| 1:4 |
A generation goes and a generation comes but the earth remains for everforever |
| 1:6 |
The wind blows to the south and goes roundaround to the north; roundaround and roundaround goes the wind and on its circuits the wind returns |
| 1:9 |
What has been is what will be and what has been done is what will be done; and there is nothing new under the sun |
| 1:11 |
There is no remembrance of former things nor will there be any remembrance of later things yet to happenbe among those who come after |
| 1:13 |
And I applied my mindheart to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven; itIt is an unhappy business that God has given to the sonschildren of menman to be busy with |
| 1:14 |
I have seen everything that is done under the sun; and behold all is vanity and a striving after wind |
| 1:15 |
What is crooked cannot be made straight and what is lacking cannot be numberedcounted |
| 1:16 |
I said toin myselfmy heart I have acquired great wisdom surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my mindheart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge |
| 1:17 |
And I applied my mindheart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly I perceived that this also is but a striving after wind |
| 2:1 |
I said toin myselfmy heart Come now I will maketest ayou testwith of pleasure; enjoy yourself But behold this also was vanity |
| 2:3 |
I searched with my mindheart how to cheer my body with wine—my mindheart still guiding me with wisdom—and how to lay hold on folly till I might see what was good for the sonschildren of menman to do under heaven during the few days of their life |
| 2:4 |
I made great works; I built houses and planted vineyards for myself; |
| 2:7 |
I bought male and female slaves and had slaves who were born in my house; I had also great possessions of herds and flocks more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem |
| 2:8 |
I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces; I got singers both men and women and many concubines mansthe delight of the sons of man |
| 2:9 |
So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem; alsoAlso my wisdom remained with me |
| 2:10 |
And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them; I kept my heart from no pleasure for my heart found pleasure in all my toil and this was my reward for all my toil |
| 2:11 |
Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had spentexpended in doing it and behold all was vanity and a striving after wind and there was nothing to be gained under the sun |
| 2:12 |
So I turned to consider wisdom and madness and folly; forFor what can the man do who comes after the king Only what he has already been done |
| 2:13 |
Then I saw that there is more gain in wisdom excelsthan in folly as there is more gain in light excelsthan in darkness |
| 2:14 |
The wise manperson has his eyes in his head but the fool walks in darkness; andAnd yet I perceived that onethe fatesame comesevent happens to all of them |
| 2:15 |
Then I said toin myselfmy heart What befallshappens to the fool will befallhappen to me also; whyWhy then have I been so very wise And I said toin myselfmy heart that this also is vanity |
| 2:16 |
For of the wise man as of the fool there is no enduring remembrance seeing that in the days to come all will have been long forgotten How the wise man dies just like the fool |
| 2:17 |
So I hated life because what is done under the sun was grievous to me; for all is vanity and a striving after wind |
| 2:18 |
I hated all my toil in which I hadtoil toiled under the sun seeing that I must leave it to the man who will come after me; |
| 2:19 |
and who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool Yet he will be master of all for which I toiled and used my wisdom under the sun This also is vanity |
| 2:21 |
because sometimes a manperson who has toiled with wisdom and knowledge and skill must leave alleverything to be enjoyed by asomeone man who did not toil for it This also is vanity and a great evil |
| 2:22 |
What has a man from all the toil and strainstriving of heart with which he toils beneath the sun |
| 2:23 |
For all his days are full of painsorrow and his work is a vexation; evenEven in the night his mindheart does not rest This also is vanity |
| 2:24 |
There is nothing better for a manperson than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil This also I saw is from the hand of God; |
| 2:26 |
For to the manone who pleases him God giveshas given wisdom and knowledge and joy; but to the sinner he giveshas given the workbusiness of gathering and heapingcollecting only to give to one who pleases God This also is vanity and a striving after wind |
| 3:7 |
a time to rendtear and a time to sew; a time to keep silence and a time to speak; |
| 3:10 |
