Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and the stone will come back on whoever starts it rolling.

A friend's loud blessing early in the morning will be thought of as a curse.

Whoever nurtures the fig tree will eat its fruit, and whoever obeys his master will be honored.

When the grass disappears, and new growth appears, the mountain spices will be harvested,

the lambs will supply your clothing, and your goats the price of a field.

You will have enough goat's milk to drink and to supply your household needs, as well as sustenance for your servant girls.

Whoever misleads the upright along an evil way will himself fall into his own pit, but the blameless will inherit what is good.

Whoever hides his transgressions will not succeed, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will find mercy.

Blessed is the man who always fears the LORD, but whoever hardens his heart will fall into disaster.

A Commander-in-Chief who is a cruel oppressor lacks understanding, but whoever hates unjust gain will live longer.

A guilty man tormented by bloodshed will be a lifelong fugitive; let no one support him.

Whoever lives blamelessly will be delivered, but whoever is perverted will fall without warning.

Whoever works his farmland will have abundant food, but whoever chases fantasies will become very poor.

The faithful man will prosper with blessings, but whoever is in a hurry to get rich will not escape punishment.

To show partiality isn't good, yet for a piece of bread the valiant will transgress.

The miser is in a hurry to get wealthy, but he isn't aware that poverty will catch up with him.

Whoever rebukes a man will later on find more favor than someone who flatters with his words.

Whoever trusts in himself is foolish, but whoever lives wisely will be kept safe.

Whoever gives to the poor will never lack, but whoever shuts his eyes to their poverty will be cursed.

After many rebukes, the stiff-necked man will be broken incurably, without any warning.

When a king faithfully administers justice to the poor, his throne will be established forever.

As the wicked grow powerful, transgression increases, but the righteous will observe their downfall.

Correct your son and he will comfort you; he will also delight your soul.

By mere words a servant will not be corrected; even though he understands, there will be no response.

A person's pride will bring about his downfall, but the humble in spirit will gain honor.

Don't add to his words, or he will rebuke you, and you will be shown to be a liar.

Don't lie about a servant to his master, or that servant will curse you and you will pay for it.

The leech has two daughters: "Give" and "Give". Three things will never be satisfied; four will never say "Enough" -

The eye that mocks a father and looks with a disobedient attitude at a mother the valley ravens will pluck it out; and vultures will eat it.

She will bring good to him never evil every day of her life.

Charm is deceitful and beauty fades; but a woman who fears the LORD will be praised.

Whatever has happened, will happen again; whatever has been done, will be done again. There is nothing new on earth.

No one remembers those in the past, nor will they be remembered by those who come after them.

I dedicated myself to using wisdom for study and discovery of everything that is done under heaven. God uses terrible things so human beings will struggle with life.

I told myself, "I will test you with pleasure, so enjoy yourself." But this was pointless.

Then I told myself, "Whatever happens to the fool will happen also to me. Therefore what's the point in being so wise?" And I told myself that this also is pointless.

For neither the wise nor the fool will be long remembered, since in days to come everything will be forgotten. The wise man dies the same way as the fool, does he not?

Then I despised everything I had worked for on earth, that is, the things that I will leave to the person who will succeed me.

And who knows whether he will be wise or foolish? Either way, he will take possession of everything that I have done on earth, especially where I have excelled. This also is pointless.

I have concluded that everything that God undertakes will last for eternity nothing can be added to it nor taken away from it and that God acts this way so that people will fear him.

That which was, now is; and that which will be, already is; and God examines what has already taken place.

I also examined on earth: where the halls of justice were supposed to be, there was lawlessness; and where the righteous were supposed to be, there was lawlessness. 17I told myself, "God will judge both the righteous and the wicked, because there is a time set to judge every event and every work."

I concluded that it is worthwhile for people to find joy in their accomplishments, because that is their inheritance, since who can see what will exist after them?

If they stumble, the first will lift up his friend but woe to anyone who is alone when he falls and there is no one to help him get up.

Again, if two lie close together, they will keep warm, but how can only one stay warm?

If someone attacks one of them, the two of them together will resist. Furthermore, the tri-braided cord is not soon broken.

A poor but wise youth is better than an old but foolish king who will no longer accept correction.

I observed everyone who lives and walks on earth, along with the youth who will take the king's place.

There was no end to all of his subjects or to all of the people who had come before them. But those who come along afterward will not be happy with him. This is also pointless and a chasing after wind.

Whoever loves money will never have enough money. Whoever loves luxury will not be content with abundance. This also is pointless.

Sweet is the sleep of a working man, whether he eats a little or a lot, but the excess wealth of the rich will not allow him to rest.

Just as he came naked from his mother's womb, he will leave as naked as he came; he will receive no profit from his efforts he cannot carry away even a handful.

For he will not brood much over the days of his life, since God will keep him occupied with the joys of his heart.

Because many words lead to pointlessness, how do people benefit from this? 12Who knows what is best for people in this life, every day of their pointless lives that they pass through like a shadow? Who informs people on earth what will come along after them?

It's better to attend a funeral than to attend a banquet, for everyone dies eventually, and the living will take this to heart.

It is good for you to grab hold of this and not let go, because whoever fears God will escape all of these extremes.

