There is nothing better for man than to eat, drink, and enjoy his work. I have seen that even this is from God’s hand,

I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and enjoy the good life.

I have seen that there is nothing better than for a person to enjoy his activities because that is his reward. For who can enable him to see what will happen after he dies?

But better than either of them is the one who has not yet existed, who has not seen the evil activity that is done under the sun.

Better one handful with rest
than two handfuls with effort and a pursuit of the wind.

Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their efforts.

Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer pays attention to warnings.

Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Better to draw near in obedience than to offer the sacrifice as fools do, for they ignorantly do wrong.

Better that you do not vow than that you vow and not fulfill it.

A man may father a hundred children and live many years. No matter how long he lives, if he is not satisfied by good things and does not even have a proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he.

Better what the eyes see than wandering desire. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

A good name is better than fine perfume,
and the day of one’s death than the day of one’s birth.

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.

Grief is better than laughter,
for when a face is sad, a heart may be glad.

It is better to listen to rebuke from a wise person
than to listen to the song of fools,

The end of a matter is better than its beginning;
a patient spirit is better than a proud spirit.

Don’t say, “Why were the former days better than these?”
since it is not wise of you to ask this.

And I find more bitter than death the woman who is a trap, her heart a net, and her hands chains. The one who pleases God will escape her, but the sinner will be captured by her.

So I commended enjoyment because there is nothing better for man under the sun than to eat, drink, and enjoy himself, for this will accompany him in his labor during the days of his life that God gives him under the sun.

But there is hope for whoever is joined with all the living, since a live dog is better than a dead lion.

And I said, “Wisdom is better than strength, but the wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are not heeded.”

Wisdom is better than weapons of war,
but one sinner can destroy much good.