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¹ Better a name, than precious ointment, - and the day of death, than the day of one's birth.² Better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of banqueting, for, that, is the end of all men, - and, the living, should take it to his heart.³ Better is grief than laughter, - for, by the marring of the face, amended is the heart.⁴ The heart of the wise, is in the house of mourning, but, the heart of dullards, in the house of mirth.⁵ Better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for any man to hear the song of dullards,⁶ For, as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so, is the laughter of the dullard, - even this, then, was vanity.

⁷ For, oppression, maddeneth the wise, - and a bribe, destroyeth the understanding.⁸ Better the latter end of a thing, than the beginning thereof, - Better a patient spirit, than a haughty spirit.⁹ Do not be rash in thy spirit, to be indignant, - for, indignation, in the bosom of dullards, doth remain.¹⁰ Do not say, What hath happened, that, the former days, were better than these? for, not wisely, askest thou concerning this.

¹¹ Good is wisdom, with an inheritance, - and a profit, to such as see the sun.¹² For, a protection, is wisdom, and, a protection, is silver, - but, the advantage of knowledge, is, that, wisdom, giveth life to the possessors thereof.¹³ Consider the work of God, - for who can straighten what he hath bent?¹⁴ In the day of prosperity, be joyful, but, in the day of misfortune, consider, - Even the one equally with the other, hath God made, to the end man might find out - after him - nothing.¹⁵ Everything, had I seen, in my days of vanity, - Here was a righteous man, perishing in his righteousness, and there was a lawless man, continuing long in his wickedness.¹⁶ Do not become so very righteous, neither count thyself wise beyond measure, - wherefore shouldst thou destroy thyself?¹⁷ Do not be so very lawless, neither become thou foolish, - wherefore shouldst thou die, before thy time?¹⁸ It is well that thou shouldst lay fast hold of this, but, even from the other, do not withdraw thy hand, - for, he that revereth God, shall come forth out of them all.¹⁹ Wisdom, bringeth more strength to a wise man, than ten heroes, that are in the city.²⁰ For, as for men, there is none righteous in the earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.²¹ Moreover, not to all the words which men speak, do thou apply thy heart, - lest thou hear thine own servant reviling thee!²² For truly, many times, thy heart knoweth, - that, even thou thyself, hast reviled others.

²³ All this, have I proved by wisdom, - I said, I will be wise, but, that, was far from me.²⁴ Far away, is that which hath been, - and deep, deep, who can find it out?²⁵ Resolved, I, in my heart, to know and search out, and to seek wisdom, and a conclusion, - and to know lawlessness to be stupidity, and folly to be madness.²⁶ I, could indeed find, to be, more bitter than death, the woman, whose heart is, snares and nets, and her hands, bonds, - whoso is pleasing before God, shall escape from her, but, he that sinneth, shall be captured by her.²⁷ See! this, have I found, saith the Proclaimer counting one by one, to find a conclusion;²⁸ what my soul still sought, yet I found not, - one man out of a thousand, have I found, but, a woman among all these, have I not found.²⁹ Only, see, this, have I found, That God made man upright, but, they, have sought out many devices.