Ecclesiastes or, the Preacher

 1 A good ^aname is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.

 2 ¶It is better to go to the house of ^amourning, 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 Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the ^asadness of the countenance the heart is made better.

 4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

 5 It is better to hear the ^arebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.

 6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the ^alaughter of the fool: this also is ^bvanity.

 7 ¶Surely oppression maketh a wise man ^amad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.

 8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the ^apatient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

 9 Be not ^ahasty in thy spirit to be ^bangry: for ^canger resteth in the bosom of fools.

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

 11 ¶Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun.

 12 For ^awisdom is a ^bdefence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth ^clife to them that have it.

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

 14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of ^aadversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.

 15 All things have I seen in the days of my ^avanity: there is a ^bjust man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness.

 16 Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?

 17 Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?

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

 19 ^aWisdom ^bstrengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.

 20 For there is not a ^ajust man upon earth, that doeth good, and ^bsinneth not.

 21 Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:

 22 For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.

 23 ¶All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.

 24 That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?

 25 I applied mine ^aheart to know, and to search, and to seek out ^bwisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness:

 26 And I find more ^abitter than death the ^bwoman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the ^csinner shall be ^dtaken by her.

 27 Behold, this have I found, saith the ^apreacher, counting one by one, to find out the account:

 28 Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.

 29 Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many ^ainventions.