When you sit down to eat with a ruler, look carefully at what is before you;

Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings, Like an eagle that flieth toward heaven.

For, like hair in his {throat}, so it is. "Eat and drink!" he will say to you, but his heart will not be with you.

for a prostitute is like a deep pit; a harlot is like a narrow well.

She [is] also like a robber lying in wait, and the faithless among mankind she increases.

Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.

At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.

So shall thine eyes look unto strange women, and thine heart shall muse upon froward things.

And you will be like him who lies down in the heart of the sea, and like him who lies down on top of a mast.

“They struck me, but I feel no pain!
They beat me, but I didn’t know it!
When will I wake up?
I’ll look for another drink.”

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if you say, "Look, we do not know this," does not he who weighs hearts perceive [it]? And he who keeps your soul, he knows and will repay humankind according to his deeds.

Keep in mind that wisdom is like that for your soul; if you find it, there will be a future for you, and what you hope for won't be cut short.

Do not lie in wait [like] an outlaw against the home of the righteous; do not do violence [to] his dwelling place.

Also these to the wise. To look upon the face in judgment is not good.

An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.

First, make up thy work that is without, and look well unto that which thou hast in the field, and then build thine house.

Don't say, "I'll do to him like he did to me, I'll be sure to pay him back for what he did."

and your poverty will come running, and your lack like an armed warrior.

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.

Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold
Is a wise reprover to an ear that listens and learns.

Like the cold of snow [brought from the mountains] in the time of harvest,
So is a faithful messenger to those who send him;
For he refreshes the life of his masters.

Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.

Have you found [pleasure sweet like] honey? Eat only as much as you need,
Otherwise, being filled excessively, you vomit it.

Like a club and a sword and a piercing arrow
Is a man who testifies falsely against his neighbor (acquaintance).

Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.

Like one who takes off a garment in cold weather, or like [a reactive, useless mixture of] vinegar on soda,
Is he who [thoughtlessly] sings [joyful] songs to a heavy heart.

The north wind brings rain, and a backbiting tongue an angry look.

Like cold water to a thirsty soul,
So is good news from a distant land.

Like a muddied fountain and a polluted spring
Is a righteous man who yields and compromises his integrity before the wicked.

Like as it is not good to eat too much honey; even so, he that will search out high things, it shall be too heavy for him.

He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.

Like snow in summer and like rain in harvest,
So honor is not fitting for a [shortsighted] fool.

Like the sparrow in her wandering, like the swallow in her flying,
So the curse without cause does not come and alight [on the undeserving].

Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.

[Like] cutting off feet [or] drinking violence, so [is] he who sends messages in the hand of a fool.

Like the legs which are useless to the lame,
So is a proverb in the mouth of a fool [who cannot learn from its wisdom].

Like one who [absurdly] binds a stone in a sling [making it impossible to throw],
So is he who [absurdly] gives honor to a fool.

Like a thorn that goes [without being felt] into the hand of a drunken man,
So is a proverb in the mouth of a fool [who remains unaffected by its wisdom].

Like a [careless] archer who [shoots arrows wildly and] wounds everyone,
So is he who hires a fool or those who [by chance just] pass by.

Like a dog returning to his vomit [is] a fool reverting to his folly.

Like a door that turns on its hinges, so a sluggard turns on his bed.

He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.

Like a madman who throws
Firebrands, arrows, and death,

that's what someone is like who lies to his neighbor and then says, "I was joking, wasn't I?"

For lack of wood the fire goeth out; And where there is no whisperer, contention ceaseth.

Like breath on coals and wood on fire, so a man given to argument gets a fight started.

The words of a whisperer (gossip) are like dainty morsels [to be greedily eaten];
They go down into the innermost chambers of the body [to be remembered and mused upon].

Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross.

Like a bird that wanders from her nest [with its comfort and safety],
So is a man who wanders from his home.

Like an unending dropping on a day of rain is a bitter-tongued woman.

restraining her is like restraining the wind, or like grasping oil in his right hand.

Like as one iron wheteth another, so doth one man comfort another.

Like face looking at face in water, so are the hearts of men to one another.

Like as hell and destruction are never full, even so the eyes of men can never be satisfied.

Even though you pound a [hardened, arrogant] fool [who rejects wisdom] in a mortar with a pestle like grain,
Yet his foolishness will not leave him.

Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds.

The wicked flee, but no one pursues, but the righteous is bold like a lion.

Because of the sin of the land, its troubles are increased; but by a man of wisdom and knowledge they will be put out like a fire.

A poor man that oppresseth the poor is like a sweeping rain which leaveth no food.

