The Value of Wisdom

1A good name is above good oil, and the day of death above the day of birth.

2Good to go to the house of mourning rather than to go to the house of drinking, in that it is the end of every man; and he living shall give to his heart.

3Good is grief above laughter: for in the illness of the face the heart shall be good.

4The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; and the heart of the foolish in the house of gladness.

5Good to hear the reproof of the wise one, above a man hearing the song of the foolish:

6For as the voice of thorns under the pot, so the laughter of the foolish one. Also this is vanity.

7For oppression will make foolish the wise one; and a gift will destroy the heart.

8Good the last of a word above its beginning: good slowness of spirit above pride of spirit.

9Thou shalt not be hastened in thy spirit to be angry, for anger shall rest in the bosom of fools.

10Thou shalt not say, Why was it the former days were good above these? for thou didst not ask from wisdom concerning this.

11Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and a remainder to those seeing the sun.

12For in the shadow, wisdom; in the shadow, silver: and the excellence of knowledge is wisdom shall preserve alive those possessing it.

13See the work of God: for who shall be able to make straight what he made it crooked?

14In the day of good, be in good; and in the day of evil, see thou: also God made this over against this, to the end that man shall not find anything after him.

The Limits of Human Wisdom

15I saw all in the days of my vanity: there is a just one perishing in his justice, and there is an unjust one, being prolonged in his evil. 16Thou shalt not be greatly just; and thou shalt not be exceedingly wise: wherefore wilt thou be made desolate? 17Thou shalt not be greatly wicked, and thou shalt not be foolish: wherefore wilt thou die not in thy time? 18Good that thou shalt hold fast upon this; also from this thou shalt not lead away thy hand: for he fearing God shall come forth with all of them.

19Wisdom shall strengthen to the wise one more than ten having power which were in the city. 20For not a just man in the earth, who shall do good and not sin. 21Also to all the words that shall be spoken thou shalt not give thy heart, that thou shalt not hear thy servant cursing thee. 22For also many times thy heart knew that thou didst also curse others.

23All this I proved by wisdom: I said I will be wise, and it was removed far off from me. 24What was far off, and the depth, deep, who shall find it? 25I went round about, I and my heart, to know, and to examine, and to search out wisdom and understanding, and to know the injustice of folly, and the folly of wickedness: 26And I find bitter above death the woman that her heart it is snares and nets, her hands are bonds: the good one before God shall escape from her, and he sinning shall be taken by her.

27See, this I found, said the preacher: one to one to find understanding. 28Which yet my soul sought, and found not; one man from a thousand I found; and a woman in all these I found not. 29Only see, this I found, that God made man upright; and they sought out many purposes.