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Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes 1

1. The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

2. Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities, all is vanity.

3. What profit has man from all his labor in which he labors under the sun?

4. One generation goes, and another generation comes, but the earth abides forever.

5. The sun also arises, and the sun goes down and hastens to its place where it arises.

6. The wind goes toward the south, and turns around to the north. It turns around continually in its course, and the wind returns again to its circuits.

7. All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full. To the place from where the rivers come, there they go again.

8. All things are full of weariness, man cannot utter it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.

9. That which has been is that which shall be, and that which has been done is that which shall be done. And there is no new thing under the sun.

10. Is there a thing of which it may be said, See, this is new? It has been long ago, in the ages which were before us.

11. There is no remembrance of the former things, nor shall there be any remembrance of the latter that are to come, among those who shall come after.

12. I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.

13. And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven. It is a great tribulation that God has given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith.

14. I have seen all the works that are done under the sun, and, behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.

15. That which is crooked cannot be made straight, and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.

16. I communed with my own heart, saying, Lo, I have gotten for me great wisdom above all who were before me in Jerusalem. Yea, my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.

17. And I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also was a striving after wind.

18. For in much wisdom is much grief, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.

Ecclesiastes 2

1. I said in my heart, Come now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure. And, behold, this also was vanity.

2. I said of laughter, It is mad, and of mirth, What does it do?

3. I searched in my heart how to cheer my flesh with wine (my heart yet guiding me with wisdom), and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what it was good for the sons of men that they should do under heaven all the days of their life.

4. I made for me great works. I built for me houses. I planted for me vineyards.

5. I made for me gardens and parks, and I planted trees in them of all kinds of fruit.

6. I made for me pools of water, to water from there the forest where trees were reared.

7. I bought men-servants and maid-servants, and had servants born in my house. I also had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all who were before me in Jerusalem.

8. I also gathered for me silver and gold, and the treasure of kings and of the provinces. I got for me men-singers and women-singers, and the luxuries of the sons of men, and a wife and wives.

9. So I was great, and increased more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me.

10. And whatever my eyes desired I kept not from them. I did not withhold my heart from any joy. For my heart rejoiced because of all my labor, and this was my portion from all my labor.

11. Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labor that I had labored to do, and, behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

12. And I turned myself to behold wisdom and madness and folly. For what can the man do who comes after the king? Even that which has been done long ago.

13. Then I saw that wisdom excels folly as far as light excels darkness.

14. The wise man's eyes are in his head, and the fool walks in darkness. And yet I perceived that one event happens to them all.

15. Then I said in my heart, As it happens to the fool, so it will happen even to me, and why then was I more wise? Then I said in my heart that this also is vanity.

16. For of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no remembrance forever, seeing that in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. And how the wise man dies even as the fool!

17. So I hated life, because the work that is wrought under the sun was grievous to me. For all is vanity and a striving after wind.

18. And I hated all my labor in which I labored under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to the man who shall be after me.

19. And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have rule over all my labor in which I have labored, and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.

20. Therefore I turned about to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor in which I had labored under the sun.

21. For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skillfulness, yet he shall leave it to a man who has not labored in it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.

22. For what has a man of all his labor, and of the striving of his heart in which he labors under the sun?

23. For all his days are but sorrows, and his travail is grief, yea, even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.

24. There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God.

25. For who can eat, or who can have enjoyment, without him?

26. For to the man who pleases him God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who pleases God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

Ecclesiastes 3

1. For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:

2. a time to be born, and a time to die, a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted,

3. a time to kill, and a time to heal, a time to break down, and a time to build up,

4. a time to weep, and a time to laugh, a time to mourn, and a time to dance,

5. a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together, a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing,

6. a time to seek, and a time to lose, a time to keep, and a time to cast away,

7. a time to tear, and a time to sew, a time to keep silence, and a time to speak,

8. a time to love, and a time to hate, a time for war, and a time for peace.

9. What profit has he who works in that in which he labors?

10. I have seen the travail which God has given to the sons of men to be employed therewith.

11. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also he has set eternity in their heart, yet so that man cannot find out the work that God has done from the beginning even to the end.

12. I know that there is nothing better for them, than to rejoice, and to do good as long as they live.

13. And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labor. It is the gift of God.

14. I know that, whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be put to it, nor anything taken from it. And God has done it that men should fear before him.

