Is there anything, whereof it may be said, "Lo, this is new?" For it was long ago in the times that have been before us.

I communed with mine own heart, saying, "Lo, I am come to a 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,

I bought servants and maidens, and had a great household. As for cattle and sheep, I had more substance of them than all they that were before me in Jerusalem.

As for the people that have been before him, and that come after him, they are innumerable: yet is not their joy the greater through him. This is also a vain thing and a vexation of mind. (v17) When thou comest into the house of God, keep thy foot and draw nigh, that thou mayest hear: that is better than the offerings of fools, for they know not what evil they do

and let not thine heart speak anything rashly before God. For God is in heaven, and thou upon earth, therefore let thy words be few.

Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh for to sin, neither say thou before the angel that it is thy ignorance. For then God will be angry at thy voice, and destroy all the works of thine hands.

For what hath the wise more than the fool? What helpeth it the poor, that he knoweth to walk before the living?

be neither too unrighteous also nor too foolish, lest thou die before thy time.

All these things have I proved because of wisdom: For I thought to be wise, but she went farther from me than she was before;

But though an evil person offend a hundredth times, and have a long life: yet am I sure, that it shall go well with them that fear God, because they have him before their eyes.

For all these things purposed I in my mind to seek out. The righteous and wise, yea and their servants also are in the hand of God: and there is no man that knoweth either love or hate, but all things are before them.

Remember thy maker in thy youth, before the days of adversity come, and or the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, "I have no pleasure in them";

before the sun, the light, the moon and stars be darkened, and or the clouds turn again after the rain;

Before the silver lace be taken away, and or the golden band be broken; or the pot be broken at the well, and the wheel upon the cistern;