11  The words of the Preacher the son of David king in

Jerusalem .

 12  Vanity of vanities saith the Preacher vanity of vanities

all is vanity .

 13  What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh

under the sun .

 14  One generation passeth away and another generation cometh

but the earth abideth for ever .

 15  The sun also ariseth and the sun goeth down and hasteth to

his place where he arose .

 16  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 .

 17  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 .

 18  All things are full of labour man cannot utter it the eye

is not satisfied with seeing nor the ear filled with hearing .

 19  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 sun .

 110  Is there any thing whereof it may be said See this is new

it hath been already of old time which was before us .

 111  There is no remembrance of former things neither shall

there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those

that shall come after .

 112  I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem .

 113  And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom

concerning all things that are done under heaven this sore

travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised

therewith .

 114  I have seen all the works that are done under the sun and

behold all is vanity and vexation of spirit .

 115  That which is crooked cannot be made straight and that

which is wanting cannot be numbered .

 116  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 .

 117  And I gave my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and

folly I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit   .

 118  For in much wisdom is much grief and he that increaseth

knowledge increaseth sorrow .

* 21  I said in mine heart Go to now I will prove thee with

mirth therefore enjoy pleasure and behold this also is vanity .

 22  I said of laughter It is mad and of mirth What doeth it .

 23  I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine yet

acquainting mine heart with wisdom and to lay hold on folly till

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 .

 24  I made me great works I builded me houses I planted me

vineyards .

 25  I made me gardens and orchards and I planted trees in them

of all kind of fruits .

 26  I made me pools of water to water therewith the wood that

bringeth forth trees .

 27  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 .

 28  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 .

 29  So I was great and increased more than all that were before

me in Jerusalem also my wisdom remained with me .

 210  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 .

 211  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 vexation of spirit and there was no profit under the

sun .

 212  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 .

 213  Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly as far as light

excelleth darkness .

 214  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 .

 215  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 .

 216  For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the

fool for ever seeing that which now is in the days to come shall

all be forgotten And how dieth the wise man as the fool .

 217  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 .

 218  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 .

 219  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 showed myself wise under the sun

This is also vanity .

 220  Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all

the labour which I took under the sun .

 221  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 .

 222  For what hath man of all his labour and of the vexation of

his heart wherein he hath laboured under the sun .

 223  For all his days are sorrows and his travail grief yea his

heart taketh not rest in the night This is also vanity .

 224  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 .

 225  For who can eat or who else can hasten hereunto more than

I .

 226  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 .

* 31  To every thing there is a season and a time to every

purpose under the heaven .

 32  A time to be born and a time to die a time to plant and a

time to pluck up that which is planted .

 33  A time to kill and a time to heal a time to break down and

a time to build up .

 34  A time to weep and a time to laugh a time to mourn and a

time to dance .

 35  A time to cast away stones and a time to gather stones

together a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing .

 36  A time to get and a time to lose a time to keep and a time

to cast away .

 37  A time to rend and a time to sew a time to keep silence and

a time to speak .

 38  A time to love and a time to hate a time of war and a time

of peace .

 39  What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he

laboureth .

 310  I have seen the travail which God hath given to the sons

of men to be exercised in it .

 311  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  .

 312  I know that there is no good in them but for a man to

rejoice and to do good in his life .

 313  And also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the

good of all his labour it is the gift of God .

 314  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 .

 315  That which hath been is now and that which is to be hath

already been and God requireth that which is past .

 316  And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment

that wickedness was there and the place of righteousness that

iniquity was there .

 317  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 .

 318  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 .

 319  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 .

 320  All go unto one place all are of the dust and all turn to

dust again .

 321  Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward and the

spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth .

 322  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 .

* 41  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 .

 42  Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more

than the living which are yet alive .

 43  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 .

 44  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 .

 45  The fool foldeth his hands together and eateth his own

flesh .

 46  Better is an handful with quietness than both the hands

full with travail and vexation of spirit .

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

 48  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 alsovanity

yea it is a sore travail .

 49  Two are better than one because they have a good reward for

their labour .

 410  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 .

 411  Again if two lie together then they have heat but how can

one be warm alone .

 412  And if one prevail against him two shall withstand him and

a threefold cord is not quickly broken .

 413  Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish

king who will no more be admonished .

 414  For out of prison he cometh to reign whereas also he that

is born in his kingdom becometh poor .

