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/Eccl/ - Ecclesiastes
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Song of Solomon >>
Ecclesiastes or, the Preacher
Ecclesiastes or, the Preacher
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3
To every
thing there is
a season, and a time to every purpose under the 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 get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7
A time to rend, 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 of war, and a time of peace.
9
What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?
10
I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.
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.
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.
14
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.
17
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, 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 preeminence above a beast: for all
is
vanity.
20
All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.
21
Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?
22
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
So 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.
4
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 foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.
6
Better
is
an handful
with
quietness, than both the hands full
with
travail and vexation of spirit.
7
Then I returned, and I saw vanity 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.
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 woe 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 broken.
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.
15
I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead.
16
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 evil.
2
Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter
any
thing before God: for God
is
in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.
3
For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool’s voice
is known
by multitude of words.
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 thine hands?
7
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 the highest regardeth; and
there be
higher than they.
9
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 abundance with increase: this
is
also vanity.
11
When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good
is there
to the owners thereof, saving the beholding
of them
with their eyes?
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.
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 he 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.
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.
20
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:
2
A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that 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 disease.
3
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 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 darkness.
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.
8
For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?
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 he.
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 sun?
7
A 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.
3
Sorrow
is
better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
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.
6
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so
is
the laughter of the fool: this also
is
vanity.
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.
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 cause
that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.
11
Wisdom
is
good with an inheritance: and
by it there is
profit to them that see the sun.
12
For wisdom
is
a defence,
and
money
is
a defence: but the excellency of knowledge
is, that
wisdom giveth life to them that have it.
13
Consider the work of God: 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 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 his wickedness.
16
Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
17
Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
18
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 in the city.
20
For
there is
not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
21
Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:
22
For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
23
All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it
was
far from me.
24
That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?
25
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
and
madness:
26
And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart
is
snares and nets,
and
her hands
as
bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.
27
Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher,
counting
one by one, to find out the account:
28
Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
29
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 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 of God.
3
Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him.
4
Where the word of a king
is, there is
power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou?
5
Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man’s heart discerneth both time and judgment.
6
Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man
is
great upon him.
7
For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him 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 heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.
12
Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his
days
be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him:
13
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: I said that this also
is
vanity.
15
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 with his eyes:)
17
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 further; 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 either love or hatred
by
all
that is
before them.
2
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 oath.
3
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 madness is in their heart while they live, and after that
they go
to the dead.
4
For to him that is joined to 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 any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.
6
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; for God now accepteth thy works.
8
Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment.
9
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 thou takest under the sun.
10
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 happeneth to them all.
12
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.
13
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 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 said I, Wisdom
is
better than strength: nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom
is
despised, and his words are not heard.
17
The words of wise
men are
heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.
18
Wisdom
is
better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.
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