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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.
The Value of 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,
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.
It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting: in that that is the end of all men, and the living taketh it to heart.
Frustration is better than laughter,
because a sad face is good for the heart.
because a sad face is good for the heart.
Vexation is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
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.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools in the house of mirth.
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.
It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise, than to hear 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.
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.
Extortion turns a wise person into a fool,
and a bribe corrupts the heart.
and a bribe corrupts the heart.
Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad, and a gift destroyeth the heart.
The end of a matter is better than its beginning,
and patience is better than pride.
and patience is better than pride.
Better is the end of a thing than its beginning; better is a patient spirit than a proud spirit.
Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit,
for anger resides in the lap of fools.
for anger resides in the lap of fools.
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be vexed; for vexation resteth in the bosom of fools.
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.
Say not, How is it that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.
Wisdom, like an inheritance, is a good thing
and benefits those who see the sun.
and benefits those who see the sun.
Wisdom is as good as an inheritance, and profitable to them that see the sun.
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.
For wisdom is a defence [as] money is a defence; but the excellency of knowledge is, [that] wisdom maketh them that possess it to live.
Consider what God has done:
Who can straighten
what he has made crooked?
Who can straighten
what he has made crooked?
Consider the work of God; for who can make straight what he hath made crooked?
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 the day of prosperity enjoy good, and in the day of adversity consider: God hath also set the one beside the other, to the end that man should find out nothing [of what shall be] after him.
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.
Limits of Human Wisdom
All [this] have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a righteous [man] that perisheth by his righteousness, and there is a wicked [man] that prolongeth [his days] by his wickedness.
All [this] have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a righteous [man] that perisheth by his righteousness, and there is a wicked [man] that prolongeth [his days] by his wickedness.
Do not be overrighteous,
neither be overwise —
why destroy yourself?
neither be overwise —
why destroy yourself?
Be not righteous overmuch; neither make thyself overwise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
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?
Be not overmuch wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from that withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God cometh forth from them all.
Wisdom makes one wise person more powerful
than ten rulers in a city.
than ten rulers in a city.
Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty [men] that are in a city.
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.
Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doeth good and sinneth not.
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 —
Also give not heed unto all words that are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee.
for you know in your heart
that many times you yourself have cursed others.
that many times you yourself have cursed others.
For also thine own heart knoweth that oftentimes thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
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.
All this have I tried by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
Whatever exists is far off and most profound —
who can discover it?
who can discover it?
Whatever hath been, is far off, and exceeding deep: who will find it out?
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.
I turned, I and my heart, to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom and reason, and to know wickedness to be folly, and foolishness to be madness;
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.
and I found more bitter than death the woman whose heart is nets and snares, [and] whose hands are bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be caught by her.
See this which I have found, saith the Preacher, [searching] one by one to find out the reason;
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.
which my soul yet seeketh, and I have not found: one man among a thousand have I found, but a woman among all those have I not found.