Like a roaring lion and a charging bear
Is a wicked ruler over a poor people.

A leader who is a great oppressor lacks understanding and common sense [and his wickedness shortens his days],
But he who hates unjust gain will [be blessed and] prolong his days.

To look upon faces is not good and for a morsel of bread the man will transgress.

Who so robbeth his father and mother, and sayeth it is no sin; the same is like unto a murderer.

He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.

When the wicked are increased, transgression increaseth; But the righteous shall look upon their fall.

I am more stupid than any other man,
and I lack man’s ability to understand.

Every word of God is purified; he is like a shield for those who take refuge in him.

Some people what an arrogant look they have! raise their eyebrows haughtily.

There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, and their jaws like knives, to devour the poor from the earth, and the needy from among men.

The leech hath two daughters: Give, give. There are three things never satisfied; four which say not, It is enough:

This is what an immoral woman is like: she eats, wipes her mouth, then says "I've done nothing wrong."

The heart of her husband trusteth in her, And he shall have no lack of gain.

She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.

All floods run into the sea, and yet the sea is not filled: for look, unto what place the waters run, thence they come again.

There is a thing [of] which it is said, "Look at this! This is new!" [But] it already existed in ages past before us.

I saw all the works that are done under the sun. Look! Everything [is] vanity and chasing wind.

{I said to myself}, "Look! I have become great and have increased [in] wisdom more than anyone who {has preceded} me over Jerusalem. {I have acquired a great deal of wisdom and knowledge}."

So I dedicated myself to learn about wisdom and knowledge, and about insanity and foolishness. And I discovered that this is also like chasing after the wind.

I said in my heart, 'Pray, come, I try thee with mirth, and look thou on gladness;' and lo, even it is vanity.

And look whatsoever mine eyes desired, I let them have it: and wherein soever my heart delighted, or had any pleasure, I withheld it not from it. Thus my heart rejoiced in all that I did, and this I took for the portion of all my travail.

Then I examined all of my accomplishments that I had brought about by my own efforts, including the work that I had labored so hard to complete and it was all pointless, like chasing after the wind, and there was nothing to be gained on earth.

Then I turned to consider wisdom, madness, and folly, for what will the man be like who comes after the king? He will do what has already been done.

And I saw that there is an advantage to wisdom above folly, like the advantage of the light above the darkness.

For, just like the fool, there is no lasting remembrance of the wise man, since in the days to come both will be forgotten. How is it that the wise man dies just like the fool?

So I hated life, because whatever is done on earth causes me trouble it's all pointless, like chasing after the wind.

For to the one who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy, but to the sinner, he gives the task of amassing wealth -- only to give it to the one who pleases God. This task of the wicked is futile -- like chasing the wind!

I said to myself regarding the sons of men, “God is surely testing them in order for them to see that [by themselves, without God] they are [only] animals.”

For the fate of {humans} and the fate of the beast is {the same}. The death of the one is like the death of the other, for {both are mortal}. Man has no advantage over the beast, for both are fleeting.

And I have seen that there is nothing better than that man rejoice in his works, for it is his portion; for who doth bring him in to look on that which is after him?

Again, I observed all the acts of oppression being done under the sun. Look at the tears of those who are oppressed; they have no one to comfort them. Power is with those who oppress them; they have no one to comfort them.

Then I considered all the skillful work that is done: Surely it is nothing more than competition between one person and another. This also is profitless -- like chasing the wind.

There is no end to all the people nor to the past generations, yet future generations will not rejoice in him. This also is profitless and like chasing the wind.

Be careful what you do when you go to the temple of God; draw near to listen rather than to offer a sacrifice like fools, for they do not realize that they are doing wrong.

And why? Whereas are many dreams and many words, there are also divers vanities: but look that thou fear God.

When possessions increase, so does the number of consumers; therefore what good are they to their owners, except to look at them?

Then that wealth was lost through bad luck; although he fathered a son, he has nothing left to give him.

Like as he came naked out of his mother's womb, so goeth he thither again, and carryeth nothing away with him of all his labour.

Look! I have discovered what is good and fitting: to eat and to drink and {to enjoy} all [the fruit of] the toil with which one toils under the sun during the number of the days of his life that God gives to him--for this [is] his lot.

A man to whom God giveth wealth, and riches, and honour, and there is no lack to his soul of all that he desireth, and God giveth him not power to eat of it, but a stranger eateth it; this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

It is better to be content with what the eyes can see than for one's heart always to crave more. This continual longing is futile -- like chasing the wind.