The heart of the wise is in the mourning house; but the heart of the foolish is in the house of mirth.

For the laughing of fools is like the crackling of thorns under a pot. And that is but a vain thing.

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;

And I found, that a woman is bitterer than death: for she is a very angle, her heart is a net, and her hands are chains. Who so pleaseth God shall escape from her, but the sinner will be taken with her.

Among a thousand men I have found one, but not one woman among all.

Lo, this only have I found, that God made man just and right, but they seek divers subtleties.

Who is wise? Who hath knowledge to make an answer? Wisdom maketh a man's face to shine, but malice putteth it out of favour.

Whoso keepeth the commandment, shall feel no harm: but a wise man's heart discerneth time and manner.

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.

Again, as for the ungodly, it shall not be well with him, neither shall he prolong his days: but even as a shadow, so shall he be that feareth not God.

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.

For they that be living, know that they shall die: but they that be dead, know nothing, neither deserve they anymore. For their memorial is forgotten,

Use thy self to live joyfully with thy wife whom thou lovest, all the days of thy life which is but vanity, that God hath given thee under the Sun; all the days of thy vanity. For that is thy portion in this life, of all thy labor and travail that thou takest under the Sun.

So I turned me unto other things under the Sun, and I saw that in running it helpeth not to be swift; in battle it helpeth not to be strong; to feeding it helpeth not to be wise; to riches, it helpeth not to be suttle; to be had in favour, it helpeth not to be cunning: but that all lieth in time and fortune.

For man knoweth not his time, but like as the fish are taken with the angle and as the birds are caught with the snare: Even so are men taken in the perilous time, when it cometh suddenly upon them.

And in the city there was found a poor man - but he was wise - which with his wisdom delivered the city: yet was there no body, that had any respect for such a simple man.

For wisdom is better than harness: but one unthrifty alone destroyeth much good.

A wise man's heart is upon the righthand, but a fool's heart is upon the left.

But he that diggeth up a pit, shall fall therein himself; and whoso breaketh down the hedge, a serpent shall bite him.

The words out of a wise man's mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool will destroy himself.

Woe be unto thee, O thou realm and land, whose king is but a child, and whose princes are early at their banquets.

But well is thee, O thou realm and land, whose king is come of nobles, and whose princes eat in due season, for strength and not for lust.

Meat maketh men to laugh, and wine maketh them merry; but unto money are all things obedient.

If a man live many years, and be glad in them all, let him remember the days of darkness, which shall be many: And when they come, all things shall be but vanity.

Be glad then, O thou young man, in thy youth, and let thine heart be merry in thy young days; follow the ways of thine own heart, and the lust of thine eyes: but be thou sure, that God shall bring thee into judgment for all these things.

Put away displeasure out of thine heart, and remove evil from thy body: for childhood and youth is but vanity.

All is but vanity - sayeth the preacher - all is but plain vanity.

The same preacher was not wise alone, but taught the people knowledge also: he gave good heed, sought out the ground and set forth many parables.

I am black, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, like as the tents of the Kedarenes, and as the hangings of Solomon: but yet am I fair and well favored withal.

Marvel not at me that I am so black: For why? The sun hath shined upon me. My mother's children had evil will at me, they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept.

By night in my bed I sought him, whom my soul loveth: yea, diligently sought I him, but I found him not.

I will get up, thought I, and go about the city, in the ways and in all the streets will I seek him whom my soul loveth: but when I sought him, I found him not.

But when my love put in his hand at the hole, my heart was moved within me:

Nevertheless when I had opened unto my beloved, he was departed and gone his way. Now like as afore time when he spake, my heart could not longer refrain: Even so now I sought him, but I could not find him: I cried upon him, nevertheless he gave me no answer.

But one is my dove, my darling. She is the only beloved of her mother, and dear unto her that bare her. When the daughters saw her, they said, she was blessed: Yea the Queens and concubines praised her.

Our sister is but young, and hath no breasts: what shall we do for our sister when she shall be spoken for?

But my vineyard, O Solomon, giveth thee a thousand, and two hundred to the keepers of the fruit.

The ox knoweth his owner, and the Ass his master's crib; but Israel knoweth nothing. My people hath no understanding.

