Ecclesiastes

A good name [is] better than good ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.

[It is] better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting; for it [is] the end of every man; and the living will lay [it] to his heart.

Vexation [is] better than laughter; for by the sadness of the face the heart is made good.

The heart of the wise [is] in the house of mourning; but the heart of the stupid one [is] in the house of mirth.

[It is] better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.

For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so [is] the laughter of the stupid one. And this also [is] vanity.

For oppression makes a wise man mad; and a bribe destroys the heart.

Better [is] the end of a thing than its beginning; the patient in spirit [is] better than the proud in spirit.

Do not be hasty in your spirit to be angry; for vexation rests in the bosom of fools.

Do not say, Why was [it] that the former days were better than these? For you do not ask from wisdom concerning this.

Wisdom [is] good with an inheritance; yea, a gain to those who see the sun.

For wisdom [is] in a shadow; [and] silver [is] in a shadow; but the excellency of knowledge is [that] wisdom gives life to those who have it.

Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight which He has bent?

In the good day, be in good [spirit], but also consider in the evil day, [that] God has made one along with the other, so that man should not find anything after him.

All [things] I have seen in the days of my vanity; there is a just [man] who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked one who prolongs [his life] in his evil.

Do not be [too] much righteous, nor make yourself overly wise; why destroy yourself?

Do not be very evil, and do not be a fool; why should you not die in your time?

[It is] good that you should take hold of this; yea, also from this do not let your hand rest; for he who fears God shall come forth with all of them.

Wisdom makes the wise stronger than ten rulers who are in the city.

For [there is] not a just man on the earth who does good, and does not sin.

Also, do not give your heart to all the words they speak, that you not hear your servant cursing you.

For also your own heart knows that you yourself have also cursed others many times.

All this I have tested by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it [was] far from me.

That which is far off and exceeding deep, who can find it out?

And I turned my heart about, to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason [of things], and to know the wickedness of folly, and the foolishness of madness:

and I found more bitter than death the woman whose heart [is] snares and nets; her hands [are like] bands. He who is good before God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be captured by her.

Behold, I have found this, says the Preacher, [counting] one by one to find out the sum,

that my soul still seeks, but I have not found; one man among a thousand I have found, but a woman among all those I have not found.