 415  I considered all the living which walk under the sun with

the second child that shall stand up in his stead .

 416  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 .

* 51  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 .

 52  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 .

 53  For a dream cometh through the multitude of business and a

fool's voice is known by multitude of words .

 54  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 .

 55  Better is it that thou shouldest not vow than that thou

shouldest vow and not pay .

 56  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 .

 57  For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are

also divers vanities but fear thou God .

 58  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 .

 59  Moreover the profit of the earth is for all the king

himself is served by the field .

 510  He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver

nor he that loveth abundance with increase this is also vanity .

 511  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 .

 512  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 .

 513  There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun

namely riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt .

 514  But those riches perish by evil travail and he begetteth a

son and there is nothing in his hand .

 515  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 .

 516  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 .

 517  All his days also he eateth in darkness and he hath much

sorrow and wrath with his sickness .

 518  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 .

 519  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 .

 520  For he shall not much remember the days of his life

because God answereth him in the joy of his heart .

* 61  There is an evil which I have seen under the sun and it is

common among men .

 62  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 .

 63  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 .

 64  For he cometh in with vanity and departeth in darkness and

his name shall be covered with darkness .

 65  Moreover he hath not seen the sun nor known any thing this

hath more rest than the other .

 66  Yea though he live a thousand years twice told yet hath he

seen no good do not all go to one place .

 67  All the labour of man is for his mouth and yet the appetite

is not filled .

 68  For what hath the wise more than the fool what hath the

poor that knoweth to walk before the living .

 69  Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the

desire this is also vanity and vexation of spirit .

 610  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 .

 611  Seeing there be many things that increase vanity what is

man the better .

 612  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 .

* 71  A good name is better than precious ointment and the day  

of death than the day of one's birth .

 72  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 .

 73  Sorrow is better than laughter for by the sadness of the

countenance the heart is made better .

 74  The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning but the

heart of fools is in the house of mirth .

 75  It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise than for a man

to hear the song of fools .

 76  For as the crackling of thorns under a pot so is the

laughter of the fool this also is vanity .

 77  Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad and a gift

destroyeth the heart .

 78  Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof and

the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit .

 79  Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry for anger resteth in

the bosom of fools .

 710  Say not thou What is the cause that the former days were

better than these for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning

this .

 711  Wisdom is good with an inheritance and by it there is

profit to them that see the sun .

 712  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 .

 713  Consider the work of God for who can make that straight

which he hath made crooked .

 714  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 .

 715  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 .

 716  Be not righteous over much neither make thyself  over wise

why shouldest thou destroy thyself .

 717  Be not over much wicked neither be thou foolish why

shouldest thou die before thy time .

 718  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 .

 719  Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men

which are in the city .

 720  For there is not a just man upon earth that doeth good and

sinneth not .

 721  Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken lest thou

hear thy servant curse thee .

 722  For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou

thyself likewise hast cursed others .

 723  All this have I proved by wisdom I said I will be wise but

it was far from me .

 724  That which is far off and exceeding deep who can find it

out .

 725  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 .

 726  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 .

 727  Behold this have I found saith the preacher counting one

by one to find out the account .

 728  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 .

 729  Lo this only have I found that God hath made man upright

but they have sought out many inventions .

* 81  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 .

 82  I counsel thee to keep the king's commandment and that in

regard of the oath of God .

 83  Be not hasty to go out of his sight stand not in an evil

thing for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him .

 84  Where the word of a king is there is power and who may say

unto him What doest thou .

 85  Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing and

a wise man's heart discerneth both time and judgment .

 86  Because to every purpose there is time and judgment

therefore the misery of man is great upon him .

 87  For he knoweth not that which shall be for who can tell him

when it shall be .

 88  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 .

 89  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 .

 810  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 .

 811  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 .

 812  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 .

 813  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 .

 814  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 .

 815  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 .

 816  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 .

 817  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 .

* 91  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 .

 92  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 .

 93  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 .

 94  For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope

for a living dog is better than a dead lion .

 95  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 .

 96  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 .

 97  Go thy way eat thy bread with joy and drink thy wine with a

merry heart for God now accepteth thy works .

 98  Let thy garments be always white and let thy head lack no

ointment .

 99  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   .

 910  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 .

 911  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 .

 912  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 .

