New American Bible, Revised Edition

Ecclesiastes 7:1-7 New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE)

1. A good name is better than good ointment,and the day of death than the day of birth.

2. It is better to go to the house of mourningthan to the house of feasting,For that is the end of every mortal,and the living should take it to heart.

3. Sorrow is better than laughter;when the face is sad, the heart grows wise.

4. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,but the heart of fools is in the house of merriment.

5. It is better to listen to the rebuke of the wisethan to listen to the song of fools;

6. For as the crackling of thorns under a pot,so is the fool’s laughter.This also is vanity.

7. Extortion can make a fool out of the wise,and a bribe corrupts the heart.