The man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father, but anyone who consorts with immoral women squanders his wealth.

A king brings stability to a land through justice, but a man who takes bribes brings it to ruin.

A strong man who flatters his neighbor is setting a trap where he walks.

Without prophetic vision, people abandon restraint, but those who obey the Law are happy.

Do you see a man who speaks hastily? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

A discourse by the faithful collector. This is what this valiant man declared to the God with me, to the God with me, who then prevailed:

Who has ascended to heaven, and then descended? Who has collected the wind in his hands? Who has wrapped up waters in a garment? Who has established all the farthest points of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name? Surely you know!

Everything God says is pure; he is a shield for those who take refuge in him.

so that I don't become overfed and deny you by saying, "Who is the LORD?" or so that I don't become poor and steal, and then misuse the name of my God.

an unloved woman when she finds a husband, and a servant girl who inherits from her mistress.

No, my son! No, my son whom I conceived! No, my son to whom I gave birth!

Give liquor to someone who is perishing, and wine to someone who is deeply depressed.

Speak for those who cannot speak; seek justice for all those on the verge of destruction.

Who can find a capable wife? Her value far exceeds the finest jewels.

Her children stand up and encourage her, as does her husband, who praises her:

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

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

I told myself, "I have become greater and wiser than anyone who ruled before me in Jerusalem yes, I have acquired a great deal of wisdom and knowledge."

I acquired male and female slaves, and had other slaves born in my house. I also acquired for myself increasing numbers of herds and flocks more than anyone who had lived before me in Jerusalem.

So I became great, greater than anyone who had lived before me in Jerusalem. Throughout all of this, I remained wise.

Next I turned to examine wisdom, insanity, and foolishness, because what can a person do who succeeds the king except what has already been accomplished?

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.

For sometimes people who strive to obtain wisdom, knowledge, and equity leave everything as an inheritance to a person who never worked for it. This, too, is pointless and greatly troublesome.

for who can eat or enjoy life apart from him?

After all, to the person who is good in God's sight, he gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy, but to the sinner he gives the troublesome task of acquiring and accumulating in order to leave it to someone who is good in the sight of God. This also is pointless and chasing after the wind.

Who knows whether the spirit of human beings ascends, and whether the spirit of animals descends to the earth?

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?

So I commended the dead who had already died as being happier than the living who are still alive.

Better than both of them is someone who has not yet been born, because he hasn't experienced evil on earth.

Consider someone who is alone, having neither son nor brother. There is no end to all of his work, and he is never satisfied with wealth. "So for whom do I work," he asks, "and deprive myself of pleasure?" This, too, is pointless and a terrible tragedy.

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.

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.

Furthermore, for every person to whom God has given wealth, riches, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept this allotment, and to rejoice in his work this is a gift from God.

a man to whom God gives wealth, riches, and honor, so that he lacks none of his heart's desires but God does not give him the capability to enjoy them. Instead, a stranger consumes them. This is pointless and a grievous affliction.

Whatever exists has been named already; people know what it means to be human and a person cannot defeat one who is more powerful than he.

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?

Indeed, wisdom gives protection, just like money does, but it's better to know that wisdom gives life, to those who have mastered it.

Consider the work of God: Who is able to straighten what he has bent?

I have seen it all during my pointless life: both a righteous person who dies while he is righteous, and a wicked person who lives to an old age, while remaining wicked.

For there is not a single righteous man on earth who practices good and does not sin.

Whatever it is, it's far off and most profound. Who can attain it?

Who is really wise? Who knows how to interpret this saying: "A person's wisdom improves his appearance, softening a harsh countenance."

Since a king's command is powerful, who is able to challenge him, asking, "What are you doing?"

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.

Everyone shares the same experience: a single event affects the righteous, the wicked, the good, the clean, the unclean, whoever sacrifices, and whoever does not sacrifice. As it is with the good person, so also it is with the sinner; as it is with someone who takes an oath, so also it is with someone who fears taking an oath.

Find joy in living with your wife whom you love every day of your pointless life that God gave you on earth, because this is your life assignment and your work to do on earth.

Someone who quarries stone might be injured; someone splitting logs can fall into danger.

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

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.

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.

Tell me, you whom I love, where do you graze your flock? Where do you make your flock lie down at noon? Why should I be considered a veiled woman beside the flocks of your companions?

My beloved belongs to me and I belong to him. He is the one who shepherds his flock among the lilies.

The watchmen who go all around the city found me. I asked, "Have you seen the one I love?"

I had just passed them when I found the one I love. I held him and wouldn't let him go until I brought him to my mother's house, to the room of the one who conceived me.

