Ecclesiastes 7:3-22

³Grief is better than laughter, for after sadness of face comes gladness of heart.

⁴The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of feasting.

⁵It is better to listen to the rebuke of the wise than to listen to the song of fools.

⁶For like the crackling of thorns burning under a pot, so also is the laughter of fools. This, too, is vapor.

⁷Extortion certainly makes a wise man foolish, and a bribe corrupts the heart.

⁸Better is the end of a matter than the beginning; and the people patient in spirit are better than the proud in spirit.

⁹Do not be quick to anger in your spirit, for anger resides in the hearts of fools.

¹⁰Do not say, “Why were the days of old better than these?” For it is not because of wisdom that you ask this question.

¹¹Wisdom, like an inheritance, is good. It benefits those who see the sun.

¹²For wisdom provides protection as money can provide protection, but the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom gives life to whoever has it.

¹³Consider the deeds of God: Who can straighten out anything he has made crooked?

¹⁴When times are good, live happily in that good, but when times are bad, consider this: God has allowed both to exist side by side. For this reason, no one will find out anything that is coming after him.

¹⁵I have seen many things in my meaningless days. There are righteous people who perish in spite of their righteousness, and there are wicked people who live a long life in spite of their evil.

¹⁶Do not be self-righteous, wise in your own eyes. Why should you destroy yourself?

¹⁷Do not be too wicked or foolish. Why should you die before your time?

¹⁸It is good that you should take hold of this wisdom, and that you should not let go of righteousness. For the person who fears God will meet all his obligations.

¹⁹Wisdom is powerful in the wise man, more than ten rulers in a city.

²⁰There is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.

²¹Do not listen to every word that is spoken, because you might hear your servant curse you.

²²Similarly, you know yourself that in your own heart you have often cursed others.