15. That which is, has been long ago, and that which is to be, has long ago been. And God seeks again that which has passed away.

16. And moreover I saw under the sun, in the place of justice, that wickedness was there, and in the place of righteousness, that wickedness was there.

17. I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous man and the wicked man, for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.

18. I said in my heart, It is because of the sons of men, that God may prove them, and that they may see that they themselves are beasts.

19. For that which befalls the sons of men befalls beasts, even one thing befalls them; as the one dies, so dies the other. Yea, they all have one breath, and man has no preeminence above the beasts; for all is vanity.

20. All go to one place. All are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.

21. Who knows the spirit of man, whether it goes upward, and the spirit of the beast, whether it goes downward to the earth?

22. Therefore I saw that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his works, for that is his portion. For who shall bring him back to see what shall be after him?

Ecclesiastes 4

1. Then I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun. And, behold, the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter. And on the side of their oppressors there was power, but they had no comforter.

2. Therefore I praised the dead who have long been dead more than the living who are yet alive.

3. Yea, better than them both is him who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

4. Then I saw all labor and every skilful work, that for this a man is envied by his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

5. The fool folds his hands together, and eats his own flesh.

6. Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and striving after wind.

7. Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.

8. There is one man who is alone, and he has not a second, yea, he has neither son nor brother. Yet there is no end of all his labor, nor are his eyes satisfied with riches. For whom then, he says, do I labor, and deprive my soul of good? This also is vanity, yea, it is a great travail.

9. Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.

10. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow, but woe to him who is alone when he falls, and has not another to lift him up.

11. Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth, but how can one be warm alone?

12. And if a man prevails against him who is alone, two shall withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

13. Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who does not know how to receive admonition any more.

14. For he came forth out of prison to be king, yea, even in his kingdom he was born poor.

15. I saw all the living who walk under the sun, that they were with the youth, the second, who stood up in his stead.

16. There was no end of all the people, even of all those over whom he was. Yet those who come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind.

Ecclesiastes 5

1. Keep thy foot when thou go to the house of God, for to draw near to hear is better than to give the sacrifice of fools. For they know not that they do evil.

2. Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter anything before God. For God is in heaven, and thou upon earth. Therefore let thy words be few.

3. For a dream comes with a multitude of business, and a fool's voice with a multitude of words.

4. When thou vow a vow to God, defer not to pay it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay that which thou vow.

5. Better is it that thou should not vow, than that thou should vow and not pay.

6. Do not allow thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin, nor say thou before the agent, that is was an error. Why should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thy hands?

7. For in the multitude of dreams there are vanities, and in many words. But fear thou God.

8. If thou see the oppression of a poor man, and the violent wresting of justice and righteousness in a province, marvel not at the matter. For a man higher than the high is observing, and there are higher men than they.

9. Moreover the abundance of the land is for all. The king himself is served by the field.

10. He who loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver, nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity.

11. When goods increase, they are increased who eat them. And what advantage is there to the owner of it, except the beholding of them with his eyes?

12. The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the fullness of the rich will not allow him to sleep.

13. There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: Riches were kept by the owner of it to his hurt.

14. And those riches perish in a bad venture. And if he has begotten a son, there is nothing in his hand.

15. As he came forth from his mother's womb, naked shall he go again as he came, and shall take nothing for his labor, which he may carry away in his hand.

16. And this also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go. And what profit has he that he labored for the wind?

17. All his days also he eats in gloom, and he is greatly troubled, and has depression and anger.

18. Behold, that which I have seen to be good and to be fitting is for a man to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labor in which he labors under the sun all the days of his life which God has given him, for this is his portion.

19. Every man also to whom God has given riches and wealth, and has given him power to eat of it, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor-this is the gift of God.

20. For he shall not much remember the days of his life, because God answers him in the joy of his heart.

Ecclesiastes 6

1. There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is heavy upon men:

2. A man to whom God gives riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacks nothing for his soul of all that he desires, yet God does not give him power to eat of it, but an alien eats it. This is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

3. If a man begets a hundred sons, and lives many years so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not filled with good, and moreover he has no burial, I say, that an untimely birth is better than he.

