1A good name honorrenownreputation is better than pleasant ointment and the day of death than the day of one's birth. 2It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting. That is the end for all men and the living takes it to heart. 3Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness the appearance of the heart is made better. 4The heart feelings of the wise is in the house of mourning. The heart of fools is in the house of rejoicing. 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. 7Oppression makes a wise man foolish emotionally unstablementally ill and a bribe destroys the heart. 8Better is the end of a thing than its beginning. The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. 9Do not be quick in your spirit mindfigurative heart to be angry. Anger rests in the bosom of fools. 10Do not ask: »Why were the old days better then these?« You do not inquire wisely about this. 11Wisdom is good as an inheritance: It is an advantage to those who see the sun. 12Wisdom is a shelter just as money is a shelter. The advantage of knowledge is that wisdom gives lift to those who have it. 13Consider the work of God. Who can make straight what he has made crooked? 14In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider that God made one as well as the other, to the end that man should find nothing that comes after him. 15I have seen all things in the days of my vanity. There is a just man who perished in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolonged his life in his wickedness. 16Do not be righteous over much and do not be wise over much. Why should you destroy yourself? 17Do not be wicked over much and do not be foolish. Why should you die before your time? 18It is good that you should take hold of this and also from this not withdraw your hand, for he who respects God will come forth from them all. 19Wisdom strengthens the wise more than ten mighty men who are in the city. 20There is no man on earth who is righteous and does not sin. 21Do not pay attention to everything that is said lest you hear your servant curse you. 22Often your own heart knows you have also cursed others. 23I have tried and proved all this by wisdom. I said: »I will be wise« but it was far from me. 24That which is far off, and exceedingly deep, who can find it out? 25I applied my heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom. I looked for the explanation, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness. 26I find what was worse than death is the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands are chains. He who pleases God will escape from her. But she will capture the sinner. 27»Behold, this I have found,« says the preacher, »counting one by one to find out the account:« 28For I am still seeking and have not found. One man among a thousand I have found; but a woman among all those I have not found. 29»You see! I have found only this, that God made man upright. But they have sought out many devices schemesreasonings.«