Study Desk

A good name is better than good oil, And the day of one's death is better than the day of one's birth.

A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.

It is better to go to a house of mourning Than to go to a house of feasting, Because that is the end of every person, And the living takes it to heart.

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.

Sorrow is better than laughter, For when a face is sad a heart may be happy.

Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.

The mind of the wise is in the house of mourning, While the mind of fools is in the house of pleasure.

The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

It is better to listen to the rebuke of a wise person Than for one to listen to the song of fools.

It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.

For as the crackling of thorn bushes under a pot, So is the laughter of the fool; And this too is futility.

For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.

For oppression makes a wise person look foolish, And a bribe corrupts the heart.

Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.

The end of a matter is better than its beginning; Patience of spirit is better than arrogance of spirit.

Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

Do not be eager in your spirit to be angry, For anger resides in the heart of fools.

Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.

Do not say, "Why is it that the former days were better than these?" For it is not from wisdom that you ask about this.

Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.

Wisdom along with an inheritance is good, And an advantage to those who see the sun.

Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun.

For wisdom is protection just as money is protection, But the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom keeps its possessors alive.

For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.

Consider the work of God, For who is able to straighten what He has bent?

Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?

On the day of prosperity be happy, But on the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other So that a person will not discover anything that will come after him.

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.

I have seen everything during my lifetime of futility; there is a righteous person who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked person who prolongs his life in his wickedness.

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.

Do not be excessively righteous, and do not be overly wise. Why should you ruin yourself?

Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself ?

Do not be excessively wicked, and do not be foolish. Why should you die before your time?

Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?

It is good that you grasp one thing while not letting go of the other; for one who fears God comes out with both of them.

It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.

Wisdom strengthens a wise person more than ten rulers who are in a city.

Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.

Indeed, there is not a righteous person on earth who always does good and does not ever sin.

For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

Also, do not take seriously all the words which are spoken, so that you do not hear your servant cursing you,

Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:

for you know that even you have cursed others many times as well.

For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.

I tested all this with wisdom, and I said, "I will be wise," but wisdom was far from me.

All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.

What has been is remote and very mysterious. Who can discover it?

That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?

I directed my mind to know and to investigate, and to seek wisdom and an explanation, and to know the evil of foolishness and the foolishness of insanity.

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:

And I discovered as more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, whose hands are chains. One who is pleasing to God will escape from her, but the sinner will be captured by her.

And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.

"Behold, I have discovered this," says the Preacher, "by adding one thing to another to find an explanation,

Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account:

which I am still seeking but have not found. I have found one man among a thousand, but I have not found a woman among all these.

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.

"Behold, I have found only this, that God made people upright, but they have sought out many schemes."

Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.