For there, those who led us captive asked us for songs. Those who tormented us demanded songs of joy: "Sing us one of the songs of Zion!"

Yahweh, what is man, that you care for him? Or the son of man, that you think of him?

Don't put your trust in princes, each a son of man in whom there is no help.

Yahweh will reign forever; your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise Yah!

Praise Yahweh, Jerusalem! Praise your God, Zion!

He gives snow like wool, and scatters frost like ashes.

Praise him, sun and moon! Praise him, all you shining stars!

Lightning and hail, snow and clouds; stormy wind, fulfilling his word;

Let Israel rejoice in him who made them. Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.

The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel:

My son, listen to your father's instruction, and don't forsake your mother's teaching:

My son, if sinners entice you, don't consent.

My son, don't walk in the way with them. Keep your foot from their path,

My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you;

My son, don't forget my teaching; but let your heart keep my commandments:

My son, don't despise Yahweh's discipline, neither be weary of his reproof:

for whom Yahweh loves, he reproves; even as a father reproves the son in whom he delights.

My son, let them not depart from your eyes. Keep sound wisdom and discretion:

For I was a son to my father, tender and an only child in the sight of my mother.

Listen, my son, and receive my sayings. The years of your life will be many.

My son, attend to my words. Turn your ear to my sayings.

My son, pay attention to my wisdom. Turn your ear to my understanding:

For why should you, my son, be captivated with an adulteress? Why embrace the bosom of another?

The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare him. The cords of his sin hold him firmly.

My son, if you have become collateral for your neighbor, if you have struck your hands in pledge for a stranger;

Do this now, my son, and deliver yourself, since you have come into the hand of your neighbor. Go, humble yourself. Press your plea with your neighbor.

My son, keep your father's commandment, and don't forsake your mother's teaching.

My son, keep my words. Lay up my commandments within you.

The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son makes a glad father; but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.

He who gathers in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during the harvest is a son who causes shame.

The labor of the righteous leads to life. The increase of the wicked leads to sin.

A wise son listens to his father's instruction, but a scoffer doesn't listen to rebuke.

One who spares the rod hates his son, but one who loves him is careful to discipline him.

Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.

A wise son makes a father glad, but a foolish man despises his mother.

A servant who deals wisely will rule over a son who causes shame, and shall have a part in the inheritance among the brothers.

A foolish son brings grief to his father, and bitterness to her who bore him.

A foolish son is the calamity of his father. A wife's quarrels are a continual dripping.

Discipline your son, for there is hope; don't be a willing party to his death.

He who robs his father and drives away his mother, is a son who causes shame and brings reproach.

If you stop listening to instruction, my son, you will stray from the words of knowledge.

Who can say, "I have made my heart pure. I am clean and without sin?"

A high look, and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, is sin.

My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart will be glad, even mine:

Listen, my son, and be wise, and keep your heart on the right path!

My son, give me your heart; and let your eyes keep in my ways.

The schemes of folly are sin. The mocker is detested by men.

My son, eat honey, for it is good; the droppings of the honeycomb, which are sweet to your taste:

My son, fear Yahweh and the king. Don't join those who are rebellious:

for it is better that it be said to you, "Come up here," than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince, whom your eyes have seen.

As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to those who send him; for he refreshes the soul of his masters.

Like snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool.

Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart, then I can answer my tormentor.

Whoever keeps the law is a wise son; but he who is a companion of gluttons shames his father.

An evil man is snared by his sin, but the righteous can sing and be glad.

When the wicked increase, sin increases; but the righteous will see their downfall.

Correct your son, and he will give you peace; yes, he will bring delight to your soul.

He who pampers his servant from youth will have him become a son in the end.

An angry man stirs up strife, and a wrathful man abounds in sin.

The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the oracle: the man says to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:

Who has ascended up into heaven, and descended? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has bound the waters in his garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name, if you know?

"Oh, my son! Oh, son of my womb! Oh, son of my vows!

She is not afraid of the snow for her household; for all her household are clothed with scarlet.

The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem:

What does man gain from all his labor in which he labors under the sun?

The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, and hurries to its place where it rises.

That which has been is that which shall be; and that which has been done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and behold, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.

Then I looked at all the works that my hands had worked, and at the labor that I had labored to do; and behold, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

So I hated life, because the work that is worked under the sun was grievous to me; for all is vanity and a chasing after wind.

I hated all my labor in which I labored under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes after me.

Who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have rule over all of my labor in which I have labored, and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.

Therefore I began to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor in which I had labored under the sun.

For what has a man of all his labor, and of the striving of his heart, in which he labors under the sun?

I have seen the burden which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.

Moreover I saw under the sun, in the place of justice, that wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, that wickedness was there.

Then I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold, the tears of those who were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.

Yes, better than them both is him who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.

There is one who is alone, and he has neither son nor brother. There is no end to all of his labor, neither are his eyes satisfied with wealth. "For whom then, do I labor, and deprive my soul of enjoyment?" This also is vanity. Yes, it is a miserable business.

I saw all the living who walk under the sun, that they were with the youth, the other, who succeeded him.

Don't allow your mouth to lead you into sin. Don't protest before the messenger that this was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice, and destroy the work of your hands?

There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: wealth kept by its owner to his harm.

Those riches perish by misfortune, and if he has fathered a son, there is nothing in his hand.

Behold, that which I have seen to be good and proper is for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labor, in which he labors under the sun, all the days of his life which God has given him; for this is his portion.

There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is heavy on men:

Moreover it has not seen the sun nor known it. This has rest rather than the other.

For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he spends like a shadow? For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?

Wisdom is as good as an inheritance. Yes, it is more excellent for those who see the sun.

All this have I seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who lives long in his evildoing.

Surely there is not a righteous man on earth, who does good and doesn't sin.

All this have I seen, and applied my mind to every work that is done under the sun. There is a time in which one man has power over another to his hurt.

Then I commended mirth, because a man has no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be joyful: for that will accompany him in his labor all the days of his life which God has given him under the sun.

then I saw all the work of God, that man can't find out the work that is done under the sun, because however much a man labors to seek it out, yet he won't find it. Yes even though a wise man thinks he can comprehend it, he won't be able to find it.

This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one event to all: yes 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.

Also their love, their hatred, and their envy has perished long ago; neither have they any more a portion forever in anything that is done under the sun.

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

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 favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all.

I have also seen wisdom under the sun in this way, and it seemed great to me.

There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, the sort of error which proceeds from the ruler.