The Value of Wisdom 1 UEB A good name is better than costly perfume, and the day of death is better than the day of birth. BSB BSB: A good name is better than fine perfume, and one’s day of death is better than his day of birth.
2 UEB It is better to go to a house of mourning than to a house of feasting, for mourning comes to all people at the end of life, so living people must take this to heart. BSB BSB: It is better to enter a house of mourning than a house of feasting, since death is the end of every man, and the living should take this to heart.
3 UEB Grief is better than laughter, for after sadness of face comes gladness of heart. BSB BSB: Sorrow is better than laughter, for a sad countenance is good for the heart.
4 UEB The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of feasting. BSB BSB: The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.
5 UEB It is better to listen to the rebuke of the wise than to listen to the song of fools. BSB BSB: It is better to heed a wise man’s rebuke than to listen to the song of fools.
6 UEB For like the crackling of thorns burning under a pot, so also is the laughter of fools. This, too, is vapor. BSB BSB: For like the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This too is futile.
7 UEB Extortion certainly makes a wise man foolish, and a bribe corrupts the heart. BSB BSB: Surely extortion turns a wise man into a fool, and a bribe corrupts the heart.
8 UEB Better is the end of a matter than the beginning; and the people patient in spirit are better than the proud in spirit. BSB BSB: The end of a matter is better than the beginning, and a patient spirit is better than a proud one.
9 UEB Do not be quick to anger in your spirit, for anger resides in the hearts of fools. BSB BSB: Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger settles in the lap of a fool.
10 UEB Do not say, "Why were the days of old better than these?" For it is not because of wisdom that you ask this question. BSB BSB: Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?” For it is unwise of you to ask about this.
11 UEB Wisdom, like an inheritance, is good. It benefits those who see the sun. BSB BSB: Wisdom, like an inheritance, is good, and it benefits those who see the sun.
12 UEB For wisdom provides protection as money can provide protection, but the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom gives life to whoever has it. BSB BSB: For wisdom, like money, is a shelter, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of its owner.
13 UEB Consider the deeds of God: Who can straighten out anything he has made crooked? BSB BSB: Consider the work of God: Who can straighten what He has bent?
14 UEB When times are good, live happily in that good, but when times are bad, consider this: God has allowed both to exist side by side. For this reason, no one will find out anything that is coming after him. BSB BSB: In the day of prosperity, be joyful, but in the day of adversity, consider this: God has made one of these along with the other, so that a man cannot discover anything that will come after him.
The Limits of Human Wisdom 15 UEB I have seen many things in my meaningless days. There are righteous people who perish in spite of their righteousness, and there are wicked people who live a long life in spite of their evil. BSB BSB: In my futile life I have seen both of these: A righteous man perishing in his righteousness, and a wicked man living long in his wickedness.
16 UEB Do not be self-righteous, wise in your own eyes. Why should you destroy yourself? BSB BSB: Do not be overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself?
17 UEB Do not be too wicked or foolish. Why should you die before your time? BSB BSB: Do not be excessively wicked, and do not be a fool. Why should you die before your time?
18 UEB It is good that you should take hold of this wisdom, and that you should not let go of righteousness. For the person who fears God will meet all his obligations. BSB BSB: It is good to grasp the one and not let the other slip from your hand. For he who fears God will follow both warnings.
19 UEB Wisdom is powerful in the wise man, more than ten rulers in a city. BSB BSB: Wisdom makes the wise man stronger than ten rulers in a city.
20 UEB There is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins. BSB BSB: Surely there is no righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.
21 UEB Do not listen to every word that is spoken, because you might hear your servant curse you. BSB BSB: Do not pay attention to every word that is spoken, or you may hear your servant cursing you.
22 UEB Similarly, you know yourself that in your own heart you have often cursed others. BSB BSB: For you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others.
23 UEB All this have I proven by wisdom. I said, "I will be wise," but it was more than I could be. BSB BSB: All this I tested by wisdom, saying, “I resolve to be wise.” But it was beyond me.
24 UEB Wisdom is far off and very deep. Who can find it? BSB BSB: What exists is out of reach and very deep. Who can fathom it?
25 UEB I turned my heart to learn and examine and seek wisdom and the explanations of reality, and to understand that evil is stupid and that folly is madness. BSB BSB: I directed my mind to understand, to explore, to search out wisdom and explanations, and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the folly of madness.
26 UEB I found that more bitter than death is any woman whose heart is full of snares and nets, and whose hands are chains. Whoever pleases God will escape from her, but the sinner will be taken by her. BSB BSB: And I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a net, and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is ensnared.
27 UEB "Consider what I have discovered," says the Teacher. "I have been adding one discovery to another in order to find an explanation of reality. BSB BSB: “Behold,” says the Teacher, “I have discovered this by adding one thing to another to find an explanation.
28 UEB This is what I am still looking for, but I have not found it. I did find one righteous man among a thousand, but a woman among all those I did not find. BSB BSB: While my soul was still searching but not finding, among a thousand I have found one upright man, but among all these I have not found one such woman.
29 UEB I have discovered only this: That God created humanity upright, but they have gone away looking for many difficulties." BSB BSB: Only this have I found: I have discovered that God made mankind upright, but they have sought out many schemes.”
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.