From the sole of the foot unto the head, there is no whole part in all your body: but all are wounds, botches, sores and stripes, which can neither be helped, bound up, mollified, nor eased with any ointment.

Offer me no more oblations, for it is but lost labour. I abhor your incense. I may not away with your new moons, your Sabbaths and solemn days. Your fastings are also in vain.

But if ye be obstinate and rebellious, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for thus the LORD hath promised with his own mouth.

How happeneth it then that the righteous city, which was full of equity, is become unfaithful as an whore? Righteousness dwelt in it, but now murder.

But Zion shall be redeemed with equity, and they shall turn again unto her in righteousness.

But thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Jacob, because they go far beyond the east countries in Sorcerers - who they have as the Philistines had - and in calkers of men's births, whereof they have too many.

There kneeleth the man, there falleth the man down before them; but thou, O LORD, wilt not leave them unpunished.

But the Idols shall utterly be rooted out.

But woe be unto the ungodly and unrighteous, for they shall be rewarded after their works.

I will lay it waste, that it shall neither be twisted nor cut, but bear thorns and briers. I will also forbid the clouds, that they shall not rain upon it.

As for the vineyard of the LORD of Hosts, it is the house of Israel, and whole Judah his fair planting. Of these he looked for equity, but see there is wrong; for righteousness, lo, it is but misery.

And ten acres of vines shall give but a quart, and thirty bushels of seed shall give but an ephah.

In those companies are harps and lutes, tabrets and pipes, and wine. But they regard not the work of the LORD, and consider not the operation of his hands.

But the LORD of Hosts, that holy God: shall be exalted and untouched, when he shall declare his equity and righteousness after this manner.

These give sentence with the ungodly for rewards, but condemn the just cause of the righteous.

Therefore is the wrath of the LORD kindled also against his people, and he shaketh his hand at them: yea he shall smite so, that the hills shall tremble. And their carcasses shall lie in the open streets, like mire. And in all this, the wrath of God shall not cease, but he shall stretch his hand wider.

And so he said, "Go, and tell this people: 'Ye shall hear indeed, but ye shall not understand; ye shall plainly see, and not perceive.

It happened in the time of Ahaz the son of Jotham, which was the son of Uzziah, king of Judah: that Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up toward Jerusalem to besiege it, but won it not.

and say unto him, 'Take heed to thyself and be still, but fear not, neither be fainthearted for these two tails: that is, for these two smoking firebrands, the wrath and furiousness of Rezin the Syrian and Remaliah's son.

For the head city of the Syrians is Damascus, but the head of Damascus is Rezin. And after five and threescore years, shall Ephraim be no more a people.

And the chief city of Ephraim is Samaria, but the head of Samaria is Remaliah's son. And if ye believe not, there shall no promise be kept with you.'"

But Ahaz answered, "I will not ask, neither will tempt the LORD."

Wherefore the LORD said, "Hearken, ye of the house of David: Is it so small a thing for you, to be grievous to men, but that ye should also be painful unto God?

And as for all hills that now are hewn down, thou shalt not come upon them, for fear of briers and thorns. But the cattle shall be driven thither, and the sheep shall feed there."

but sanctify the LORD of Hosts: let him be your fear and dread.

But lo, as for me, and the children which the LORD hath given me: we are a token and a wonder in Israel, for the LORD of Hosts' sake, which dwelleth upon the hill of Zion.

Even like as in time past it hath been well seen, that the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, wherethrough the sea way goeth over Jordan in to the land of Galilee, was at the first in little trouble, but afterward sore vexed.

Moreover all temerarious and seditious power, yea, where there is but a coat filled with blood, shall be burnt, and feed the fire.

"The tile work is fallen down, but we will build it with squared stones. The Mulberry timber is broken, but we shall set it up again with Cedar."

that the Syrians shall lay hold upon them before, and the Philistines behind, and so devour Israel with open mouth. After all this, the wrath of the Lord shall not cease, but yet his hand shall be stretched out still.

For all they which inform the people that they be in a right cause, such be deceivers. Such as men think also to be perfect among these, are but cast aways.

Therefore shall the LORD have no pleasure in their young men, neither favour their fatherless and widows. For they are all together hypocrites and wicked, and all their mouths speak folly. After all this shall not the LORD's wrath cease, but yet his hand shall be stretched out still.

but robbeth him on the righthand, and doth famish; he eateth on the left hand and he shall not have enough. Every man shall eat the flesh of his own arm.