I have seen the business that God has given to the sonschildren of menman to be busy with |
| 3:11 |
He has made everything beautiful in its time; alsoAlso he has put eternity into mans mindheart yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end |
| 3:12 |
I knowperceived that there is nothing better for them than to be happyjoyful and enjoyto themselvesdo good as long as they live; |
| 3:13 |
also that iteveryone is Gods gift to man that every one should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is Gods gift to man |
| 3:14 |
I knowperceived that whatever God does endures for everforever; nothing can be added to it nor anything taken from it; God has madedone it so in order that menpeople should fear before him |
| 3:17 |
I said in my heart God will judge the righteous and the wicked for hethere hasis appointed a time for every matter and for every work |
| 3:18 |
I said in my heart with regard to the sonschildren of menman that God is testing them tothat showthey themmay see that they themselves are but beasts |
| 3:19 |
For thewhat fatehappens ofto the sonschildren of menman and thewhat fatehappens ofto the beasts is the same; as one dies so dies the other They all have the same breath and man has no advantage over the beasts; for all is vanity |
| 3:20 |
All go to one place; allAll are from the dust and all turn to dust againall return |
| 3:21 |
Who knows whether the spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes down tointo the earth |
| 3:22 |
So I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should enjoyrejoice in his work for that is his lot; whoWho can bring him to see what will be after him |
| 4:1 |
Again I saw all the oppressions that are practiceddone under the sun And behold the tears of the oppressed and they had no one to comfort them On the side of their oppressors there was power and there was no one to comfort them |
| 4:2 |
And I thought the dead who are already dead more fortunate than the living who are still alive; |
| 4:3 |
butBut better than both is he who has not yet been and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun |
| 4:8 |
aone person who has no oneother either son or brother yet there is no end to all his toil and his eyes are never satisfied with riches so that he never asks For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure This also is vanity and an unhappy business |
| 4:10 |
For if they fall one will lift up his fellow; butBut woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up |
| 4:11 |
Again if two lie together they arekeep warm; but how can one bekeep warm alone |
| 4:12 |
And though a man might prevail against one who is alone two will withstand him—a A threefold cord is not quickly broken |
| 4:13 |
Better iswas a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who will no longer knew how to take advice |
| 4:14 |
evenFor though he hadwent gone from prison to the throne orthough in his own kingdom he had been born poor |
| 4:15 |
I saw all the living who move about under the sun asalong wellwith as that youth who was to stand in histhe kings place; |
| 4:16 |
thereThere was no end of all the people; heall wasof overwhom allhe ofled them Yet those who come later will not rejoice in him Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind |
| 5:1 |
Guard your steps when you go to the house of God; toTo draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know that they are doing evil |
| 5:2 |
Be not rash with your mouth nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God for God is in heaven and you uponare on earth; thereforeTherefore let your words be few |
| 5:4 |
When you vow a vow to God do not delay paying it; for he has no pleasure in fools Pay what you vow |
| 5:6 |
Let not your mouth lead you into sin and do not say before the messenger that it was a mistake; whyWhy should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands |
| 5:7 |
For when dreams increase emptyand words grow many: there is vanity; but doGod is the one you must fear God |
| 5:8 |
If you see in a province the pooroppression oppressedof andthe justicepoor and rightthe violentlyviolation takenof awayjustice and righteousness do not be amazed at the matter; for the high official is watched by a higher and there are yet higher ones over them |
| 5:9 |
But inthis allis gain for a kingland isin anevery advantageway: to a landking withcommitted to cultivated fields |
| 5:10 |
He who loves money will not be satisfied with money; nor he who loves wealth with gain:his income; this also is vanity |
| 5:11 |
When goods increase they increase who eat them; and what gainadvantage has their owner but to see them with his eyes |
| 5:12 |
Sweet is the sleep of a laborer whether he eats little or much; but the surfeitfull stomach of the rich will not let him sleep |
