Ecclesiastes 7:1-9

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.

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.