21:001:001 The words of the Preacher, the son of
David, king in Jerusalem.
21:001:002 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities;
all is vanity.
21:001:003 What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh
under the sun?
21:001:004 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh:
but the earth abideth for ever.
21:001:005 The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to
his place where he arose.
21:001:006 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.
21:001:007 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.
21:001:008 All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye
is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
21:001:009 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.
21:001:010 Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new?
it hath been already of old time, which was before us.
21:001:011 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.
21:001:012 I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
21:001:013 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.
21:001:014 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and,
behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
21:001:015 That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which
is wanting cannot be numbered.
21:001:016 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.
21:001:017 And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and
folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.
21:001:018 For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth
knowledge increaseth sorrow.
21:002:001 I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with
mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.
21:002:002 I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?
21:002:003 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.
21:002:004 I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me
vineyards:
21:002:005 I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them
of all kind of fruits:
21:002:006 I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that
bringeth forth trees:
21:002:007 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:
21:002:008 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.
21:002:009 So I was great, and increased more than all that were before
me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.
21:002:010 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.
21:002:011 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.
21:002:012 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.
21:002:013 Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light
excelleth darkness.
21:002:014 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.
21:002:015 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.
21:002:016 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.
21:002:017 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.
21:002:018 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.
21:002:019 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.
21:002:020 Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all
the labour which I took under the sun.
21:002:021 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.
21:002:022 For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of
his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun?
21:002:023 For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his
heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity.
21:002:024 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.
21:002:025 For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than
I?
21:002:026 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.
21:003:001 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose
under the heaven:
21:003:002 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a
time to pluck up that which is planted;
21:003:003 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and
a time to build up;
21:003:004 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a
time to dance;
21:003:005 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones
together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
21:003:006 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time
to cast away;
21:003:007 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence,
and a time to speak;
21:003:008 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time
of peace.
21:003:009 What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he
laboureth?
21:003:010 I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of
men to be exercised in it.
21:003:011 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.
21:003:012 I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to
rejoice, and to do good in his life.
21:003:013 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the
good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.
21:003:014 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.
21:003:015 That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath
already been; and God requireth that which is past.
21:003:016 And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that
wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was
there.
21:003:017 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.
21:003:018 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.
21:003:019 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.
21:003:020 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to
dust again.
21:003:021 Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the
spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?
21:003:022 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?
21:004:001 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.
21:004:002 Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than
the living which are yet alive.
21:004:003 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.
21:004:004 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.
21:004:005 The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own
flesh.
21:004:006 Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full
with travail and vexation of spirit.
21:004:007 Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.
21:004:008 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.
21:004:009 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for
their labour.
21:004:010 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.
21:004:011 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can
one be warm alone?
21:004:012 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and
a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
21:004:013 Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish
king, who will no more be admonished.
21:004:014 For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he that is
born in his kingdom becometh poor.
21:004:015 I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with
the second child that shall stand up in his stead.
21:004:016 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.
21:005:001 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.
21:005:002 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.
21:005:003 For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a
fool's voice is known by multitude of words.
21:005:004 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.
21:005:005 Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou
shouldest vow and not pay.
21:005:006 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?
21:005:007 For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also
divers vanities: but fear thou God.
21:005:008 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.
21:005:009 Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself
is served by the field.
21:005:010 He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor
he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.
21:005:011 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?
21:005:012 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.
21:005:013 There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely,
riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt.
21:005:014 But those riches perish by evil travail: and he begetteth a
son, and there is nothing in his hand.
21:005:015 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.
21:005:016 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?
21:005:017 All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much
sorrow and wrath with his sickness.
21:005:018 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.
21:005:019 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.
21:005:020 For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because
God answereth him in the joy of his heart.
21:006:001 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is
common among men:
21:006:002 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.
21:006:003 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.
21:006:004 For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and
his name shall be covered with darkness.
21:006:005 Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this
hath more rest than the other.
21:006:006 Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he
seen no good: do not all go to one place?
