All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.

Behold, this have I found, says the preacher, adding one thing to another, to find out the reason:

Lo, this only have I found, that God has made man upright; but they have sought out many devices.

All this have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is done under the sun: there is a time in which one man rules over another to his own hurt.

And so I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the holy place, and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done: this is also vanity.

There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there are just men, unto whom it happens according to the work of the wicked; again, there are wicked men, to whom it happens according to the work of the righteous: I said that this also is vanity.

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 knows either love or hatred by all that is before them.

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.

Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of the life of your vanity, which he has given you under the sun, all the days of your vanity: for that is your portion in this life, and in your labor which you perform under the sun.

This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great unto me:

In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening withhold not your hand: for you know not which shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both alike shall be good.

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

Who is this that comes out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all the fragrant powders of the merchant?

His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.

This your stature is like to a palm tree, and your breasts to its clusters.

Who is this that comes up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? I awakened you under the apple tree: there your mother brought you forth: there she brought you forth that bore you.

When you come to appear before me, who has required this at your hand, to trample my courts?

When a man shall take hold of his brother of the house of his father, saying, you have clothing, be our ruler, and let this ruin be under your hand:

Therefore is the anger of the LORD kindled against his people, and he has stretched forth his hand against them, and has stricken them: and the hills did tremble, and their dead bodies were as refuse in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged.

And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear you indeed, but understand not; and see you indeed, but perceive not.

Make the heart of this people dull, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and return, and be healed.

Because this people refused the waters of Shiloah that flow softly, and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah's son;

For the LORD spoke thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying,

Say not, A conspiracy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A conspiracy; neither fear you their threats, nor be afraid.

To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

For every warrior's boot used in battle, and every garment rolled in blood; this shall be used for burning and as fuel for the fire.

Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

The Syrians before, and the Philistines behind; and they shall devour Israel with an open mouth. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led by them are destroyed.

Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows: for everyone is a hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaks folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

Manasseh shall devour Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh: and they together shall be against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

Without me they shall bow down among the prisoners, and they shall fall among the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

Sing unto the LORD; for he has done excellent things: this is known in all the earth.

That you shall take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How has the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased!

They that see you shall gaze upon you, and consider you, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;

This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations.

In the year that king Ahaz died was this burden.

This is the word that the LORD has spoken concerning Moab since that time.

And behold at evening time trouble; and before the morning he is no more. This is the portion of them that plunder us, and the lot of them that rob us.

And the inhabitant of this coastland shall say in that day, Behold, such is our hope, to which we flee for help to be delivered from the king of Assyria: how then shall we escape?

And it was revealed in my ears by the LORD of hosts, Surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till you die, says the Lord GOD of hosts.

Thus says the Lord GOD of hosts, Go, get you unto this steward, even unto Shebna, who is over the house, and say,

Is this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days? her own feet shall carry her afar off to dwell.

Who has taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city, whose merchants are princes, whose traders are the honorable of the earth?

Behold the land of the Chaldeans; this people was not, till the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness: they set up its towers, they raised up its palaces; and he brought it to ruin.

The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly plundered: for the LORD has spoken this word.

And on this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of rich things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined.

And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the veil that is spread over all nations.

And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.

For in this mountain shall the hand of the LORD rest, and Moab shall be trodden down under him, even as straw is trodden down for the refuse heap.

In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks.

By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged; and this is all the fruit of taking away his sin; when he makes all the stones of the altar like chalkstones that are beaten to dust, the idol poles and incense altars shall not remain standing.

For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.

To whom he said, This is the rest with which you may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.

Therefore hear the word of the LORD, you scornful men, that rule this people who are in Jerusalem.

This also comes forth from the LORD of hosts, who is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in wisdom.

And the vision of all has become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray you: and he says, I cannot; for it is sealed:

And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray you: and he says, I am not learned.

Therefore the Lord said, Since this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:

Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.

That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD:

Therefore thus says the Holy One of Israel, Because you despise this word, and trust in oppression and perverseness, and rely on them:

Therefore this iniquity shall be to you like a breach ready to fall, a bulge in a high wall, whose breaking comes suddenly, in an instant.

And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, This is the way, walk you in it, when you turn to the right hand, and when you turn to the left.

And Rabshakeh said unto them, Say now to Hezekiah, Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this in which you trust?

Lo, you trust in the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt; on which if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust in him.

But if you say to me, We trust in the LORD our God: is it not he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has taken away, and said to Judah and to Jerusalem, you shall worship before this altar?

And am I now come up without the LORD against this land to destroy it? the LORD said unto me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.

Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, The LORD will surely deliver us: this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.

And they said unto him, Thus says Hezekiah, This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and of blasphemy: for the children have come to birth, and there is not strength to bring forth.

This is the word which the LORD has spoken concerning him; The virgin, the daughter of Zion, has despised you, and laughed you to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem has shaken her head at you.

And this shall be a sign unto you, you shall eat this year such as grows of itself; and the second year that which springs of the same: and in the third year sow and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat its fruit.

For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this.

Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shields, nor cast up a siege mound against it.

By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, says the LORD.

For I will defend this city to save it for my own sake, and for my servant David's sake.

And I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria: and I will defend this city.

And this shall be a sign unto you from the LORD, that the LORD will do this thing that he has spoken;

The living, the living, he shall praise you, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known your truth.

Behold, the days come, that all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have laid up in store until this day, shall be carried to Babylon: nothing shall be left, says the LORD.

That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the LORD has done this, and the Holy One of Israel has created it.

But this is a people robbed and plundered; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses: they are for a prey, and none delivers; for a spoil, and none says, Restore.

Who among you will give ear to this? who will hearken and hear for the time to come?

Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and show us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth.

This people have I formed for myself; they shall show forth my praise.

Tell and bring forth your case; yea, let them take counsel together: who has declared this from ancient time? who has told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no other God besides me; a just God and a Savior; there is none besides me.

Remember this, and show yourselves men: bring it again to mind, O you transgressors.

Therefore hear now this, you that are given to pleasures, that dwell securely, that say in your heart, I am, and there is none else besides me; I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children:

Hear this, O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and have come forth out of the waters of Judah, who swear by the name of the LORD, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness.

You have heard, now see all this; and will you not declare it? I have showed you new things from this time, even hidden things, and you did not know them.

Come near unto me, hear this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord GOD, and his Spirit, has sent me.

Go forth from Babylon, flee from the Chaldeans, with a voice of singing declare you, tell this, utter it even to the end of the earth; say, The LORD has redeemed his servant Jacob.

Behold, all you that kindle a fire, that encircle yourselves with sparks: walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that you have kindled. This shall you have of my hand; you shall lie down in sorrow.

Therefore hear now this, you afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine:

For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be angry with you, nor rebuke you.

No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, says the LORD.

Blessed is the man that does this, and the son of man that lays hold on it; that keeps the sabbath from defiling it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil.

Come you, they say, I will bring wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and tomorrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.

Behold, you fast for strife and debate, and to strike with the fist of wickedness: you shall not fast as you do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.