Ecclesiastes 7:1-6

International Standard Version

7 A good name exceeds the value of fine perfume,
    and the day of someone’s death exceeds the value of^[a] the day of his birth.
² It’s better to attend a funeral^[b]
    than to attend a banquet,^[c]
for everyone dies eventually,
    and the living will take this to heart.
³ Sorrow is better than laughter,
    because the heart is made better through trouble.
⁴ For the wise person thinks carefully when in mourning,
    but fools focus their thoughts on pleasure.
⁵ It is better to listen to a wise person’s rebuke
    than to listen to the praise^[d] of fools.
⁶ For as thorns burn to heat a pot,
    so also is the laughter of the fool—
        even this is pointless.