1. A good name is better than fine perfume, and the day of death better than the day of birth.
3. Sorrow is better than laughter, because a sad face is good for the heart.
5. It is better to heed a wise man's rebuke 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 man 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.
13. Consider what God has done: Who can straighten what he has made crooked?
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?
19. Wisdom makes one wise man more powerful than ten rulers in a city.
20. There is not a righteous man on earth 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 wisdom may be, it is far off and most profound-- who can discover it?
29. This only have I found: God made mankind upright, but men have gone in search of many schemes."