a
Ecclesiastes 7
2 It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
(8,6,8,6)
While others crowd the house of mirth,
and haunt the gaudy show,
Let such as would with Wisdom dwell,
frequent the house of woe.
Better to weep with those who weep,
and share th’ afflicted’s smart,
Than mix with fools in giddy joys
that cheat and wound the heart.
When virtuous sorrow clouds the face,
and tears bedim the eye,
The soul is led to solemn thought,
and wafted to the Sky.
The wise in heart revisit oft
grief’s dark sequestered cell;
The thoughtless still with levity
and mirth delight to dwell.
The noisy laughter of the fool
is like the crackling sound
Of blazing thorns, which quickly fall
in ashes to The ground.
a