call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. 29 Many daughters have done virtuously; but thou excellest them all. ty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. 31 Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise d 30 Favour is deceitful, and beau-her in the gates. ¶ ECCLESIASTES, or the PREACHER. 13 And I gave my heart to seek HE words of the Preacher, and search out by wisdom concern Jerusalem. 2 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. 3 What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun? f4 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever. 5 The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose. E6 The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits. 7 All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again. 8 All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. k 9 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done and there is no new thing under the heaven: this sore travail bath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith. t 14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit. 15 That which is crooked cannot be made straight; and that which is wanting cannot be numbered. 16 I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge. 17 And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit. D18 For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. CHAP. II. SAID in my heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure: and behold, this also is vanity. 21 said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it? 3 I sought in my heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting my heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, til! I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life. 4 I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me f12 I the Preacher was king vineyards: over Israel in Jerusalem. 51 made me gardens and or chards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits: 6 I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees: 7 I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me; 8 I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings, and of the provinces: I gat me men-singers and women-singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts. g9 So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me. 10 And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour and this was my portion of all my labour. the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? as the fool. 17 Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit. 18 ¶ Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun : because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me. 19 And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity. 20 Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which 1 took under the sun. 21 For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil. 22 For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured un k 11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and behold, all was vanity and vex-der the sun? ation of spirit, and there was no pro-t 23 For all his days are sorrows, fit under the sun. and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity. 12 And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done. k 13 Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness. 14 The wise man's eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all. d 24 ¶ There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God. 25 For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto more than I? 26 For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight, wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit. CHAP. III. 15 Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity. k 16 For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in purpose every thing there is a season, and a time to every under the heaven: 2 A time to be born, and a timet 17 I said in my heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work. to die; a time to plant, and a time 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 get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 18 I said in my heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts. 19 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 that a man hath no pre-eminence above a beast: for all is vanity. 7 A time to rend, and a time tot 20 All go unto one place; all are sew; a time to keep silence, and a of the dust, and all turn to dust time to speak; again. 8 A time to love, and a time tot 21 Who knoweth the spirit of hate; a time of war, and a time of man that goeth upward, and the peace. spirit of the beast that goeth down9 What profit hath he that work-ward to the earth? eth in that wherein he laboureth? d 22 Wherefore I perceive that t 10 I have seen the travail, which there is nothing better, than that a God hath given to the sons of men man should rejoice in his own works; to be exercised in it. for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him? 11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end. d 12 I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life. 13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour; it is the gift of God. t14 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 was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there. CHAP. IV. fO 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 no comforter. 2 Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive. 3 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. f4 Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit. 5 The fool folleth his hands together, and cateth his own flesh. 6 Better is a handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit. 7 Then I returned, and I saw va- | fool's voice is known by multitude of words. nity under the sun. 8 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 a sore travail. f 9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. 10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow but wo to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. 11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? 12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly bro ken. f 13 ¶ Better is a poor and a wise child, than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished. 14 For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor. d 4 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. 5 Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. 6 Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thy hands? 7 For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God. t 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 the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they. f9¶ Moreover, the profit of the earth is for all the king himself is served by the field. f 10 He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase : this is also vanity. 15 I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the 11 When goods increase, they are second child that shall stand up in increased that eat them: and what his stead. good is there to the owners thereof, 16 There is no end of all the peo-saving the beholding of them with ple, even of all that have been be- their eyes? fore them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit. CHAP. V. EEP thy foot when thou go est 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 evil. 2 Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. k 3 For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and al ƒ 12 The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep. k 13 There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt. 14 But those riches perish by evil travail and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand. 15 As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand. 16 And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go and what profit hath be that hath laboured for the wind? 17 All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness. d 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 all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion. 19 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 God. 8 For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the liv ing? 9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the 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: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than be. 11 Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better? 12 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 20 For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God sun? answereth him in the joy of his heart. CHAP. VII. CHAP. VI. THERE is an evil which IA GOOD name is better than precious ointment; and the have seen under the sun, and day of death than the day of one's it is common among men. birth. 2 A man to whom God hath giv-d 2 ¶ It is better to go to the house en riches, wealth, and honour, so of mourning, than to go to the house that he wanteth nothing for his soul of feasting: for that is the end of of all that he desireth, yet God giv- all men; and the living will lay it eth him not power to eat thereof, to his heart. but a stranger eateth it: this is va-k 3 Sorrow is better than laughter : nity, and it is an evil disease. for by the sadness of the counte nance the heart is made better. 3 If a man beget a 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 have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he. 4 For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with dark ness. 5 Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this hath more rest than the other. 6 Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place? 7 All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled. 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 the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools: i 6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity. k 7 Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart. 8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof; and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit." p 9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. } 10 Say not thou, What is the 1 |