4. For it comes in vanity, and departs in darkness, and the name of it is covered with darkness.

5. Moreover it has not seen the sun nor known it, this one has rest rather than the other.

6. Yea, though he lives a thousand years twice told, and yet enjoys no good, do not all go to one place?

7. All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.

8. For what advantage has the wise man more than the fool? What has the poor man, who knows how to walk before the living?

9. Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

10. Whatever has been, the name of it was given long ago, and it is know what man is. Neither can he contend with him who is mightier than he.

11. Since there are many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?

12. For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he spends as a shadow? For who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?

Ecclesiastes 7

1. A good name is better than precious oil, and the day of death, than the day of birth.

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 glad.

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 a wise man, 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.

7. Surely oppression makes the wise man foolish, and a bribe destroys the understanding.

8. Better is the end of a thing than the beginning of it. The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

9. Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools.

10. Say thou not, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? For thou do not inquire wisely concerning this.

11. Wisdom is as good as an inheritance, yea, it is more excellent for those who see the sun.

12. For wisdom is a defense, even as money is a defense. But the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.

13. Consider the work of God. For who can make that straight, which he has made crooked?

14. In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider. Yea, God has made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything after him.

15. All this I have seen in my days of vanity. There is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his evil-doing.

16. Be not over-righteous, nor show thyself too wise. Why should thou destroy thyself?

17. Do not much wrong, nor be thou a fool. Why should thou die before thy time?

18. It is good that thou should take hold of this, yea, also from that withdraw not thy hand. For he who fears God shall come forth from them all.

19. Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers that are in a city.

20. Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth that does good, and sins not.

21. Also do not take heed to all words that are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee.

22. For many times also thine own heart knows that thou thyself likewise have cursed others.

23. All this I have proved in wisdom. I said, I will be wise, but it was far from me.

24. That which is, is far off and exceedingly deep. Who can find it out?

25. I turned about, and my heart was set to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason of things, and to know that wickedness is folly, and that foolishness is madness.

26. And I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are chains. He who pleases God shall escape from her, but the sinner shall be taken by her.

27. Behold, I have found this, says the Preacher, laying one thing to another, to find out the account,

28. which my soul still seeks, but I have not found: among a thousand I have found one man, but among all those I have not found a woman.

29. Behold, this only I have found: That God made man upright, but they have sought out many contrivances.

Ecclesiastes 8

1. Who is as the wise man? And who knows the interpretation of a thing? A man's wisdom makes his face to shine, and the hardness of his face is changed.

2. I say, Keep the king's command, and that because of the oath of God.

3. Be not hasty to go out of his presence. Persist not in an evil matter, for he does whatever pleases him.

4. For the king's word has power, and who may say to him, What are thou doing?

5. He who keeps a commandment shall know no evil thing. And a wise man's heart discerns the time and decision.

6. For to every purpose there is a time and decision, although the distress of man is great upon him.

7. For he knows not that which shall be, for who can tell him how it shall be?

8. There is no man who has power over the spirit to retain the spirit, nor has he power over the day of death. And there is no discharge in war. Neither shall wickedness deliver him who is given to it.

9. All this I have seen, and applied my heart to every work that is done under the sun. There is a time in which one man has power over another to his hurt.

10. So I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of the holy, and they were praised in the city where they had so done. This also is vanity.

11. Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.

12. Though a sinner does evil a hundred times, and prolongs his days, yet surely I know that it shall be well with those who fear God, who fear before him.

13. But it shall not be well with a wicked man, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow, because he did not fear before God.

14. There is a vanity which is done upon the earth, that there are righteous men to whom it happens according to the work of the wicked, again, there are wicked men to whom it happens according to the work of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity.

15. Then I commended joy, because a man has no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be cheerful. For that shall abide with him in his labor all the days of his life which God has given him under the sun.

16. When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth (for also there is he who sees sleep with his eyes neither day nor night),

17. then I beheld all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. Because however much a man labors to seek it out, yet he shall not find it. Yea moreover, though a wise man thinks to know it, yet he shall not be able to find it.

Ecclesiastes 9

1. For all this I laid to my heart, even to explore all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God. No man understands, either love or hatred. All is before them.

2. All things come alike to all. There is one event to the righteous man and to the wicked man, to the good man, and to the clean man, and to the unclean man, to him who sacrifices and to him who does not sacrifice, as is the good man, so is the sinner, and he who swears, as he who fears an oath.