Manasseh shall eat Ephraim and Ephraim Manasseh, and they both shall eat Judah. After all this shall not the LORD's wrath cease, but yet shall his hand be stretched out still.

That ye come not among the prisoners, or lie among the dead? After all this shall not the wrath of the LORD cease, but yet shall his hand be stretched out still.

Howbeit, his meaning is not so, neither thinketh his heart of this fashion. But he imagineth only, how he may overthrow and destroy much people,

As who say, "I were able to win the kingdom of the Idolaters and their gods, but not Jerusalem and Samaria.

But doth the axe boost itself, against him that heweth therewith? Or doth the saw make any bragging, against him that ruleth it? That were even like as if the rod did exalt itself against him that beareth it: or as though the staff should magnify itself, as who say it were not wood.

But the light of Israel shall be that fire, and his Sanctuary shall be the flame, and it shall kindle, and burn up his thorns and briers in one day.

After that day shall the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped out of the house of Jacob, seek no more comfort at him that smote them, but shall comfort themselves with faithfulness and truth in the LORD, the holy one of Israel.

For though thy people, O Israel, be as the sand of the sea, yet shall but the remnant of them only convert unto him. Perfect is the judgment of him that floweth in righteousness,

But soon after shall my wrath and mine indignation be fulfilled against their blasphemies.

He shall come to Aiath, and go through toward Migron. But at Michmash shall he muster his Host,

Madmannah shall tremble for fear, but the citizens of Gebim are manly,

But see, the Lord God of Hosts shall take away the proud from thence, with fear. He shall hew down the proud, and fell the high minded.

But he shall judge the causes of the poor with righteousness, and shall rebuke with equity for the humble of the earth. And he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall slay the wicked.

but they both together shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the West: and spoil them together that dwell toward the East. The Edomites and the Moabites shall let their hands fall, and the Ammonites shall be obedient unto them.

They come not only out of far countries, but also from the ends of the heavens: Even the LORD himself with the ministers of his wrath, to destroy the whole land.

but wild beasts shall lie there, and the houses shall be full of great owls. Ostriches shall dwell there, and apes shall dance there:

But the LORD will be merciful unto Jacob, and will take up Israel again, and set them in their own land. Strangers shall cleave unto them, and get them to the house of Jacob.

But the poor shall feed of the best things, and the simple shall dwell in safety. Thy roots will I destroy with hunger, and it shall slay thy remnant.

Who shall then maintain the messages of the Gentiles? But the LORD establisheth Zion, and the poor of my people shall put their trust in him.

In their streets were they girded about with sackcloth. In all the tops of their houses and streets was there nothing, but mourning and weeping.

For the cry went over the whole land of Moab: from Eglaim unto Beerelim, was there nothing but mourning.

And it shall come to pass, that when it is seen that Moab shall be made weary of his hill-chapels, he shall come to his temple to pray - but he shall not be made able.

But now the LORD sayeth thus: In three years, which shall be as the years of a hired servant, shall the glory of Moab be turned into confusion throughout all his multitude, which is very great. And as for the remnant of them, they shall be small and feeble.

This is the heavy burden upon Damascus: Behold, Damascus shall be no more a city, but a heap of broken stones.

In the day when thou didst plant it, it was great, and gave soon the fruit of thy seed: But in the day of harvest, thou shalt reap a heap of sorrows and miseries.

But ye foolish princes of Zoan, ye wise counselors of Pharaoh, whose wit is turned to foolishness: How say ye unto Pharaoh, "I am come of wise people;

The land of Judah also shall make the Egyptians afraid, whoso doth but speak upon it, shall put them in fear: And that because of the counsel which the LORD of Hosts hath devised against them.

But they to fulfill their lust and willfulness, slaughter oxen: they kill sheep, they eat costly meat, and drink wine. "Let us eat and drink, tomorrow we shall die."

But all her occupying and wining shall be hallowed unto the LORD. For then shall they lay up nothing behind them nor upon heaps: but the merchandise of Tyre shall belong to the citizens of the LORD, to the feeding and sustaining of the hungry, and to the clothing of the aged.