Ecclesiastes 7:1-12 ▼

1 A GOOD name is better than a precious ointment; and the day of one's death than the day of his birth.

2 It is better to go to the house of mourning than to the house of feasting; for this 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 for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear the song of fools.

6 For as the crackling of thorns burning under a pot, so is the laughter of fools; this is also vanity.

7 Surely slander destroys a wise man; and a bribe destroys the heart.

8 Better is the end of a thing than its beginning; and the patient man in humbleness is better than the proud in spirit.

9 Be not hastily angry, for anger rests in the bosom of the fools.

10 Say not, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? For you do not enquire wisely concerning this.

11 Wisdom is better than weapons; yea, it is better for those who see the light of the truth.

12 For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money; and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom gives life to him who possesses it.