{Ecc 7:1-11:6 ^**}

    ^7:1 A good name is better than precious oil and the day of death, than the day of birth.

    ^7:2 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.

    ^7:3 Sorrow is better than laughter, because by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made glad.

    ^7:4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of gladness.

    ^7:5 It is better to hear the rebuke of a wise man, than for a man to hear the song of fools. ^7:6 Because as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.

    ^7:7 Surely oppression makes the wise man foolish and a bribe destroys the understanding.

    ^7:8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning of it. The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

    ^7:9 Do not be hasty in your spirit to be angry, because anger rests in the bosom of fools.

    ^7:10 Do not say, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? Because you do not inquire wisely concerning this.

    ^7:11 Wisdom is as good as an inheritance, yes, it is more excellent for those who see the sun. ^7:12 Because wisdom is a defense, even as money is a defense. But the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.

    ^7:13 Consider the work of God. Because who can make that straight, which he has made crooked?

    ^7:14 Be joyful in the day of prosperity and consider in the day of adversity. Yes, God has made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything after him.

    ^7:15 All this I have seen in my days of vanity. There is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his evil-doing.

    ^7:16 Do not be over-righteous, nor show yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself? ^7:17 Do not much wrong, nor be a fool. Why should you die before your time?

    ^7:18 It is good that you should take hold of this, yes, also do not withdraw your hand from that. Because he who fears God will come out from them all.

    ^7:19 Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers that are in a city.

    ^7:20 Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth that does good and does not sin.

    ^7:21 Also do not take heed to all words that are spoken, lest you hear your servant curse you. ^7:22 Because also your own heart knows many times that you yourself likewise have cursed others.

    ^7:23 All this I have proved in wisdom. I said, I will be wise, but it was far from me. ^7:24 What is, is far off and exceedingly deep. Who can find it out?

    ^7:25 I turned about and my heart was set to know and to search out and to seek wisdom and the reason of things and to know that wickedness is stupidity and that stupidity is madness.

    ^7:26 And I find more bitter than death, the woman whose heart is snares and nets and whose hands are chains. He who pleases God will escape from her, but the sinner will be taken by her.

    ^7:27 Behold, I have found this, says the Preacher, laying one thing to another, to find out the account,^7:28 which my soul still seeks, but I have not found: among a thousand I have found one man, but among all those I have not found a woman. ^7:29 Behold, this only I have found: That God made man upright, but they have sought out many devices.