^{1 Ref} Better `is' a name than good perfume, And the day of death than the day of birth.

^{2 Ref} Better to go unto a house of mourning, Than to go unto a house of banqueting, For that is the end of all men, And the living layeth `it' unto his heart.

^{3 Ref} Better `is' sorrow than laughter, For by the sadness of the face the heart becometh better.

^{4 Ref} The heart of the wise `is' in a house of mourning, And the heart of fools in a house of mirth.

^{5 Ref} Better to hear a rebuke of a wise man, Than `for' a man to hear a song of fools,

^{6 Ref} For as the noise of thorns under the pot, So `is' the laughter of a fool, even this `is' vanity.

^{7 Ref} Surely oppression maketh the wise mad, And a gift destroyeth the heart.

^{8 Ref} Better `is' the latter end of a thing than its beginning, Better `is' the patient of spirit, than the haughty of spirit.

^{9 Ref} Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry, For anger in the bosom of fools resteth.

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

^{11 Ref} Wisdom `is' good with an inheritance, And an advantage `it is' to those beholding the sun.

^{12 Ref} For wisdom `is' a defense, money `is' a defence, And the advantage of the knowledge of wisdom `is', She reviveth her possessors.

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

^{14 Ref} In 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.

^{15 Ref} The 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.

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

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

^{18 Ref} `It is' good that thou dost lay hold on this, and also, from that withdrawest not thy hand, for whoso is fearing God goeth out with them all.

^{19 Ref} The wisdom giveth strength to a wise man, more than wealth the rulers who have been in a city.

^{20 Ref} Because there is not a righteous man on earth that doth good and sinneth not.

^{21 Ref} Also to all the words that they speak give not thy heart, that thou hear not thy servant reviling thee.

^{22 Ref} For many times also hath thy heart known that thou thyself also hast reviled others.

^{23 Ref} All this I have tried by wisdom; I have said, `I am wise,' and it `is' far from me.

^{24 Ref} Far off `is' that which hath been, and deep, deep, who doth find it?

^{25 Ref} I have turned round, also my heart, to know and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and reason, and to know the wrong of folly, and of foolishness the madness.

^{26 Ref} And I am finding more bitter than death, the woman whose heart `is' nets and snares, her hands `are' bands; the good before God escapeth from her, but the sinner is captured by her.

^{27 Ref} See, this I have found, said the Preacher, one to one, to find out the reason

^{28 Ref} (that still my soul had sought, and I had not found), One man, a teacher, I have found, and a woman among all these I have not found.

^{29 Ref} See, this alone I have found, that God made man upright, and they -- they have sought out many devices.

^{1 Ref} A `good' name is better than precious oil; and the day of death, than the day of one's birth.

^{2 Ref} It 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.

^{3 Ref} Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made glad.

^{4 Ref} The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

^{5 Ref} It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.

^{6 Ref} For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.

^{7 Ref} Surely extortion maketh the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroyeth the understanding.

^{8 Ref} Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof; `and' the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

^{9 Ref} Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.

^{10 Ref} Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.

^{11 Ref} Wisdom is as good as an inheritance; yea, more excellent is it for them that see the sun.

^{12 Ref} For wisdom is a defence, even as money is a defence; but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom preserveth the life of him that hath it.

^{13 Ref} Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?

^{14 Ref} In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yea, God hath made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything `that shall be' after him.

^{15 Ref} All this have I seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth `his life' in his evil-doing.

^{16 Ref} Be not righteous overmuch; neither make thyself overwise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?

^{17 Ref} Be not overmuch wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?

^{18 Ref} It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from that withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth from them all.

^{19 Ref} Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers that are in a city.

^{20 Ref} Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

^{21 Ref} Also take not heed unto all words that are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee;

^{22 Ref} for oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.

^{23 Ref} All this have I proved in wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.

^{24 Ref} That which is, is far off and exceeding deep; who can find it out?

^{25 Ref} I turned about, and my heart `was set' to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason `of things', and to know that wickedness is folly, and that foolishness is madness.

^{26 Ref} And I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, `and' whose hands are bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.

^{27 Ref} Behold, this have I found, saith the Preacher, `laying' one thing to another, to find out the account;

^{28 Ref} which my soul still seeketh, but I have not found: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.

^{29 Ref} Behold, this only have I found: that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.