A [good] name is better than precious oil; and the day of death, than the day of one's birth.
2
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
Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made glad.
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 to 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 extortion maketh the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroyeth the understanding.
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 inquire wisely concerning this.
11
Wisdom is as good as an inheritance; yea, more excellent is it for them that see the sun.
12
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
Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?
14
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
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
Be not righteous overmuch; neither make thyself overwise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
17
Be not overmuch 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 that withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth from them all.
19
Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers that are in a city.
20
Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
21
Also take not 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 in wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
24
That which is, is far off and exceeding deep; who can find it out?
25
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
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
Behold, this have I found, saith the Preacher, [laying] one thing to another, to find out the account;
28
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
Behold, this only have I found: that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
1 [A Psalm of David.] Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.
2 Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help.
3 Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.
4 Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.
5 Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the LORD chase them.
6 Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the LORD persecute them.
7 For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul.
8 Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.
9 And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation.
10 All my bones shall say, LORD, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?
11 False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not.
12 They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul.
13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.
14 I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.
15 But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not:
16 With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.
17 Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions.
18 I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people.
19 Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.
20 For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land.
21 Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it.
22 This thou hast seen, O LORD: keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me.
23 Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord.
24 Judge me, O LORD my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me.
25 Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up.
26 Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me.
27 Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.
28 And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.