Your teeth are like a flock of sheep about to be sheared, who are coming up from being washed. All of them are twins, not one has lost her young.

I belong to my beloved, and my beloved belongs to me. He is the one who grazes his flock among the lilies.

but my dove, my perfect one, is unique. She's unique to her mother, she's pure to the one who gave birth to her. Young women see her and call her blessed, queens and mistresses praise her.

Who is this who appears like the dawn, beautiful as the moon, bright as the sun, awesome as an army with banners?

If only you were like a brother to me, like one who nursed at my mother's breasts. If I found you outside I would kiss you, and no one would view me with contempt.

I would lead you, I would bring you to the house of my mother who used to teach me. I would give you some spiced wine to drink, from the juice of my pomegranates.

Who is this coming up from the desert, leaning on her beloved? Under theapple tree I awakened you. There your mother had gone into labor with you; there she went into labor and gave birth to you.

I was a wall and my breasts were like towers. Then I became like one who finds peace in his eyes.

My vineyard belongs to me and is at my disposal. The 1,000 are for you, Solomon, and 200 are for those who take care of its fruit.

You who sit in the gardens, companions are listening for your voice, but let me hear it.

"Oh, you sinful nation! You people burdened down by iniquity! You offspring of those who keep practicing what is evil! You corrupt children! "They've abandoned the LORD; they've despised the Holy One of Israel; in their estrangement, they've walked away from me.

"When you come to present yourselves in my presence, who has required you to trample on my courts?

"How the faithful city has become a whore, she who used to be filled with justice! Righteousness used to reside within her, but now only murderers live there.

Therefore this is what the Lord GOD of the Heavenly Armies, the one who is Israel's Mighty One, declares: "Now I'll get relief from his enemies and avenge myself on his foes.

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

"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.

The LORD will go to court to oppose the elders and princes of his people: "You're the ones who have been devouring the vineyard, the plunder of the poor is in your own houses!

Whoever survives in Zion and whoever remains in Jerusalem will be called holy everyone who has been appointed to survive in Jerusalem

Then the LORD will create over the entire site of Mount Zion including over those who assemble there a cloud by day

"How terrible it will be for you who join house to house, who add field to field, until there is no more room, and you have settled yourselves alone in the middle of the land!"

"How terrible it will be for those who rise at dawn in order to grab a stiff drink, for those who stay up late at night as wine inflames them!

"How terrible it will be for those who parade iniquity with cords of falsehood, who draw sin along as with a cart rope;

who say: "Let God be quick, let him speed up his work so we may see it! Let it happen! let the plan of the Holy One of Israel draw near, so we may recognize it!'"

"How terrible it will be for those who call evil good and good evil, who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness, who substitute what is bitter for what is sweet and what is sweet for what is bitter!"

"How terrible it will be for those who are wise in their own opinion, and clever in their own reckoning!

"How terrible it will be for those who are heroes at drinking wine, and champions in mixing strong drink,

who acquit the guilty for a bribe, and deprive the innocent of justice!"

The foundations of the thresholds quaked at the sound of those who kept calling out, and the Temple was filled with smoke.

Then I heard the voice of the LORD as he was asking, "Whom will I send? Who will go for us?" "Here I am!" I replied. "Send me."

The LORD of the Heavenly Armies he's the one you are to regard as holy. Let him be the one whom you fear, and let him be the one before whom you stand in terror!

Then he will be a sanctuary, but for both houses of Israel he'll also be a stone with which someone strikes himself, a rock one stumbles over, a trap and a snare to those who live in Jerusalem.

I'll wait for the LORD, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob, and I'll put my trust in him.

Watch out! I and the children whom the LORD has given me are a sign and a wonder in Israel from the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, who resides on Mount Zion."

"So when they advise you, "Ask the mediums your questions, and quiz the spiritists who chirp and mutter,' shouldn't a people instead be consulting their God and not the dead on behalf of those who are living

But there will be no gloom for her who was in distress. Formerly, he brought contempt to the region of Zebulun and the region of Naphtali, but in the future he will have made glorious the way of the sea, the territory beyond the Jordan Galilee of the nations.

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; for those living in a land of deep darkness, a light has shined upon them.

"But the people have not returned to rely on him who struck them, nor have they sought the LORD of the Heavenly Armies.

the elder and the dignitary is the head, and the prophet who teaches lies is the tail.

For those who guide this people have been leading them astray, and those who are guided by them are swallowed up.

"How terrible it will be for the one who enacts unjust decrees, for those who write oppressive laws that they have prescribed

What will you do on the day of Judgment, in the calamity that will come from far away? To whom will you run for help, and where will you leave your wealth,