The Positive Value of Negative Things and the Negative Value of Positive Things (7:1-29)

¹ A good name 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 mourning,
than 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 sadness 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 rebuke of the wise,
than for a man hear the song of fools.
⁶ For as the crackling of thorns under a pot,
so is the laughter of the fool:
this also is vanity.
⁷ Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad;
and a gift destroyeth [this] the heart.
⁸ Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof:
and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
⁹ Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry:
for anger 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 enquire wisely [from wisdom] concerning this.
¹¹ Wisdom is good with an inheritance:
and by it there is profit to them that see the sun.
¹² For wisdom is a defence,
and money is a defence:
but the excellency of knowledge is,
that wisdom giveth life have it.

¹³ Consider [this] the work of God:
for who can make that straight,
[this] which he hath made crooked?
¹⁴ In the day of prosperity be joyful,
but in the day of adversity consider:
God also hath set [this] the one over against the other,
to the end that man should find nothing [not even a speck] after him.

¹⁵ [This] -- all things -- have I seen in the days of my vanity:
there is a just 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 [this] thine hand:
for he that feareth God shall come forth [this] of them all.
¹⁹ Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.
²⁰ For there is not a just man upon earth,
that doeth good, and sinneth not.
²¹ Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken;
lest [not] thou hear [this] thy servant curse thee:
²² For oftentimes [abundant times] 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 heart to know,
and to search,
and to seek out wisdom,
and the reason of things,
and to know the wickedness of folly,
even of foolishness and madness:

²⁶ And I find more bitter than death [this]
the woman, whose [own] heart is snares and nets,
and her hands as bands:
whoso pleaseth [a good one before the face of] God shall escape from her;
but the sinner shall be taken by her.

²⁷ Behold, this have I found,
saith the preacher,
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 [this] man upright;
but they have sought out many inventions.