The Value of Wisdom

1(7:3) A good name is better then a good oyntment, and the day of death, then the day that one is borne.

2(7:4) It is better to goe to the house of mourning, then to goe to the house of feasting, because this is the ende of all men: and the liuing shall lay it to his heart.

3(7:5) Anger is better then laughter: for by a sad looke the heart is made better.

4(7:6) The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning: but the heart of fooles is in the house of mirth.

5(7:7) Better it is to heare ye rebuke of a wise man, then that a man should heare the song of fooles.

6(7:8) For like ye noyse of the thornes vnder the pot, so is the laughter of the foole: this also is vanitie.

7(7:9) Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad: and the rewarde destroyeth the heart.

8(7:10) The ende of a thing is better then the beginning thereof, and the pacient in spirit is better then the proude in spirit.

9(7:11) Be not thou of an hastie spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosome of fooles.

10(7:12) Say not thou, Why is it that the former dayes were better then these? For thou doest not enquire wisely of this thing.

11(7:13) Wisedome is good with an inheritance, and excellent to them that see the sunne.

12(7:14) For man shall rest in the shadowe of wisedome, and in the shadowe of siluer: but the excellencie of the knowledge of wisedome giueth life to the possessers thereof.

13(7:15) Beholde the worke of God: for who can make straight that which he hath made crooked?

14(7:16) In the day of wealth be of good comfort, and in the day of affliction consider: God also hath made this contrary to that, to the intent that man shoulde finde nothing after him.

The Limits of Human Wisdom

15(7:17) I haue seene all things in the dayes of my vanitie: there is a iust man that perisheth in his iustice, and there is a wicked man that continueth long in his malice. 16(7:18) Be not thou iust ouermuch, neither make thy selfe ouerwise: wherefore shouldest thou be desolate? 17(7:19) Be not thou wicked ouermuch, neither be thou foolish: wherefore shouldest thou perish not in thy time? 18(7:20) It is good that thou lay hold on this: but yet withdrawe not thine hand from that: for he that feareth God, shall come forth of them all.

19(7:21) Wisedome shall strengthen the wise man more then ten mightie princes that are in ye citie. 20(7:22) Surely there is no man iust in the earth, that doeth good and sinneth not. 21(7:23) Giue not thine heart also to all ye wordes that men speake, lest thou doe heare thy seruant cursing thee. 22(7:24) For often times also thine heart knoweth that thou likewise hast cursed others.

23(7:2) All this haue I prooued by wisedome: I thought I will be wise, but it went farre from me. 24(7:26) It is farre off, what may it be? And it is a profound deepenesse, who can finde it? 25(7:27) I haue compassed about, both I and mine heart to knowe and to enquire and to search wisedome, and reason, and to knowe the wickednesse of follie, and the foolishnesse of madnesse, 26(7:28) And I finde more bitter then death the woman whose heart is as nettes and snares, and her handes, as bands: he that is good before God, shalbe deliuered from her, but the sinner shall be taken by her.

27(7:29) Beholde, sayth the Preacher, this haue I found, seeking one by one to finde the count: 28(7:30) And yet my soule seeketh, but I finde it not: I haue found one man of a thousand: but a woman among them all haue I not founde. 29(7:31) Onely loe, this haue I founde, that God hath made man righteous: but they haue sought many inuentions.