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Wisdom and Folly Contrasted
A good name is better than a good ointment,
And the day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth.
A good name is better than a good ointment,
And the day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth.
The Value of Practical Wisdom
A good name is better than precious ointment,
And the day of death than the day of one’s birth;
A good name is better than precious ointment,
And the day of death than the day of one’s birth;
It is better to go to a house of mourning
Than to go to a house of feasting,
Because that is the end of every man,
And the living takes it to heart.
Than to go to a house of feasting,
Because that is the end of every man,
And the living takes it to heart.
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 take it to heart.
Than to go to the house of feasting,
For that is the end of all men;
And the living will take it to heart.
Sorrow is better than laughter,
For when a face is sad a heart may be happy.
For when a face is sad a heart may be happy.
The mind of the wise is in the house of mourning,
While the mind of fools is in the house of pleasure.
While the mind of fools is in the house of pleasure.
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.
It is better to listen to the rebuke of a wise man
Than for one to listen to the song of fools.
Than for one to listen to the song of fools.
For as the crackling of thorn bushes under a pot,
So is the laughter of the fool;
And this too is futility.
So is the laughter of the fool;
And this too is futility.
For oppression makes a wise man mad,
And a bribe corrupts the heart.
And a bribe corrupts the heart.
The end of a matter is better than its beginning;
Patience of spirit is better than haughtiness of spirit.
Patience of spirit is better than haughtiness of spirit.
The end of a thing is better than its beginning;
The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
Do not be eager in your heart to be angry,
For anger resides in the bosom of fools.
For anger resides in the bosom of fools.
Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry,
For anger rests in the bosom of fools.
For anger rests in the bosom of fools.
Do not say, “Why is it that the former days were better than these?”
For it is not from wisdom that you ask about this.
For it is not from wisdom that you ask about this.
Do not say,
“Why were the former days better than these?”
For you do not inquire wisely concerning this.
“Why were the former days better than these?”
For you do not inquire wisely concerning this.
Wisdom along with an inheritance is good
And an advantage to those who see the sun.
And an advantage to those who see the sun.
Wisdom is good with an inheritance,
And profitable to those who see the sun.
And profitable to those who see the sun.
For wisdom is protection just as money is protection,
But the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the lives of its possessors.
But the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the lives of its possessors.
Consider the work of God,
For who is able to straighten what He has bent?
For who is able to straighten what He has bent?
Consider the work of God;
For who can make straight what He has made crooked?
For who can make straight what He has made crooked?
In the day of prosperity be happy,
But in the day of adversity consider —
God has made the one as well as the other
So that man will not discover anything that will be after him.
But in the day of adversity consider —
God has made the one as well as the other
So that man will not discover anything that will be after him.
I have seen everything during my lifetime of futility; there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his wickedness.
I have seen everything in my days of vanity:
There is a just man who perishes in his righteousness,
And there is a wicked man who prolongs life in his wickedness.
There is a just man who perishes in his righteousness,
And there is a wicked man who prolongs life in his wickedness.
Do not be excessively righteous and do not be overly wise. Why should you ruin yourself?
Do not be overly righteous,
Nor be overly wise:
Why should you destroy yourself?
Nor be overly wise:
Why should you destroy yourself?
Do not be excessively wicked and do not be a fool. Why should you die before your time?
Do not be overly wicked,
Nor be foolish:
Why should you die before your time?
Nor be foolish:
Why should you die before your time?
It is good that you grasp one thing and also not let go of the other; for the one who fears God comes forth with both of them.
Wisdom strengthens a wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.
Wisdom strengthens the wise
More than ten rulers of the city.
More than ten rulers of the city.
Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins.
For there is not a just man on earth who does good
And does not sin.
And does not sin.
Also, do not take seriously all words which are spoken, so that you will not hear your servant cursing you.
Also do not take to heart everything people say,
Lest you hear your servant cursing you.
Lest you hear your servant cursing you.
For you also have realized that you likewise have many times cursed others.
For many times, also, your own heart has known
That even you have cursed others.
That even you have cursed others.
I tested all this with wisdom, and I said, “I will be wise,” but it was far from me.
What has been is remote and exceedingly mysterious. Who can discover it?
As for that which is far off and exceedingly deep,
Who can find it out?
Who can find it out?
I directed my mind to know, to investigate and to seek wisdom and an explanation, and to know the evil of folly and the foolishness of madness.
I applied my heart to know,
To search and seek out wisdom and the reason of things,
To know the wickedness of folly,
Even of foolishness and madness.
To search and seek out wisdom and the reason of things,
To know the wickedness of folly,
Even of foolishness and madness.
And I discovered more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, whose hands are chains. One who is pleasing to God will escape from her, but the sinner will be captured by her.
“Behold, I have discovered this,” says the Preacher, “adding one thing to another to find an explanation,
“Here is what I have found,” says the Preacher,
“Adding one thing to the other to find out the reason,
“Adding one thing to the other to find out the reason,
which I am still seeking but have not found. I have found one man among a thousand, but I have not found a woman among all these.
Which my soul still seeks but I cannot find:
One man among a thousand I have found,
But a woman among all these I have not found.
One man among a thousand I have found,
But a woman among all these I have not found.