Beginning
9 I have surely given my heart to all this, and to declare all this, that the righteous and the wise and their works are in the Hand of God. And no man knows either love or hatred of all that is before him.
2 All things are the same for everyone. And the same conditions are for the righteous and for the wicked, for the good and pure and for the polluted, for him who sacrifices and for him who does not sacrifice. As it is for the good, so it is for the sinner, for he who swears as for he who fears an oath.
3 This is evil among all that is done under the Sun, that there is one condition for all. Also, the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live. And after that, they go to the dead.
4 Surely, whoever is joined to all the living has hope. For it is better to be a living dog than a dead lion.
5 For the living know that they shall die, but the dead know nothing at all. Nor do they have a reward anymore. For their remembrance is forgotten.
6 Also, their love and their hatred and their envy have now perished. And they have no more part in all that is done under the Sun, forever.
7 Go. Eat your bread with joy and drink your wine with a cheerful heart! For God now accepts your works.
8 At all times, let your garments be white. And do not let oil be lacking upon your head.
9 Rejoice with the wife whom you have loved all the days of the life of your vanity, whom God has given you under the Sun, all the days of your vanity. For this is your portion in life, and in your travail in which you labor under the Sun.
10 All that your hand shall find to do, do it with all your power. For there is neither work nor invention nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave where you go.
11 I returned and I saw under the Sun that the race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong or bread to the wise or riches to men of understanding or favor to men of knowledge. But time and chance come to them all.
12 For man does not know his time. But as the fish which are taken in an evil net, and as the birds are caught in the snare, so are the children of men snared in the evil time when it falls upon them suddenly.
13 I have also seen this wisdom under the Sun. And it is great to me.
14 There was a little city, with few men in it. And a great king came against it and surrounded it and built siege ramps against it.
15 And there was found in the city a poor and wise man. And he delivered the city by his wisdom. But no one remembered this poor man.
16 Then I said, “Better is wisdom than strength.” Yet the wisdom of the poor is despised. And his words are not heard.
17 The words of the wise are more heard in quietness than the cry of him who rules among fools.
18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war. And one who sins destroys much good.
10 Dead flies cause stink and putrefy the ointment of the apothecary. So does a little folly him who is esteemed for wisdom, and for glory.
2 The heart of a wise man is at his right hand. But the heart of a fool is at his left hand.
3 And even when the fool walks along the way, his wisdom fails. And he tells everyone that he is a fool.
4 If the spirit of him who rules rises up against you, do not leave your place. For gentleness pacifies great sins.
5 There is an evil that I have seen under the Sun, as an error that proceeds from the face of him who rules.
6 Folly is set in great excellency. And the rich sit in the low place.
7 I have seen servants on horses and princes walking as servants on the ground.
8 He who digs a pit shall fall into it. And he who breaks through a hedge will be bitten by a serpent.
9 He who removes stones shall hurt himself with them. He who cuts wood shall be in danger from it.
10 If the iron is blunt, and one has not sharpened the edge, he must then put more strength to it. But wisdom is the excellence to direct a thing.
11 The serpent bites when he is not charmed. A babbler is no better.
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth have grace. But the lips of a fool devour him.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness. And the latter end of his mouth is wicked madness.
14 For the fool multiplies words. Man does not know what shall be. And who can tell him what shall be after him?
15 The labor of the foolish wearies him. For he does not know to go into the city.
16 Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, and your princes eat in the morning!
17 Blessed are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobles, and your princes eat in time, for strength and not for drunkenness.
18 By slothfulness, the roof of the house goes to decay. And by the idleness of the hands, the house drops through.
19 They prepare bread for laughter. And wine comforts the living. But silver answers all.
20 Do not curse the king (even in your thought) or curse the rich (even in your bed chamber). For the bird of the heaven shall carry the voice. And that which has wings shall tell the matter.
11 Cast your bread upon the waters. For after many days, you shall find it.
2 Give one portion to seven, and also to eight. For you do not know what evil shall be upon the Earth.
3 If the clouds are full, they will pour forth rain upon the Earth. And if the tree falls toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falls, there it shall be.
4 He who observes the wind shall not sow. And he who regards the clouds, shall not reap.
5 As you do not know which is the way of the spirit, or how the bones grow in the womb of she who is with child, so you do not know the work of God, Who works all.
6 In the morning, sow your seed. And in the evening, do not let your hand rest. For you do not know which shall prosper, this or that, or whether both alike shall be good.
7 Surely, the light is a pleasant thing. And it is a good thing to the eyes to see the Sun.
8 Though a man lives many years, he rejoices in them all. Yet, he shall remember the days of darkness, because they are many. All that comes is vanity.
9 Rejoice in your youth, O young man! And let your heart cheer yourself in the days of your youth! And walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things, God will bring you to judgment.
10 Therefore, take away grief from your heart, and make evil depart from your flesh. For childhood and youth are vanity.
12 Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, while the evil days have yet to come. Nor have the years approached in which you shall say, “I have no pleasure in them,”
2 while the Sun is not dark, nor the light, nor the moon, nor the stars. Nor do the clouds return after the rain,
3 when the keepers of the house shall tremble and the strong men shall bow themselves and the grinders shall cease (because they are few and those who look out by the windows grow dark).
4 And the doors shall be shut in the streets by the low sound of the grinding. And he shall rise up at the voice of the bird. And all the daughters of singing shall be brought low.
5 Also they shall be afraid of the high thing. And fear shall be on the way. And the almond tree shall flourish. And the grasshopper shall be a burden. And grasshopper shall be driven away. For man goes to his eternal home. And the mourners go about in the street.
6 While the silver cord is not lengthened, or the golden bowl broken, or the pitcher broken at the well, or the wheel broken at the cistern.
7 And 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 the wiser the preacher was, the more he taught the people knowledge, and caused them to hear, and searched forth, and prepared many parables.
10 The preacher sought to find out pleasant words, and an upright writing, the words of truth.
11 The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails fastened by the masters of the assemblies, which are given by one pastor.
12 And of other things besides these, my son, take note. For there is no end in making many books. And much reading is a weariness of the flesh.
13 Let us hear the end of all: Fear God and keep His Commandments. For this is the whole duty of man.
14 For God will bring every work to judgment, with every secret thing, whether it is good or evil.
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