 913  This wisdom have I seen also under the sun and it seemed

great unto me .

 914  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 .

 915  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 .

 916  Then said I Wisdom is better than strength nevertheless

the poor man's wisdom is despised and his words are not heard .

 917  The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry

of him that ruleth among fools .

 918  Wisdom is better than weapons of war but one sinner

destroyeth much good .

* 101  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 .

 102  A wise man's heart is at his right hand but a fool's heart

at his left .

 103  Yea also when he that is a fool walketh by the way his

wisdom faileth him and he saith to every one that he is a fool .

 104  If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee leave not

thy place for yielding pacifieth great offences .

 105  There is an evil which I have seen under the sun as an

error which proceedeth from the ruler .

 106  Folly is set in great dignity and the rich sit in low

place .

 107  I have seen servants upon horses and princes walking as

servants upon the earth .

 108  He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it and whoso

breaketh an hedge a serpent shall bite him .

 109  Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith and he that

cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby .

 1010  If the iron be blunt and he do not whet the edge then

must he put to more strength but wisdom is profitable to direct .

 1011  Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment and a

babbler is no better .

 1012  The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious but the lips

of a fool will swallow up himself .

 1013  The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness

and the end of his talk is mischievous madness  .

 1014  A fool also is full of words a man cannot tell what shall

be and what shall be after him who can tell him .

 1015  The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them

because he knoweth not how to go to the city .

 1016  Woe to thee O land when thy king is a child and thy

princes eat in the morning .

 1017  Blessed art thou O land when thy king is the son of

nobles and thy princes eat in due season for strength and not

for drunkenness .

 1018  By much slothfulness the building decayeth and through

idleness of the hands the house droppeth through .

 1019  A feast is made for laughter and wine maketh merry but

money answereth all things .

 1020  Curse not the king no not in thy thought and curse not

the rich in thy bedchamber for a bird of the air shall carry the

voice and that which hath wings shall tell the matter .

* 111  Cast thy bread upon the waters for thou shalt find it

after many days .

 112  Give a portion to seven and also to eight for thou knowest

not what evil shall be upon the earth .

 113  If the clouds be full of rain they empty themselves upon

the earth and if the tree fall toward the south or toward the

north in the place where the tree falleth there it shall be .

 114  He that observeth the wind shall not sow and he that

regardeth the clouds shall not reap .

 115  As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit nor how

the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child even so

thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all .

 116  In the morning sow thy seed and in the evening withhold

not thine hand for thou knowest not whether shall prosper either

this or that or whether they both shall be alike good .

 117  Truly the light is sweet and a pleasant thing it is for

the eyes to behold the sun .

 118  But if a man live many years and rejoice in them all yet

let him remember the days of darkness for they shall be many All

that cometh is vanity .

 119  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 thine

heart and in the sight of thine eyes but know thou that for all

these things God will bring thee into judgment  .

 1110  Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart and put away evil

from thy flesh for childhood and youth are vanity   .

* 121  Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth while

the evil days come not nor the years draw nigh when thou shalt

say I have no pleasure in them .

 122  While the sun or the light or the moon or the stars be not

darkened nor the clouds return after the rain .

 123  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 that look out of the windows be

darkened .

 124  And the doors shall be shut in the streets when the sound

of the grinding is low and he shall rise up at the voice of the

bird and all the daughters of music shall be brought low .

 125  Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high and

fears shall be in the way and the almond tree shall flourish and

the grasshopper shall be a burden and desire shall fail because

man goeth to his long home and the mourners  go about the

streets .

 126  Or ever the silver cord be loosed or the golden bowl be

broken or the pitcher be broken at the fountain or the wheel

broken at the cistern .

 127  Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was and the

spirit shall return unto God who gave it .

 128  Vanity of vanities saith the preacher all is vanity .

 129  And moreover because the preacher was wise he still taught

the people knowledge yea he gave good heed and sought out and

set in order many proverbs .

 1210  The preacher sought to find out acceptable words and that

which was written was upright even words of truth .

 1211  The words of the wise are as goads and as nails fastened

by the masters of assemblies which are given from  one shepherd .

 1212  And further by these my son be admonished of making many

books there is no end and much study is a weariness of the flesh

.

 1213  Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter Fear God

and keep his commandments for this is the whole duty of man .

 1214  For God shall bring every work into judgment with every

secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil .

~~~~~~