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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.
Wisdom for Life
A good reputation is more valuable than costly perfume.
And the day you die is better than the day you are born.
A good reputation is more valuable than costly perfume.
And the day you die is better than the day you are born.
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 spend your time at funerals than at parties.
After all, everyone dies —
so the living should take this to heart.
After all, everyone dies —
so the living should take this 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.
Sorrow is better than laughter,
for sadness has a refining influence on us.
for sadness has a refining influence on us.
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.
A wise person thinks a lot about death,
while a fool thinks only about having a good time.
while a fool thinks only about having a good time.
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.
Better to be criticized by a wise person
than to be praised by a fool.
than to be praised by a fool.
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.
A fool’s laughter is quickly gone,
like thorns crackling in a fire.
This also is meaningless.
like thorns crackling in a fire.
This also is meaningless.
For oppression makes a wise man mad,
And a bribe corrupts the heart.
And a bribe corrupts the heart.
Extortion turns wise people into fools,
and bribes corrupt the heart.
and bribes corrupt 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.
Finishing is better than starting.
Patience is better than pride.
Patience is better than pride.
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.
Control your temper,
for anger labels you a fool.
for anger labels you a fool.
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.
Don’t long for “the good old days.”
This is not wise.
This is not wise.
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 even better when you have money.
Both are a benefit as you go through life.
Both are a benefit as you go through life.
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.
Wisdom and money can get you almost anything,
but only wisdom can save your life.
but only wisdom can save your life.
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?
Accept the way God does things,
for who can straighten what he has made crooked?
for who can straighten 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.
Enjoy prosperity while you can,
but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God.
Remember that nothing is certain in this life.
but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God.
Remember that nothing is certain in this life.
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.
The Limits of Human Wisdom
I have seen everything in this meaningless life, including the death of good young people and the long life of wicked people.
Do not be excessively righteous and do not be overly wise. Why should you ruin yourself?
So don’t be too good or too wise! Why destroy yourself?
Do not be excessively wicked and do not be a fool. Why should you die before your time?
On the other hand, don’t be too wicked either. Don’t be a fool! Why 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.
One wise person is stronger than ten leading citizens of a town!
Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins.
Not a single person on earth is always good and never sins.
Also, do not take seriously all words which are spoken, so that you will not hear your servant cursing you.
Don’t eavesdrop on others — you may hear your servant curse you.
For you also have realized that you likewise have many times cursed others.
For you know how often you yourself have cursed others.
I tested all this with wisdom, and I said, “I will be wise,” but it was far from me.
I have always tried my best to let wisdom guide my thoughts and actions. I said to myself, “I am determined to be wise.” But it didn’t work.
What has been is remote and exceedingly mysterious. Who can discover it?
Wisdom is always distant and difficult to find.
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 searched everywhere, determined to find wisdom and to understand the reason for things. I was determined to prove to myself that wickedness is stupid and that foolishness is 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,
“This is my conclusion,” says the Teacher. “I discovered this after looking at the matter from every possible angle.
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.
Though I have searched repeatedly, I have not found what I was looking for. Only one out of a thousand men is virtuous, but not one woman!