13 man to rejoice, and to do good in his life. And also that every man should eat 14 and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God. I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him. 15 That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past. 16 And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness 17 was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there. I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work. 18 I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, 2 that God might 19 manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts. For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so 20 that a man hath no pre-eminence above a beast: for all is vanity. All go unto 21 one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth down22 ward to the earth? Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him? 4 SÖ I returned, and considered 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 2 no comforter. Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more 3 than the living which are yet alive. Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun. 4 Again, I considered all travail, and 5 every right work, that for this a man is 5 envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit. The fool 6 foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh. Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit. 7,8 Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun. There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good?-this is also vanity, yea, it is 9 a sore travail. Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for 10 their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him 11 that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Again, if 12 two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. 13 Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, 6 who will no 14 more be admonished. For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he 15 that is born in his kingdom becometh poor. I considered all the living which 16 walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead. There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him:- surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit. 5 KEEP thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do 2 evil. Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any 7 thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let 3 thy words be few. For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; 4 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 5 thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou 6 shouldest vow and not pay. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; 1 Heb. that which is driven away. 2 Or, that they might clear God, and see, &c. 3 Heb. of the sons of man that is ascending. 4 Heb. hand. 5 Heb. all the rightness of work, that this is the envy of a man from his neighbour. 6 Heb. who knoweth not to be admonished. 7 Or, word. neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error:. wherefore should God 7 be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands? For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God. 8 If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than 9 the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they. Moreover the profit of the earth is for all; the king himself is served by the field. 10 He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth 11 abundance with increase :-this is also vanity. When goods increase, they are increased that eat them; and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving 12 the beholding of them with their eyes? The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he cat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him 13 to sleep. There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches 14 kept for the owners thereof to their hurt. But those riches perish by evil 15 travail: and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand.” As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall 16 take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand. And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go and what profit hath 17 he that hath laboured for the wind? All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness. 18 Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun 3 all 19 the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion. Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of 20 God. For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart. 6 THERE is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men a man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that 2 he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil 3 disease. If a man beget an hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he 4 have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he. For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with 5 darkness. Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this hath 6 more rest than the other. Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place? 7 5 All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled. 8 For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to 9 walk before the living? Better is the sight of the eyes than the 6 wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit. 10 THAT which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is man: 11 neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he. Seeing there be 12 many things that increase vanity, what is man the better? For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun? 7A GOOD name is better than precious ointment; And the day of death than the day of one's 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. 38 Sorrow is better than laughter: For by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. 1 Heb. at the will, or, purpose. 2 Heb. there is a good which is comely, &c. 3 Heb. the number of the days. 6 Heb. walking of the soul. 7 Heb. the number of the days of the life of his vanity. 8 Or, Anger, 4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; 1 6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, 8 9 10 11 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: And the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: For anger resteth in the bosom of fools. Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? For thou dost not inquire 2 wisely concerning this. Wisdom 3 is good with an inheritance: And by it there is profit to them that see the sun. 12 For wisdom is a 4 defence, and money is a defence: For who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked? 14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, But in the day of adversity consider: God also hath 5 set the one over against the other, To the end that man should find nothing after him. 15 All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in 16 his wickedness. Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: 17 why shouldest thou destroy thyself? Be not over much wicked, neither be thou 18 foolish: why shouldest thou die 7 before thy time? It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all. 19 Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are în 20 the city. For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not. : 21 Also 8 take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant 22 curse thee for oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself like23 wise hast cursed others. All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be 24 wise; but it was far from me. That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out? 25 9 I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness 26 and madness: and I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: 10 whoso pleaseth God shall escape 27 from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her. Behold, this have I found, 28 saith the preacher, 11 counting one by one, to find out the account: which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a 29 woman among all those have I not found.Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions. 8 WHO IS as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? a man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, and 12 the boldness of his face shall be changed. 2 I counsel thee to keep the king's commandment, and that in regard of the oath 3 of God. Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he 4 doeth whatsoever pleaseth him. Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou? 1 Heb. sound. 2 Heb. out of wisdom. 3 Or, as good as an inheritance, yea, better too. 4 Heb. shadow. 5 Heb. made. 6 Heb. be desolate. 8 Heb. give not thine 9 Heb. I and my heart 10' Heb. he that is good before God. 11 Or, weighing one thing after another, to find out the reason, 12 Heb. the strength. 5 Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man's 6 heart discerneth both time and judgment. Because to every purpose there is time 7 and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him. For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him 2 when it shall be? 8 There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it. 9 All this have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is done under the sun there is a time wherein one man ruleth over another to his own hurt. 10 And so I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of the holy, and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done: -this is also vanity. 11 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the 12 heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall 13 be well with them that fear God, which fear before him: but it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God. 14 THERE is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there be just men, unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there be wicked men, to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous:15 I said that this also is vanity. Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun. 16 When I applied mine heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth: (for also there is that neither day nor night seeth sleep 17 with his eyes:) then I beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because though a man labour to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea farther; though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it. 9 For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth 2 either love or hatred by all that is before them. All things come alike to all : there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an 3 oath. This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and 4 madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead. For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope for a living dog is better than 5 a dead lion. For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is 6 forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun. 7 Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; 8 for God now accepteth thy works. Let thy garments be always white; and let 9 thy head lack no ointment. 5 Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun,-all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which 10 thou takest under the sun. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest. 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 favour to men of skill; but time and chance happen12 eth to them all. For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them. 1 Heb. shall know. 2 Or, how it shall be? 3 Or, casting off weapons. 5 Heb. See, or, Enjoy life. 13 B.C. cir. 977. This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great unto me: 14 There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king 15 against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it: Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet 16 no man remembered that same poor man. Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard. 17 18 10 2 3 4 The words of wise men are heard in quiet More than the cry of him that ruleth among fools. Wisdom is better than weapons of war: But one sinner destroyeth much good. 1 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 2 wisdom faileth him, And he saith to every one, that he is a fool. If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, Leave not thy place; For yielding pacifieth great offences. 5 There is an evil which have seen under the sun, As an error which proceedeth 3 from the ruler: 6 Folly is set 4 in great dignity, And the rich sit in low place. 7 I have seen servants upon horses, 8 9 10 11 And princes walking as servants upon the earth. And whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him. But wisdom is profitable to direct. Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; And a 5 babbler is no better. 12 The words of a wise man's mouth are 6 gracious; But the lips of a fool will swallow up himself. 13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: And the end of 7 his talk is mischievous madness. 14 A fool also 8 is full of words: A man cannot tell what shall be ; And what shall be after him, who can tell him? 15 The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, Because he knoweth not how to go to the city. 16 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, And thy princes eat in the morning! 17 Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, And thy princes eat in due season, 18 For strength, and not for drunkenness ! By much slothfulness the building decayeth; And through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through. 19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine 9 maketh merry: But money answereth all things. 20 Curse not the king, no not in thy 10 thought; And curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: 1 Heb. Flies of death. 2 Heb. heart. 3 Heb. from before. 4 Heb. in great heights. 5 Heb. the master of the tongue. 6 Heb. grace. 7 Heb. his mouth. 8 Heb. multiplieth words. 9 Heb. maketh glad the fe. 10 Or, conscience. |