Ecclesiastes 7:10-17

¹⁰Say not thou, 'What was it, That the former days were better than these?' For thou hast not asked wisely of this.

¹¹Wisdom is good with an inheritance, And an advantage it is to those beholding the sun.

¹²For wisdom is a defense, money is a defence, And the advantage of the knowledge of wisdom is, She reviveth her possessors.

¹³See the work of God, For who is able to make straight that which He made crooked?

¹⁴In a day of prosperity be in gladness, And in a day of evil consider. Also this over-against that hath God made, To the intent that man doth not find anything after him.

¹⁵The whole I have considered in the days of my vanity. There is a righteous one perishing in his righteousness, and there is a wrong-doer prolonging himself in his wrong.

¹⁶Be not over-righteous, nor show thyself too wise, why art thou desolate?

¹⁷Do not much wrong, neither be thou a fool, why dost thou die within thy time?