Ecclesiastes 7:1-12 ▼

1 A good name is more worth then precious oyntment: & the day of death, is better the the day of byrth.

2 It is better to go into an house of mourning, then into a banketting house: For there is the ende of all men, and he that is liuing taketh it to heart.

3 Grauitie is better then to laugh: for when the countenaunce is heauie, the heart is refourmed.

4 The heart of the wise is in the mourning house: but the heart of the foolishe is in the house of myrth.

5 It is better to geue eare to the chastening of a wyse man, then to heare the songue of fooles:

6 For the laughyng of fooles is like the cracking of thornes vnder a pot: and that is but a vayne thing.

7 The wyse man hateth wrong dealing, and abhorreth the heart that coueteth rewardes.

8 Better is it to consider the ende of a thing then the beginning: The pacient of spirite, is better then the hye minded.

9 Be not hastyly angrie in thy minde: for wrath resteth in the bosome of fooles.

10 Say not thou, What is the cause that the dayes of the old time were better then they that be nowe? for that were no wyse question.

11 Wysdome with inheritaunce is good, yet better is it with them that without care may beholde the sunne:

12 For wysdome defendeth aswell as money, and the excellent knowledge & wysdome geueth lyfe vnto hym that hath it in possession.