Is there anything of which men say, See, this is new? It has been in the old time which was before us.

There is no memory of those who have gone before, and of those who come after there will be no memory for those who are still to come after them.

I said to my heart, See, I have become great and am increased in wisdom more than any who were before me in Jerusalem--yes, my heart has seen much wisdom and knowledge.

I got men-servants and women-servants, and they gave birth to sons and daughters in my house. I had great wealth of herds and flocks, more than all who were in Jerusalem before me.

And I became great; increasing more than all who had been before me in Jerusalem, and my wisdom was still with me.

And I went again in search of wisdom and of foolish ways. What may the man do who comes after the king? The thing which he has done before.

I am certain that whatever God does will be for ever. No addition may be made to it, nothing may be taken from it; and God has done it so that man may be in fear before him.

Whatever is has been before, and what is to be is now; because God makes search for the things which are past.

Be not unwise with your mouth, and let not your heart be quick to say anything before God, because God is in heaven and you are on the earth--so let not the number of your words be great.

When you take an oath before God, put it quickly into effect, because he has no pleasure in the foolish; keep the oath you have taken.

Let not your mouth make your flesh do evil. And say not before the angel, It was an error. So that God may not be angry with your words and put an end to the work of your hands.

If a man has a hundred children, and his life is long so that the days of his years are great in number, but his soul takes no pleasure in good, and he is not honoured at his death; I say that a birth before its time is better than he.

What have the wise more than the foolish? and what has the poor man by walking wisely before the living?

That which is, has been named before, and of what man is there is knowledge. He has no power against one stronger than he.

Be not evil overmuch, and be not foolish. Why come to your end before your time?

Be not quick to go from before him. Be not fixed in an evil design, because he does whatever is pleasing to him.

Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and his life is long, I am certain that it will be well for those who go in fear of God and are in fear before him.

But it will not be well for the evil-doer; he will not make his days long like a shade, because he has no fear before God.

All this I took to heart, and my heart saw it all: that the upright and the wise and their works are in the hand of God; and men may not be certain if it will be love or hate; all is to no purpose before them.

If a snake gives a bite before the word of power is said, then there is no longer any use in the word of power.

Before ever the silver cord is cut, or the vessel of gold is broken, or the pot is broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the water-hole;