1. A [good] name is better than good oil, and the day of death than the day of one's birth.
2. It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for that is the end of every man, and the living shall lay it to his heart.
3. Vexation is better than laughter, for with a stern countenance the heart will rejoice.
4. The heart of the wise is in a house of mourning, whereas the heart of the fools is in a house of joy.
5. It is better to hear the rebuke of a wise man than for a man to hear the song of the fools.
6. For as the sound of the thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of the fool, and this too is vanity.
7. For the taunt makes the wise foolish, and it destroys the understanding, which is a gift.
8. The end of a thing is better than its beginning; better the patient in spirit than the haughty in spirit.
9. Be not hasty with your spirit to become wroth, for wrath lies in the bosom of fools.
10. Do not say, "How was it that the former days were better than these?" For not out of wisdom have you asked concerning this.
11. Wisdom is good with a heritage, and it is a profit to those who see the sun.
12. For whoever is in the shade of wisdom is in the shade of money, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom gives life to its possessor.
13. See God's work, for who can straighten out what he made crooked?
14. On a day of good, be among the good, and on a day of adversity, ponder; God has made one corresponding to the other, to the end that man will find nothing after Him.
15. I have seen everything in the days of my vanity; there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who lives long in his wickedness.
16. Be not overly righteous, and be not overly wise; why should you bring desolation upon yourself?
17. Be not overly wicked, and be not a fool; why should you die before your time?
18. It is good that you should take hold of this, and also from this you shall not withdraw your hand, for he who fears God will discharge himself of them all.
19. Wisdom affords strength to the wise more than ten rulers who were in the city.
20. For there is no righteous man on earth who does good and sins not.
21. Also, take no heed of all the words that they speak, lest you hear your servant curse you.
22. For your heart knows that many times you too cursed others.
23. All this I tested with wisdom; I said, "I will become wise," but it was far from me.
24. What was is far off, and [it is] very deep, who can find it?
25. I turned about with my heart to know and to search out and to seek wisdom and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly and the foolishness and madness.
26. And I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, her hands are bonds; whoever is good in God's sight will escape from her, and a sinner will be taken by her.
27. See, this I have found, said Koheleth, adding one to another to find out the account.
28. Which my soul sought yet, but I did not find; one man out of a thousand I found, but a woman among all these I did not find.
29. See, only this one have I found, for God made man straight, but they sought many intrigues.
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