Ecclesiastes 7:4-11

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 makes the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroys the understanding.

⁸Better is the end of a thing than its beginning. The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

⁹Don’t be hasty in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools.

¹⁰Don’t say, “Why were the former days better than these?” For you do not ask wisely about this.

¹¹Wisdom is as good as an inheritance. Yes, it is more excellent for those who see the sun.