| 5:13 |
There is a grievous evil whichthat I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt |
| 5:14 |
and those riches were lost in a bad venture; andAnd he is father of a son but he has nothing in his hand |
| 5:15 |
As he came from his mothers womb he shall go again naked as he came and shall take nothing for his toil whichthat he may carry away in his hand |
| 5:16 |
This also is a grievous evil: just as he came so shall he go; and what gain hasis hethere thatto hehim toiledwho toils for the wind |
| 5:17 |
andMoreover spent all his days he eats in darkness and grief in much vexation and sickness and resentmentanger |
| 5:18 |
Behold what I have seen to be good and to be fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life whichthat God has given him for this is his lot |
| 5:19 |
EveryEveryone man also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them and to accept his lot and findrejoice enjoyment in his toil—this is the gift of God |
| 6:1 |
There is an evil whichthat I have seen under the sun and it lies heavy uponon menmankind: |
| 6:2 |
a man to whom God gives wealth possessions and honor so that he lacks nothing of all that he desires yet God does not give him power to enjoy them but a stranger enjoys them; thisThis is vanity; it is a soregrievous affliction evil |
| 6:3 |
If a man begetsfathers a hundred children and lives many years so that the days of his years are many but hehis doessoul is not enjoysatisfied with lifes good things and he also has no burial I say that ana untimelystillborn birthchild is better off than he |
| 6:4 |
For it comes intoin vanity and goes intoin darkness and in darkness its name is covered; |
| 6:5 |
moreoverMoreover it has not seen the sun or known anything; yet it finds rest rather than he |
| 6:6 |
Even though he should live a thousand years twice toldover yet enjoy no good—do not all go to the one place |
| 6:9 |
Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of desire;the appetite: this also is vanity and a striving after wind |
| 6:11 |
The more words the more vanity and what is man the betteradvantage to man |
| 7:1 |
A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of birth |
| 7:2 |
It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting; for this is the end of all menmankind and the living will lay it to heart |
| 7:3 |
Sorrow is better than laughter for by sadness of countenanceface the heart is made glad |
| 7:4 |
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth |
| 7:7 |
Surely oppression makesdrives the wise maninto foolishmadness and a bribe corrupts the mindheart |
| 7:8 |
Better is the end of a thing than its beginning; and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit |
| 7:9 |
Be not quick in your spirit to angerbecome angry for anger lodges in the bosomheart of fools |
| 7:12 |
For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money; and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it |
| 7:13 |
Consider the work of God;: who can make straight what he has made crooked |
| 7:14 |
In the day of prosperity be joyful and in the day of adversity consider;: God has made the one as well as the other so that man may not find out anything that will be after him |
| 7:15 |
In my vain life I have seen everything; thereThere is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his evil doing evildoing |
| 7:16 |
Be not overly righteous overmuch and do not make yourself overwise;too whywise Why should you destroy yourself |
| 7:17 |
Be not overly wicked overmuch neither be a fool; whyWhy should you die before your time |
| 7:18 |
It is good that you should take hold of this and from that withhold not your hand; for hethe one who fears God shall come forthout from both of them all |
| 7:19 |
Wisdom gives strength to the wise man more than ten rulers thatwho are in a city |
| 7:21 |
Do not givetake heed to heart all the things that menpeople say lest you hear your servant cursing you; |
| 7:22 |
yourYour heart knows that many times you yourself have yourself cursed others |
| 7:23 |
All this I have tested by wisdom; I said I will be wise; but it was far from me |
| 7:24 |
That which ishas been is far off and deep very deep; who can find it out |
| 7:25 |
I turned my mindheart to know and to search out and to seek wisdom and the sumscheme of things and to know the wickedness of folly and the foolishness whichthat is madness |
| 7:26 |
And I foundfind something more bitter than death: the woman whose heart is snares and nets and whose hands are fetters; heHe who pleases God escapes her but the sinner is taken by her |
| 7:27 |
Behold this is what I found says the Preacher while adding one thing to another to find the sumscheme of things— |
| 7:28 |
