71A [good] name is better than precious oil; and the day of death, than the day of one’s birth.+2It 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.+3Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made glad.+4The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.+5It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.+6For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.+7Surely extortion maketh the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroyeth the understanding.+8Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof; [and] the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.+9Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.+10Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.+11Wisdom is as good as an inheritance; yea, more excellent is it for them that see the sun.+12For wisdom is a defence, even as money is a defence; but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom preserveth the life of him that hath it.+13Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?+14In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yea, God hath made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything [that shall be] after him.+
The Limits of Human Wisdom
15All this have I seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth [his life] in his evil-doing.+16Be not righteous overmuch; neither make thyself overwise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?+17Be not overmuch wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?+18It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from that withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth from them all.+19Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers that are in a city.+20Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.+21Also take not heed unto all words that are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee;+22for oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.+23All this have I proved in wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.+24That which is, is far off and exceeding deep; who can find it out?+25I 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 folly, and that foolishness is madness.+26And I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, [and] whose hands are bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.+27Behold, this have I found, saith the Preacher, [laying] one thing to another, to find out the account;+28which my soul still seeketh, but I have not found: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.+29Behold, this only have I found: that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.+
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