Ecclesiastes 7:7-14

English Standard Version

⁷ Surely ^(A)oppression drives the wise into madness,
    and ^(B)a bribe corrupts the heart.
⁸ Better is the end of a thing than its beginning,
    and ^(C)the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
^9 (D)Be not quick in your spirit to become angry,
    ^(E)for anger lodges in the heart^[a] of fools.
¹⁰ Say not, “Why were the former days better than these?”
    For it is not from wisdom that you ask this.
¹¹ Wisdom is good with an inheritance,
    an advantage to those who ^(F)see the sun.
¹² For the protection of wisdom is like ^(G)the protection of money,
    and the advantage of knowledge is that ^(H)wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.
¹³ Consider ^(I)the work of God:
    ^(J)who can make straight what he has made crooked?