Reading. Ecclesiastes 7:1-12, GNB
On: a good name-fine perfume; death is the destiny of every man (vs 2, NIV); better to heed a wise man’s rebuke than to listen to the song of fools (vs 5, NIV); a bribe corrupts the heart (vs 7, NIV); patience is better than pride (vs 8, NIV).
Wisdom is a shelter as money is a shelter, but the advantage of knowledge is this: that wisdom preserves the life of its possessor (vs 12, NIV).
Ecclesiastes 7:1-12
[1]A good reputation is better than expensive perfume; and the day you die is better than the day you are born.
[2]It is better to go to a home where there is mourning than to one where there is a party, because the living should always remind themselves that death is waiting for us all.
[3]Sorrow is better than laughter; it may sadden your face, but it sharpens your understanding.
[4]Someone who is always thinking about happiness is a fool. A wise person thinks about death.
[5]It is better to have wise people reprimand you than to have stupid people sing your praises.
[6]When a fool laughs, it is like thorns crackling in a fire. It doesn’t mean a thing.
[7]You may be wise, but if you cheat someone, you are acting like a fool. If you take a bribe, you ruin your character.
[8]The end of anything is better than its beginning.Patience is better than pride.
[9]Keep your temper under control; it is foolish to harbour a grudge.
[10]Never ask, “Oh, why were things so much better in the old days?” It’s not an intelligent question.
[11]Everyone who lives ought to be wise; it is as good as receiving an inheritance
[12]and will give you as much security as money can. Wisdom keeps you safe — this is the advantage of knowledge.