I discovered for myself a bitterness that surpasses that of death: the woman whose heart is full of snares and nets, whose hands are chains of bondage. Whoever pleases God will escape from her, but the transgressor will be trapped by her.

Whoever obeys his commands will not experience harm, and the wise in heart will discern both the appropriate time and response.

For he has absolutely no knowledge what will happen, since who can declare to him when it will come about?

Just as no human being has control over the wind to restrain it, so also no human being has control over the day of his death. Just as no one is discharged during war, so wickedness will not release those who practice it.

Even though a sinner does what is wrong a hundred times and still survives, nevertheless I also know that things will go well for those who fear God, who fear in his presence.

But things will not go well for the wicked person: he will not lengthen his life like a shadow, since he has no fear before God.

So then I recommended enjoyment of life, because it is better on earth for a man to eat, drink, and be happy, since this will stay with him throughout his struggle all the days of his life, which God grants him on earth.

I saw all of it as the activity of God. Frankly, a human being cannot understand what happens on earth, because however hard a man works to discover it, he will not find out. Despite what he thinks he knows, he will not be able to figure it out.

At least the living know they will die, but the dead know nothing; they no longer have a reward, since memory about them has been forgotten.

Furthermore, their love, their hate, and their envy have been long lost. Never again will they have a part in what happens on earth.

If someone's ax is blunt the edge isn't sharpened then more strength will be needed. Putting wisdom to work will bring success.

The words spoken by the wise are gracious, but the lips of a fool will devour him.

The fool overflows with words, and no one can predict what will happen. As to what will happen after him, who can explain it?

Do not curse the king, even in your thoughts. Do not curse the rich, even in your bedroom. For a bird will fly by and tell what you say, or something with wings may talk about it.

Spread your bread on the water after a while you will find it.

If the clouds are full of rain, they will pour out on the earth; if a tree falls toward the south or the north, wherever it falls, there it will lay.

Sow your seed in the morning, and don't stop working until evening, since you don't know which of your endeavors will do well, whether this one or that, or even if both will do equally well.

Even if a person lives many years, let him enjoy them all, recalling that there will be many days of darkness to come all of which are pointless.

So enjoy yourself in your youth, young man, and be encouraged during your younger days. Live as you like, consistent with your world view, but keep in mind that God will bring you to account for everything.

So remember your Creator during your youth! Otherwise, troublesome days will come and years will creep up on you when you'll say, "I find no pleasure in them,"

when that day comes, the palace guards will tremble, strong men will stoop down, women grinders will cease because they are few, and the sight of those who peer through the lattice will grow dim.

The doors to the street will be shut when the sound of grinding decreases, when one wakes up at the song of a bird, and all of the singing women are silenced.

At that time they will fear climbing heights and dangers along the road while the almond tree will blossom, and the grasshopper is weighed down. Desire will cease, because the person goes to his eternal home, and mourners will gather in the marketplace.

then man's dust will go back to the earth, returning to what it was, and the spirit will return to the God who gave it.

For God will judge every deed, along with every secret, whether good or evil.

Take me with you! Let's run away! Let the king bring me into his private chambers. The daughters of Jerusalem will rejoice and be happy for you. We will value your love more than wine. They love you appropriately.

We will make ornaments of gold for you, accented with silver.

We have a little sister, and she has not yet reached maturity. What will we do for our sister to prepare her for her engagement?

If she's a wall, on her we will build a battlement of silver. If she's a door, we will enclose her with planks of cedar.

"Why will you still be struck down? Why will you continue to rebel? Your whole head is sick, and your whole heart is faint.

"Zion will be redeemed by justice, and her repentant ones by righteousness.

Rebels and sinners will be broken together, and those who forsake the LORD will be consumed.

Your strong one will be like tinder, and your work a spark; both of them will burn together, with no one to quench the flames that burn them."

"It will come about in the last days that the mountain that is the LORD's Temple will be established as the highest of mountains, and will be raised above the hills; all the nations will stream to it.

Many groups of people will come, commenting, "Come! Let's go up to the Temple of the God of Jacob, that they may teach us his ways. Then let's walk in his paths." "Instruction will proceed from Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

He will judge between the nations, and will render verdicts for the benefit of many. "They will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nations will not raise swords against nations, and they will not learn warfare anymore.

The haughty looks of mankind will be brought low, the lofty pride of human beings will be humbled, and the LORD alone will be exalted at that time.

"For the LORD of the Heavenly Armies has reserved a time to oppose all who are proud and haughty, and the self-exalting they will be humbled.

He will take his stand against all the cedars of Lebanon, against the proud and self-exalting; and against all the oaks of Bashan;

"Humanity's haughtiness will be humbled, male arrogance will be brought low, and the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.

Their idols will utterly vanish.

"They will enter caverns in the rocks and holes in the ground to escape the presence of the terror of the LORD, to escape the splendor of his majesty when he arises to terrify the earth.

At that time, mankind will throw their silver and gold idols that their fingers have made as objects of worship to the moles and to the bats.

They will enter caverns in the rocks and clefts in the cliffs, to escape the terror of the LORD and to escape the splendor of his majesty, when he arises to terrorize the earth.