1 Melhor é a boa fama do que o unguento precioso, e o dia da morte, melhor do que o dia do nascimento. 2 Melhor é ir à casa onde há luto do que ir à casa onde há banquete, pois naquela se vê o fim de todos os homens; e os vivos que o tomem em consideração. 3 Melhor é a mágoa do que o riso, porque com a tristeza do rosto se faz melhor o coração. 4 O coração dos sábios está na casa do luto, mas o dos insensatos, na casa da alegria. 5 Melhor é ouvir a repreensão do sábio do que ouvir a canção do insensato. 6 Pois, qual o crepitar dos espinhos debaixo de uma panela, tal é a risada do insensato; também isto é vaidade. 7 Verdadeiramente, a opressão faz endoidecer até o sábio, e o suborno corrompe o coração. 8 Melhor é o fim das coisas do que o seu princípio; melhor é o paciente do que o arrogante. 9 Não te apresses em irar-te, porque a ira se abriga no íntimo dos insensatos. 10 Jamais digas: Por que foram os dias passados melhores do que estes? Pois não é sábio perguntar assim. 11 Boa é a sabedoria, havendo herança, e de proveito, para os que veem o sol. 12 A sabedoria protege como protege o dinheiro; mas o proveito da sabedoria é que ela dá vida ao seu possuidor. 13 Atenta para as obras de Deus, pois quem poderá endireitar o que ele torceu? 14 No dia da prosperidade, goza do bem; mas, no dia da adversidade, considera em que Deus fez tanto este como aquele, para que o homem nada descubra do que há de vir depois dele.

15 Tudo isto vi nos dias da minha vaidade: há justo que perece na sua justiça, e há perverso que prolonga os seus dias na sua perversidade. 16 Não sejas demasiadamente justo, nem exageradamente sábio; por que te destruirias a ti mesmo? 17 Não sejas demasiadamente perverso, nem sejas louco; por que morrerias fora do teu tempo? 18 Bom é que retenhas isto e também daquilo não retires a mão; pois quem teme a Deus de tudo isto sai ileso.

19 A sabedoria fortalece ao sábio, mais do que dez poderosos que haja na cidade. 20 Não há homem justo sobre a terra que faça o bem e que não peque. 21 Não apliques o coração a todas as palavras que se dizem, para que não venhas a ouvir o teu servo a amaldiçoar-te, 22 pois tu sabes que muitas vezes tu mesmo tens amaldiçoado a outros.

23 Tudo isto experimentei pela sabedoria; e disse: tornar-me-ei sábio, mas a sabedoria estava longe de mim. 24 O que está longe e mui profundo, quem o achará? 25 Apliquei-me a conhecer, e a investigar, e a buscar a sabedoria e meu juízo de tudo, e a conhecer que a perversidade é insensatez e a insensatez, loucura. 26 Achei coisa mais amarga do que a morte: a mulher cujo coração são redes e laços e cujas mãos são grilhões; quem for bom diante de Deus fugirá dela, mas o pecador virá a ser seu prisioneiro. 27 Eis o que achei, diz o Pregador, conferindo uma coisa com outra, para a respeito delas formar o meu juízo, 28 juízo que ainda procuro e não o achei: entre mil homens achei um como esperava, mas entre tantas mulheres não achei nem sequer uma. 29 Eis o que tão somente achei: que Deus fez o homem reto, mas ele se meteu em muitas astúcias.

1 A good name is better than precious oil; and the day of death, than the day of one’s birth. 2 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. 3 Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made glad. 4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. 5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools. 6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity. 7 Surely extortion maketh the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroyeth the understanding. 8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof; and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. 9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. 10 Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this. 11 Wisdom is as good as an inheritance; yea, more excellent is it for them that see the sun. 12 For wisdom is a defence, even as money is a defence; but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom preserveth the life of him that hath it. 13 Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked? 14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yea, God hath made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything that shall be after him. 15 All this have I seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his evil-doing. 16 Be not righteous overmuch; neither make thyself overwise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself? 17 Be not overmuch wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time? 18 It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from that withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth from them all. 19 Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers that are in a city. 20 Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not. 21 Also take not heed unto all words that are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee; 22 for oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others. 23 All this have I proved in wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me. 24 That which is, is far off and exceeding deep; who can find it out? 25 I turned about, and my heart was set to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason of things, and to know that wickedness is folly, and that foolishness is madness. 26 And I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her. 27 Behold, this have I found, saith the Preacher, laying one thing to another, to find out the account; 28 which my soul still seeketh, but I have not found: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found. 29 Behold, this only have I found: that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.

1 A good name is better than fine perfume, and the day of death better than the day of birth.

2 It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of everyone; the living should take this to heart.

3 Frustration is better than laughter, because a sad face is good for the heart.

4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.

5 It is better to heed the rebuke of a wise person than to listen to the song of fools.

6 Like the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of fools. This too is meaningless.

7 Extortion turns a wise person into a fool, and a bribe corrupts the heart.

8 The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride.

9 Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.

10 Do not say, "Why were the old days better than these?" For it is not wise to ask such questions.

11 Wisdom, like an inheritance, is a good thing and benefits those who see the sun.

12 Wisdom is a shelter as money is a shelter, but the advantage of knowledge is this: Wisdom preserves those who have it.

13 Consider what God has done: Who can straighten what he has made crooked?

14 When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider this: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, no one can discover anything about their future.

15 In this meaningless life of mine I have seen both of these: the righteous perishing in their righteousness, and the wicked living long in their wickedness.

16 Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise — why destroy yourself?

17 Do not be overwicked, and do not be a fool — why die before your time?

18 It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes. [^1]

19 Wisdom makes one wise person more powerful than ten rulers in a city.

20 Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins.

21 Do not pay attention to every word people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you —

22 for you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others.

23 All this I tested by wisdom and I said, "I am determined to be wise" — but this was beyond me.

24 Whatever exists is far off and most profound — who can discover it?

25 So I turned my mind to understand, to investigate and to search out wisdom and the scheme of things and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the madness of folly.

26 I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a trap and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God will escape her, but the sinner she will ensnare.

27 "Look," says the Teacher, ""this is what I have discovered: "Adding one thing to another to discover the scheme of things —

28 while I was still searching but not finding — I found one upright man among a thousand, but not one upright woman among them all.

29 This only have I found: God created mankind upright, but they have gone in search of many schemes."