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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.
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,
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.
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.
Frustration is better than laughter,
because a sad face is good for the heart.
because a sad face is good for the heart.
Sorrow is better than laughter,
for sadness has a refining influence on us.
for sadness has a refining influence on us.
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.
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 heed the rebuke of a wise person
than to listen to the song of fools.
than 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.
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.
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.
Extortion turns a wise person into a fool,
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,
and patience is better than pride.
and patience is better than pride.
Finishing is better than starting.
Patience is better than pride.
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.
Control your temper,
for anger labels you a fool.
for anger labels you a fool.
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.
Don’t long for “the good old days.”
This is not wise.
This is not wise.
Wisdom, like an inheritance, is a good thing
and benefits those who see the sun.
and benefits 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.
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.
Wisdom and money can get you almost anything,
but only wisdom can save your life.
but only wisdom can save your life.
Consider what God has done:
Who can straighten
what he has made crooked?
Who can straighten
what he has made crooked?
Accept the way God does things,
for who can straighten what he has made crooked?
for who can straighten what he has 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.
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.
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.
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 overrighteous,
neither be overwise —
why destroy yourself?
neither be overwise —
why destroy yourself?
So don’t be too good or too wise! Why destroy yourself?
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?
On the other hand, don’t be too wicked either. Don’t be a fool! Why die before your time?
Wisdom makes one wise person more powerful
than ten rulers in a city.
than ten rulers in a city.
One wise person is stronger than ten leading citizens of a town!
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.
Not a single person on earth is always good and never sins.
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 —
Don’t eavesdrop on others — you may hear your servant curse you.
for you know in your heart
that many times you yourself have cursed others.
that many times you yourself have cursed others.
For you know how often you yourself have 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.
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.
Whatever exists is far off and most profound —
who can discover it?
who can discover it?
Wisdom is always distant and difficult to find.
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 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.
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.
“This is my conclusion,” says the Teacher. “I discovered this after looking at the matter from every possible angle.
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.
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!