Ecclesiastes 7:6-12

English Standard Version

^6 (A)For as the crackling of ^(B)thorns under a pot,
    so is the laughter of the fools;
    this also is vanity.^[a]
7 Surely ^(C)oppression drives the wise into madness,
    and ^(D)a bribe corrupts the heart.
⁸ Better is the end of a thing than its beginning,
    and ^(E)the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
^9 (F)Be not quick in your spirit to become angry,
    ^(G)for anger lodges in the heart^[b] 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 ^(H)see the sun.
¹² For the protection of wisdom is like ^(I)the protection of money,
    and the advantage of knowledge is that ^(J)wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.