⁷ ¶ Surely oppression makes a wise man mad, and a gift destroys the heart.

⁸ Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and he who has suffered in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

⁹ Do not be hasty in thy spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools.

¹⁰ Never say, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.

¹¹ ¶ Knowledge is good with an inheritance and is the excellency of those that see the sun.

¹² For knowledge is a defence, and money is a defence; but wisdom excels in that it gives life to those that have it.

¹⁹ Wisdom strengthens the wise more than ten mighty men who are in the city.

²⁰ For surely there is not a just man upon earth that in doing good does not sin.

²¹ Also do not take to heart all the words that are spoken lest thou hear thy slave speak evil of thee:

²² For thine own heart knows that thou thyself likewise hast spoken evil of others many times.

²³ ¶ All this I have proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise, but it was far from me.

²⁴ That which has been is far off and that which is exceeding deep, who can find it out?

²⁵ I applied my heart to know and to search and to seek out wisdom and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly and the madness of error;

²⁶ and I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands are bonds; whosoever pleases God shall escape from her, but the sinner shall be held prisoner in her.

10 ¶ Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: likewise a small act of folly unto him that is esteemed for wisdom and honour.

² A wise man’s heart is at his right hand, but a fool’s heart at his left.

³ Even when the fool walks by the way, he lacks prudence, and he says unto every one that he is a fool.

⁴ ¶ If the spirit of the ruler rises up against thee, do not leave thy place; for meekness pacifies great sins.

⁵ There is another evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceeds from the ruler:

⁶ Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich are seated in a low place.

⁷ I saw slaves upon horses, and princes walking as slaves upon the earth.

⁸ He that digs a pit shall fall into it, and whosoever breaks a hedge, a serpent shall bite him.

⁹ Whosoever moves the stones shall have tribulation along with it, and he that cuts the firewood shall be endangered by it.

¹⁰ If the iron is blunt, and he does not whet the edge, then he must put forth more strength, but the advantages of wisdom excel.

¹¹ If the serpent bites without being enchanted, then the babbler is no more.

¹² ¶ The words from the mouth of the wise man are grace, but the lips of the fool will swallow up himself.

¹³ The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness, and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.

¹⁴ The fool multiplies words and says, Man cannot tell what shall be, and what shall be after him, who can tell him?

¹⁵ The labour of the foolish wearies all of them because they do not know how to go to the city.

¹⁶ ¶ Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes banquet in the morning!

¹⁷ Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season for strength, and not for drunkenness!

¹⁸ By much slothfulness the building decays, and through idleness of the hands the rain drips throughout the house.

¹⁹ The banquet is made for pleasure, and wine makes merry; but money answers all things.

²⁰ Do not curse the king, not even in thy thought; and do not curse the rich even in the secret place of thy bedchamber; for the birds of the air shall carry the voice, and those who have wings shall tell the matter.

11 ¶ Cast thy bread upon the waters, for thou shalt find it after many days.

² Give a portion to seven and even to eight, for thou dost not know what evil shall come upon the earth.

³ If the clouds are full of rain, they shall empty themselves upon the earth; and if the tree falls toward the south or toward the north, in the place where the tree falls, there it shall remain.

⁴ He that observes the wind shall not sow, and he that regards the clouds shall not reap.

⁵ As thou dost not know what is the way of the spirit nor how the bones grow in the womb of her that is with child, even so thou dost not know the works of God who makes all.

⁶ In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand; for thou knowest not which shall prosper, either this or that or whether they both shall be equally good.