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The Contrast of Wisdom and Folly

(A)A good name is better than precious ointment,
    and (B)the day of death than the day of birth.
It is better to go to the house of mourning
    than to go to the house of feasting,
for this is the end of all mankind,
    and the living will (C)lay it to heart.
Sorrow is better than laughter,
    (D)for by sadness of face the heart is made glad.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,
    but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
It is (E)better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise
    than to hear the song of fools.
(F)For as the crackling of (G)thorns under a pot,
    so is the laughter of the fools;
    this also is vanity.

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Enjoy Life with the One You Love

Go, (A)eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do.

(B)Let your garments be always white. Let not (C)oil be lacking on your head.

Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your (D)vain life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your (E)portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun. 10 Whatever your hand finds to do, (F)do it with your might,[a] (G)for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 9:10 Or finds to do with your might, do it