Ecclesiastes 7:7 - 7:12

For oppression gives a wise man over to madness,

And a bribe destroys the heart.

Better is the end of a matter than its beginning;

Better is patience of spirit than haughtiness of spirit.

Do not be eager in your spirit to be vexed,

For vexation rests in the bosom of fools.

Do not say, “Why is it that the former days were better than these?”

For it is not from wisdom that you ask about this.

Wisdom along with an inheritance is good

And an advantage to those who see the sun.

For wisdom is a shadow of protection as money is a shadow of protection,

And the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the lives of its masters.