1. A good name is better than expensive perfume, and the day you die is better than the day you’re born.
2. It is better to go to a funeral than to a banquet because that is where everyone will end up. Everyone who is alive should take this to heart!
3. Sorrow is better than laughter because, in spite of a sad face, the heart can be joyful.
4. The minds of wise people think about funerals, but the minds of fools think about banquets.
5. It is better to listen to wise people who reprimand you than to fools who sing your praises.
6. The laughter of a fool is like the crackling of thorns burning under a pot. Even this is pointless.
7. Oppression can turn a wise person into a fool, and a bribe can corrupt the mind.
8. The end of something is better than its beginning. It is better to be patient than arrogant.
9. Don’t be quick to get angry, because anger is typical of fools.
10. Don’t ask, “Why were things better in the old days than they are now?” It isn’t wisdom that leads you to ask this!
11. Wisdom is as good as an inheritance. It is an advantage to everyone who sees the sun.