- 1
- A Good name is better then precious ointment: and the day of death, then the day of ones birth.
- 2
- It is better to goe to the house of mourning, then to goe to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men, and the liuing will lay it to his heart.
- 3
- Sorrow is better then laughter: for by the sadnesse of the countenance the heart is made better.
- 4
- The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning: but the heart of fooles is in the house of mirth.
- 5
- It is better to heare the rebuke of the wise, then for a man to heare the song of fooles.
- 6
- For as the crackling of thornes vnder a pot, so is the laughter of the foole: this also is vanitie.
- 7
- Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad: and a gift destroyeth the heart.
- 8
- Better is the ende of a thing then the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better then the proude in spirit.
- 9
- Be not hastie in thy spirit to bee angry: for anger resteth in the bosome of fooles.
- 10
- Say not thou, What is the cause that the former dayes were better then these?
For thou doest not enquire wisely concerning this.
- 11
- Wisedome is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profite to them that see the sunne.
- 12
- For wisedome is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellencie of knowledge is, that wisedome giueth life to them that haue it.
- 13
- Consider the worke of God: for who can make that straight, which hee hath made crooked?
- 14
- In the day of prosperitie be ioyfull, but in the day of aduersitie consider: God also hath set the one ouer against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.
- 15
- All things haue I seene in the dayes of my vanitie: there is a iust man that perisheth in his righteousnes, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickednes.
- 16
- Be not righteous ouer much, neither make thy selfe ouer wise: why shouldest thou destroy thy selfe?
- 17
- Be not ouermuch wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
- 18
- It is good that thou shouldest take holde of this, yea also from this withdraw not thine hand: for hee that feareth God, shall come foorth of them all.
- 19
- Wisedome strengtheneth the wise, more then ten mightie men which are in the citie.
- 20
- For there is not a iust man vpon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
- 21
- Also take no heede vnto all words that are spoken;
lest thou heare thy seruant curse thee.
- 22
- For often times also thine owne heart knoweth, that thou thy selfe likewise hast cursed others.
- 23
- All this haue I prooued by wisedome: I said, I will be wise, but it was farre from me.
- 24
- That which is farre off, and exceeding deepe, who can finde it out?
- 25
- I applyed mine heart to know, and to search, and to seeke out wisdome, and the reason of things, aud to know the wickednes of folly, euen of foolishnesse and madnesse.
- 26
- And I finde more bitter then death, the woman whose heart is snares & nets, and her handes as bands: who so pleaseth God, shall escape from her, but the sinner shall be taken by her.
- 27
- Behold, this haue I found (saith the Preacher) counting one by one to finde out the account:
- 28
- Which yet my soule seeketh, but I finde not: one man among a thousand haue I found, but a woman among all those haue I not found.
- 29
- Loe, this onely haue I found, that God hath made man vpright: but they haue sought out many inuentions.
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