The Value of Wisdom 1 WBS A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's 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 WBS 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.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 WBS Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. BSB BSB: Sorrow is better than laughter, for a sad countenance is good for the heart.
4 WBS The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. 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 WBS It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear 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 WBS For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity. BSB BSB: For like the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This too is futile.
7 WBS Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart. BSB BSB: Surely extortion turns a wise man into a fool, and a bribe corrupts the heart.
8 WBS Better is the end of a thing than its beginning: and the patient in spirit is 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 WBS Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. BSB BSB: Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger settles in the lap of a fool.
10 WBS Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this. BSB BSB: Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?” For it is unwise of you to ask about this.
11 WBS Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun. BSB BSB: Wisdom, like an inheritance, is good, and it benefits those who see the sun.
12 WBS For wisdom is a defense, and money is a defense: but the excellence of knowledge is , that wisdom giveth life to them that have 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 WBS Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked? BSB BSB: Consider the work of God: Who can straighten what He has bent?
14 WBS In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing 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 WBS 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. 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 WBS Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldst thou destroy thyself? BSB BSB: Do not be overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself?
17 WBS Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldst thou die before thy time? BSB BSB: Do not be excessively wicked, and do not be a fool. Why should you die before your time?
18 WBS It is good that thou shouldst take hold of this; yes, also from this withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God shall escape from them all.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 WBS Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men who are in the city. BSB BSB: Wisdom makes the wise man stronger than ten rulers in a city.
20 WBS For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not. BSB BSB: Surely there is no righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.
21 WBS Also take no heed to all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee: BSB BSB: Do not pay attention to every word that is spoken, or you may hear your servant cursing you.
22 WBS For often also thy own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others. BSB BSB: For you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others.
23 WBS All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me. BSB BSB: All this I tested by wisdom, saying, “I resolve to be wise.” But it was beyond me.
24 WBS That which is far off, and exceedingly deep, who can find it out? BSB BSB: What exists is out of reach and very deep. Who can fathom it?
25 WBS I applied my 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: 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 WBS And I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoever pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall 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 WBS Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account: BSB BSB: “Behold,” says the Teacher, “I have discovered this by adding one thing to another to find an explanation.
28 WBS 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. 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 WBS Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions. 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.