How we cite our quotes: (Chapter:Verse)
Quote #4
Never be rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be quick to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven, and you upon earth; therefore let your words be few. For dreams come with many cares, and a fool's voice with many words. When you make a vow to God, do not delay fulfilling it; for he has no pleasure in fools. Fulfill what you vow. (NRSV 5:2-4)
Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words. When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. (KJV 5:2-4)
Even though Ecclesiastes seems to have a pretty distant idea of God, he takes God very seriously—only fools treat the vows they make to God with carelessness.
Quote #5
It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting; for this is the end of everyone, and the living will lay it to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of countenance the heart is made glad. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear the song of fools. For like the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of fools; this also is vanity. (NRSV 7:2-6)
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. Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools. For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity. (KJV 7:2-6)
This is a pretty subtle and delicate point: the wise go to learn about sorrow and suffering, but fools only want to learn about what's fun and enjoyable. But because the wise face suffering directly, they're able to enjoy life as it really is, whereas the fool has a fake enjoyment. A fool takes delight in something that isn't really life—his laughter is just like the futile sound of crackling tinder.
Quote #6
Dead flies make the perfumer's ointment give off a foul odor; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of a fool to the left. Even when fools walk on the road, they lack sense, and show to everyone that they are fools. (NRSV 10:1-3)
Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour. A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left. Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool. (KJV 10:1-3)
If you're going to have wisdom, you need to go all in. It's not that you need to stop enjoying life—far from it (as Ecclesiastes keeps saying). But you can't let a foolish and deluded attitude pollute your attempts to enjoy life. Otherwise the whole thing will fall apart.