3. This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one event to all. Yea also, the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

4. Because to him who is joined with all the living there is hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

5. For the living know that they shall die, but the dead know not anything, nor have they any more a reward, for the memory of them is forgotten.

6. As well their love, as their hatred and their envy, has perished long ago, nor have they any more a portion forever in anything that is done under the sun.

7. Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart, for God has already accepted thy works.

8. Let thy garments be always white, and let not thy head lack oil.

9. Live joyfully with the wife whom thou love all the days of thy life of vanity, which he has given thee under the sun, all thy days of vanity. For that is thy portion in life, and in thy labor in which thou labor under the sun.

10. Whatever thy hand finds to do, do with thy might, for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, where thou go.

11. I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill, but time and chance happens to them all.

12. For man also does not know his time. As the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare, even so are the sons of men snared in an evil time when it falls suddenly upon them.

13. I have also seen wisdom under the sun this way, and it seemed great to me:

14. There was a little city, and few men within it. And there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it.

15. Now there was found in it a poor wise man. And he by his wisdom delivered the city, yet no man remembered that same poor man.

16. Then I said, Wisdom is better than strength. Nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.

17. The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the cry of him who rules among fools.

18. Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.

Ecclesiastes 10

1. Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to send forth an evil odor, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.

2. A wise man's heart is at his right hand, but a fool's heart at his left.

3. Yea also, when the fool walks by the way, his understanding fails him, and he says to everyone that he is a fool.

4. If the spirit of the ruler rises up against thee, leave not thy place, for deference allays great offenses.

5. There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as it were an error which proceeds from the ruler:

6. Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place.

7. I have seen servants upon horses, and rulers walking like servants upon the earth.

8. He who digs a pit shall fall into it, and he who breaks through a wall, a serpent shall bite him.

9. He who hews out stones shall be hurt therewith, and he who splits wood is endangered thereby.

10. If the iron be blunt, and he does not whet the edge, then he must increase strength. But wisdom is advantageous to make right.

11. If the serpent bites before it is charmed, then is there no advantage in the charmer.

12. The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool will swallow himself up.

13. The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness, and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.

14. A fool also multiplies words; yet man knows not what shall be, and that which shall be after him, who can tell him?

15. The labor of fools wearies every one of them, for he knows not how to go to the city.

16. Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy rulers feast in the morning!

17. Happy are thou, O land, when thy king is the son of noble men, and thy rulers feast in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!

18. By slothfulness the roof sinks in, and through idleness of the hands the house leaks.

19. A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes glad the life, and money answers all things.

20. Revile not the king, no, not in thy thought, and revile not the rich in thy bedchamber. For a bird of the heavens shall carry the voice, and that which has wings shall tell the matter.

Ecclesiastes 11

1. Cast thy bread upon the waters, for thou shall find it after many days.

2. Give a portion to seven, yea, even to eight, for thou know not what evil shall be upon the earth.

3. If the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth, and if a tree falls toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falls, there shall it be.

4. He who observes the wind shall not sow, and he who regards the clouds shall not reap.

5. As thou know not what is the way of the wind, nor how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child, even so thou know not the work of God who does all.

6. In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand, for thou know not which shall prosper, whether this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.

7. Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun.

8. Yea, if a man lives many years, let him rejoice in them all. But let him remember the days of darkness, for they shall be many. All that comes is vanity.

9. Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth, and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of thine eyes. But know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.

10. Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh, for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.

Ecclesiastes 12

1. Remember also thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw nigh, when thou shall say, I have no pleasure in them,

2. before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars, are darkened, and the clouds return after the rain,

3. in the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those who look out of the windows shall be darkened,

4. and the doors shall be shut in the street, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of a bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low,

5. yea, they shall be afraid of height, and terrors shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall blossom, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail, because man goes to his everlasting home, and the mourners go about the streets,

6. before the silver cord is loosed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern,

7. and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

8. Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, all is vanity.

9. And further, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge. Yea, he pondered, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.

10. The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and that which was written uprightly-words of truth.

11. The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies. They have been given from one shepherd.

12. And furthermore, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

13. This is the end of the matter, all has been heard: Fear God, and keep his commandments, for this is the whole of man.

14. For God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether good or evil.