21:006:007 All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite
is not filled.
21:006:008 For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the
poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?
21:006:009 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the
desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
21:006:010 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.
21:006:011 Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man
the better?
21:006:012 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?
21:007:001 A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of
death than the day of one's birth.
21:007:002 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.
21:007:003 Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the
countenance the heart is made better.
21:007:004 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the
heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
21:007:005 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man
to hear the song of fools.
21:007:006 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the
laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
21:007:007 Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift
destroyeth the heart.
21:007:008 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and
the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
21:007:009 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in
the bosom of fools.
21:007:010 Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were
better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.
21:007:011 Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit
to them that see the sun.
21:007:012 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.
21:007:013 Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight,
which he hath made crooked?
21:007:014 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.
21:007:015 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.
21:007:016 Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise:
why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
21:007:017 Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why
shouldest thou die before thy time?
21:007:018 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.
21:007:019 Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which
are in the city.
21:007:020 For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and
sinneth not.
21:007:021 Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou
hear thy servant curse thee:
21:007:022 For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself
likewise hast cursed others.
21:007:023 All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but
it was far from me.
21:007:024 That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it
out?
21:007:025 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:
21:007:026 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.
21:007:027 Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one
by one, to find out the account:
21:007:028 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.
21:007:029 Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright;
but they have sought out many inventions.
21:008:001 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.
21:008:002 I counsel thee to keep the king's commandment, and that in
regard of the oath of God.
21:008:003 Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil
thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him.
21:008:004 Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say
unto him, What doest thou?
21:008:005 Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a
wise man's heart discerneth both time and judgment.
21:008:006 Because to every purpose there is time and judgment,
therefore the misery of man is great upon him.
21:008:007 For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him
when it shall be?
21:008:008 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.
21:008:009 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.
21:008:010 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.
21:008:011 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.
21:008:012 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:
21:008:013 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.
21:008:014 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.
21:008:015 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.
21:008:016 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:)
21:008:017 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.
21:009:001 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.
21:009:002 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.
21:009:003 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.
21:009:004 For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope:
for a living dog is better than a dead lion.
21:009:005 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.
21:009:006 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.
21:009:007 Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a
merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.
21:009:008 Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no
ointment.
21:009:009 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.
21:009:010 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.
21:009:011 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.
21:009:012 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.
21:009:013 This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed
great unto me:
21:009:014 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:
21:009:015 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.
21:009:016 Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the
poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.
21:009:017 The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of
him that ruleth among fools.
21:009:018 Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner
destroyeth much good.
21:010:001 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.
21:010:002 A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart
at his left.
21:010:003 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.
21:010:004 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not
thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.
21:010:005 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error
which proceedeth from the ruler:
21:010:006 Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.
21:010:007 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as
servants upon the earth.
21:010:008 He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh
an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
21:010:009 Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that
cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.
21:010:010 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.
21:010:011 Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a
babbler is no better.
21:010:012 The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of
a fool will swallow up himself.
21:010:013 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and
the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
21:010:014 A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall
be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?
21:010:015 The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because
he knoweth not how to go to the city.
21:010:016 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy
princes eat in the morning!
21:010:017 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!
21:010:018 By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through
idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.
21:010:019 A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but
money answereth all things.
21:010:020 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.
21:011:001 Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after
many days.
21:011:002 Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest
not what evil shall be upon the earth.
21:011:003 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.
21:011:004 He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that
regardeth the clouds shall not reap.
21:011:005 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.
21:011:006 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.
21:011:007 Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the
eyes to behold the sun:
21:011:008 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.
21:011:009 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.
21:011:010 Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil
from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.
21:012:001 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;
21:012:002 While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be
not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:
21:012:003 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,
21:012:004 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 musick shall be brought low;
21:012:005 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:
21:012:006 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.
21:012:007 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the
spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
21:012:008 Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.
21:012:009 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.
21:012:010 The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that
which was written was upright, even words of truth.
21:012:011 The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by
the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.
21:012:012 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.
21:012:013 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and
keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
21:012:014 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every
secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.