Ecclesiastes 7:1-11

¹A 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.

³Vexation is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the countenance the heart may be gladdened.

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 oppression turneth a wise man into a fool; and a gift 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: 'How was it that the former days were better than these?' for it is not out of wisdom that thou inquirest concerning this.

¹¹Wisdom is good with an inheritance, yea, a profit to them that see the sun.