.
an advantage to those who see the sun.
Wisdom, like an inheritance, is a good thing
and benefits those who see the sun.
and benefits those who see the sun.
For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money,
and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.
and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.
Wisdom is a shelter
as money is a shelter,
but the advantage of knowledge is this:
Wisdom preserves those who have it.
as money is a shelter,
but the advantage of knowledge is this:
Wisdom preserves those who have it.
Consider the work of God:
who can make straight what he has made crooked?
who can make straight what he has made crooked?
Consider what God has done:
Who can straighten
what he has made crooked?
Who can straighten
what he has made crooked?
In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him.
When times are good, be happy;
but when times are bad, consider this:
God has made the one
as well as the other.
Therefore, no one can discover
anything about their future.
but when times are bad, consider this:
God has made the one
as well as the other.
Therefore, no one can discover
anything about their future.
In this meaningless life of mine I have seen both of these:
the righteous perishing in their righteousness,
and the wicked living long in their wickedness.
the righteous perishing in their righteousness,
and the wicked living long in their wickedness.
Be not overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself?
Do not be overrighteous,
neither be overwise —
why destroy yourself?
neither be overwise —
why destroy yourself?
Be not overly wicked, neither be a fool. Why should you die before your time?
Do not be overwicked,
and do not be a fool —
why die before your time?
and do not be a fool —
why die before your time?
It is good that you should take hold of this, and from that withhold not your hand, for the one who fears God shall come out from both of them.
Wisdom gives strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.
Wisdom makes one wise person more powerful
than ten rulers in a city.
than ten rulers in a city.
Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.
Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous,
no one who does what is right and never sins.
no one who does what is right and never sins.
Do not take to heart all the things that people say, lest you hear your servant cursing you.
Do not pay attention to every word people say,
or you may hear your servant cursing you —
or you may hear your servant cursing you —
Your heart knows that many times you yourself have cursed others.
for you know in your heart
that many times you yourself have cursed others.
that many times you yourself have cursed others.
All this I have tested by wisdom. I said, “I will be wise,” but it was far from me.
All this I tested by wisdom and I said,
“I am determined to be wise” —
but this was beyond me.
“I am determined to be wise” —
but this was beyond me.
That which has been is far off, and deep, very deep; who can find it out?
Whatever exists is far off and most profound —
who can discover it?
who can discover it?
I turned my heart to know and to search out and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know the wickedness of folly and the foolishness that is madness.
So I turned my mind to understand,
to investigate and to search out wisdom and the scheme of things
and to understand the stupidity of wickedness
and the madness of folly.
to investigate and to search out wisdom and the scheme of things
and to understand the stupidity of wickedness
and the madness of folly.
And I find something more bitter than death: the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are fetters. He who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is taken by her.
I find more bitter than death
the woman who is a snare,
whose heart is a trap
and whose hands are chains.
The man who pleases God will escape her,
but the sinner she will ensnare.
the woman who is a snare,
whose heart is a trap
and whose hands are chains.
The man who pleases God will escape her,
but the sinner she will ensnare.
Behold, this is what I found, says the Preacher, while adding one thing to another to find the scheme of things —
which my soul has sought repeatedly, but I have not found. One man among a thousand I found, but a woman among all these I have not found.
while I was still searching
but not finding —
I found one upright man among a thousand,
but not one upright woman among them all.
but not finding —
I found one upright man among a thousand,
but not one upright woman among them all.