7:1  A good name has more value than a good ointment, And the day of one's death seems better than the day of one's birth.

7:2  It seems better to go to a house of mourning Than to go to a house of feasting, Because that constitutes the end of every man, And the living takes it to heart.

7:3   Sorrow has more value than laughter, For when a face shows sadness a heart may feel happy.

7:4  The mind of the wise dwells in the house of mourning, While the mind of fools dwells in the house of pleasure.

7:5  It seems wiser to listen to the rebuke of a wise man Than for one to listen to the song of fools.

7:6  For as the crackling of thorn bushes under a pot, So sounds the laughter of the fool; And this too seems futile.

7:7  For oppression makes a wise man mad, And a bribe corrupts the heart.

7:8  The end of a matter seems better than its beginning; Patience of spirit has more value than haughtiness of spirit.

7:9  Do not show eagerness in your heart to express anger, For anger resides in the bosom of fools.

7:10  Do not say, "Why did the former days seem better than these?" For it does not emanate from wisdom that you ask about this.

7:11  Wisdom along with an inheritance proves good And an advantage to those who see the sun.

7:12   For wisdom protects just as money protects, But the advantage of knowledge comes from the insight that wisdom preserves the lives of its possessors.

7:13  Consider the work of God, For who can straighten what He has bent?

7:14  In the day of prosperity show happiness, But in the day of adversity consider-- God has made the one as well as the other So that man will not discover anything that will come after him.

7:15  I have seen everything during my lifetime of futility;a righteous man perishes in his righteousness and a wicked man prolongs his life in his wickedness.

7:16   Do not seem excessively righteous and do not seem overly wise. Why should you ruin yourself?

7:17   Do not show excessive wickedness and do not act like a fool. Why should you die before your time?

7:18  It seems good that you grasp one thing and also not let go of the other; for the one who fears God comes forth with both of them.

7:19   Wisdom strengthens a wise man more than ten rulers who live in a city.

7:20  Indeed, a righteous man does not exist on earth who continually does good and who never sins.

7:21  Also, do not take seriously all words which people speak, so that you will not hear your servant cursing you.

7:22  For you also have realized that you likewise have many times cursed others.

7:23  I tested all this with wisdom, and I said, "I will become wise," but it seemed far from me.

7:24   What has seemed remote and exceedingly mysterious Who can discover it?

7:25  I directed my mind to know, to investigate and to seek wisdom and an explanation, and to know the evil of folly and the foolishness of madness.

7:26  And I discovered more bitter than death the woman whose heart has snares and nets, whose hands seem like chains One who pleases God will escape from her, but she will capture the sinner.

7:27  "Behold, I have discovered this," says the Preacher, "adding one thing to another to find an explanation,

7:28  which I still seek but have not found. I have found one man among a thousand, but I have not found a woman among all these.

7:29   "Behold, I have found only this, that God made men upright, but they have sought out many devices."