which my mindsoul has sought repeatedly but I have not found One man among a thousand I found but a woman among all these I have not found |
| 7:29 |
BeholdSee this alone I found that God made man upright but they have sought out many devicesschemes |
| 8:1 |
Who is like the wise man And who knows the interpretation of a thing A mans wisdom makes his face shine and the hardness of his countenanceface is changed |
| 8:2 |
I say: Keep the kings command and because of yourGods sacred oath beto not dismayed; him |
| 8:3 |
Be not hasty to go from his presence doDo not delaytake whenyour thestand matterin isan unpleasantevil cause for he does whatever he pleases |
| 8:5 |
HeWhoever whokeeps obeys a command will meetknow no harmevil thing and the mind of a wise manheart will know the proper time and the just way |
| 8:6 |
For everythere matteris hasa its time and a way for everything although mans trouble lies heavy uponon him |
| 8:8 |
No man has power to retain the spirit or authoritypower over the day of death; thereThere is no discharge from war nor will wickedness deliver those who are given to it |
| 8:9 |
All this I observed while applying my mindheart to all that is done under the sun whilewhen man lordshad itpower over man to his hurt |
| 8:10 |
Then I saw the wicked buried; theyThey used to go in and out of the holy place and were praised in the city where they had done such things This also is vanity |
| 8:11 |
Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily the heart of the sonschildren of menman is fully set to do evil |
| 8:12 |
Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and prolongs his life yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God because they fear before him; |
| 8:13 |
butBut it will not be well with the wicked neither will he prolong his days like a shadow because he does not fear before God |
| 8:14 |
There is a vanity whichthat takes place on earth that there are righteous menpeople to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked and there are wicked menpeople to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous I said that this also is vanity |
| 8:15 |
And I commend enjoymentjoy for man has nonothing goodbetter thing under the sun but to eat and drink and enjoybe himselfjoyful for this will go with him in his toil through the days of his life whichthat God giveshas given him under the sun |
| 8:16 |
When I applied my mindheart to know wisdom and to see the business that is done on earth how neither day nor night do ones eyes see sleep; |
| 8:17 |
then I saw all the work of God that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun However much man may toil in seeking he will not find it out; evenEven though a wise man claims to know he cannot find it out |
| 9:1 |
But all this I laid to heart examining it all how the righteous and the wise and their deeds are in the hand of God; whetherWhether it is love or hate man does not know; Everythingboth are before them is vanity him |
| 9:2 |
sinceIt oneis fatethe comessame tofor all since the same event happens to the righteous and the wicked to the good and the evil to the clean and the unclean to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice As is the good manone is so is the sinner; and he who swears is as he who shuns an oath |
| 9:3 |
This is an evil in all that is done under the sun that onethe fatesame comesevent happens to all; alsoAlso the hearts of menthe children of man are full of evil and madness is in their hearts while they live and after that they go to the dead |
| 9:5 |
For the living know that they will die but the dead know nothing and they have no more reward; butfor the memory of them is lost forgotten |
| 9:6 |
Their love and their hate and their envy have already perished and forever they have no more for ever any share in all that is done under the sun |
| 9:7 |
Go eat your bread with enjoymentjoy and drink your wine with a merry heart; for God has already approved what you do |
| 9:8 |
Let your garments be always white; letLet not oil be lacking on your head |
| 9:9 |
Enjoy life with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life whichthat he has given you under the sun because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun |
| 9:10 |
Whatever your hand finds to do do it with your might; for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol to which you are going |
| 9:11 |
Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift nor the battle to the strong nor bread to the wise nor riches to the intelligent nor favor to thethose menwith ofknowledge skill; but time and chance happen to them all |
| 9:12 |
For man does not know his time Like fish whichthat are taken in an evil net and like birds whichthat are caught in a snare so the sonschildren of menman are snared at an evil time when it suddenly falls upon them |
