Wise Sayings

A good name is better than fine perfume,(A)
and the day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth.(B)
It is better to go to a house of mourning
than to go to a house of feasting,
since that is the end of all mankind,
and the living should take it to heart.(C)
Grief is better than laughter,
for when a face is sad, a heart may be glad.(D)
The heart of the wise is in a house of mourning,
but the heart of fools is in a house of pleasure.
It is better to listen to rebuke from a wise person
than to listen to the song of fools,(E)
for like the crackling of burning thorns under the pot,(F)
so is the laughter of the fool.
This too is futile.

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Lessons for Life

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.
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.
Sorrow is better than laughter,
    because the heart is made better through trouble.
For the wise person thinks carefully when in mourning,
    but fools focus their thoughts on pleasure.
It is better to listen to a wise person’s rebuke
    than to listen to the praise[d] of fools.
For as thorns burn to heat a pot,
    so also is the laughter of the fool—
        even this is pointless.

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Notas al pie

  1. Ecclesiastes 7:1 Lit. death than
  2. Ecclesiastes 7:2 Lit. house of mourning
  3. Ecclesiastes 7:2 Lit. house of feasting
  4. Ecclesiastes 7:5 Lit. song