| 1 | A good name {is} better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth. |
| 2 | {It is} 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 lay {it} to his heart. |
| 3 | Sorrow {is} better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. |
| 4 | The heart of the wise {is} in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools {is} in the house of mirth. |
| 5 | {It is} better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools. |
| 6 | For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so {is} the laughter of the fool: this also {is} vanity. |
| 7 | Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart. |
| 8 | Better {is} the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: {and} the patient in spirit {is} better than the proud in spirit. |
| 9 | Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. |
| 10 | Say not thou, What is {the cause} that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this. |
| 11 | Wisdom {is} good with an inheritance: and {by it there is} profit to them that see the sun. |
| 12 | For wisdom {is} a defence, {and} money {is} a defence: but the excellency of knowledge {is, that} wisdom giveth life to them that have it. |
| 13 | Consider the work of God: for who can make {that} straight, which he hath made crooked? |
| 14 | In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him. |
| 15 | All {things} have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just {man} that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked {man} that prolongeth {his life} in his wickedness. |
| 16 | Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself? |
| 17 | Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time? |
| 18 | {It is} good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all. |
| 19 | Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty {men} which are in the city. |
| 20 | For {there is} not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not. |
| 21 | Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee: |
| 22 | For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others. |
| 23 | All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it {was} far from me. |
| 24 | That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out? |
| 25 | I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason {of things}, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness {and} madness: |
| 26 | And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart {is} snares and nets, {and} her hands {as} bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her. |
| 27 | Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, {counting} one by one, to find out the account: |
| 28 | Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found. |
| 29 | Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions. |