| 9:14 |
There was a little city with few men in it; and a great king came against it and besieged it building great siegeworks against it |
| 9:16 |
But I say that wisdom is better than might though the poor mans wisdom is despised and his words are not heededheard |
| 10:1 |
Dead flies make the perfumers ointment give off ana evil odorstench; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor |
| 10:2 |
A wise mans heart inclines him towardto the right but a fools heart towardto the left |
| 10:3 |
Even when the fool walks on the road he lacks sense and he says to everyeveryone one that he is a fool |
| 10:4 |
If the anger of the ruler rises against you do not leave your place for deferencecalmness will makelay amendsgreat foroffenses greatto offensesrest |
| 10:5 |
There is an evil whichthat I have seen under the sun as it were an error proceeding from the ruler: |
| 10:7 |
I have seen slaves on horses and princes walking on footthe ground like slaves |
| 10:8 |
He who digs a pit will fall into it; and a serpent will bite him who breaks through a wall |
| 10:9 |
He who quarries stones is hurt by them; and he who splits logs is endangered by them |
| 10:10 |
If the iron is blunt and one does not whetsharpen the edge he must putuse forth more strength; but wisdom helps one to succeed |
| 10:11 |
If the serpent bites before it is charmed there is no advantage into athe charmer |
| 10:13 |
The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness and the end of his talk is wickedevil madness |
| 10:15 |
The toil of a fool wearies him sofor that he does not know the way to the city |
| 10:17 |
Happy are you O land when your king is the son of freethe mennobility and your princes feast at the proper time for strength and not for drunkenness |
| 10:20 |
Even in your thoughtthoughts do not curse the king nor in your bedchamberbedroom curse the rich; for a bird of the air will carry your voice or some winged creature tell the matter |
| 11:2 |
Give a portion to seven or even to eight for you know not what evildisaster may happen on earth |
| 11:3 |
If the clouds are full of rain they empty themselves on the earth; and if a tree falls to the south or to the north in the place where the tree falls there it will lie |
| 11:4 |
He who observes the wind will not sow; and he who regards the clouds will not reap |
| 11:5 |
As you do not know howthe way the spirit comes to the bones in the womb of a woman with child so you do not know the work of God who makes everything |
| 11:6 |
In the morning sow your seed and at evening withhold not your hand; for you do not know which will prosper this or that or whether both alike will be good |
| 11:7 |
Light is sweet and it is pleasant for the eyes to beholdsee the sun |
| 11:8 |
ForSo if a manperson lives many years let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember that the days of darkness will be many All that comes is vanity |
| 11:9 |
Rejoice O young man in your youth and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth; walkWalk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment |
| 11:10 |
Remove vexation from your mindheart and put away pain from your body; for youth and the dawn of life are vanity |
| 12:1 |
Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth before the evil days come and the years draw nighnear whenof which you will say I have no pleasure in them; |
| 12:2 |
before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain; |
| 12:3 |
in the day when the keepers of the house tremble and the strong men are bent and the grinders cease because they are few and those thatwho look through the windows are dimmed |
| 12:4 |
and the doors on the street are shut; —when the sound of the grinding is low and one rises up at the voicesound of a bird and all the daughters of song are brought low; — |
| 12:5 |
they are afraid also of what is high and terrors are in the way; the almond tree blossoms the grasshopper drags itself along and desire fails; because man goesis going to his eternal home and the mourners go about the streets; — |
| 12:6 |
before the silver cord is snapped or the golden bowl is broken or the pitcher is brokenshattered at the fountain or the wheel broken at the cistern |
| 12:9 |
Besides being wise the Preacher also taught the people knowledge weighing and studying and arranging many proverbs with great care |
| 12:10 |
The Preacher sought to find pleasing words of delight and uprightly he wrote words of truth |
| 12:11 |
The sayingswords of the wise are like goads and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; whichthey are given by one Shepherd |
| 12:13 |
The end of the matter; all has been heard Fear God and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man |