For a whore is a deep grave, and a harlot is a narrow pit.

It goeth down softly; but at the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth as an adder.

"They wounded me," shalt thou say, "but it hath not hurt me. They smote me, but I felt it not. When I am well awakened, I will go to the drink again."

If thou be overseen and negligent in time of need, then is thy strength but small.

For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again; but the ungodly fall into wickedness.

And why? The wicked hath nothing to hope for, and the candle of the ungodly shall be put out.

But they that rebuke the ungodly shall be commended, and a rich blessing shall come upon them.

It is the honour of God to keep a thing secret; but the king's honour is to search out a thing.

Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, and prease not into the place of great men.

but make the fool an answer to his foolishness, lest he be wise in his own conceit.

A man of experience discerneth all things well, but whoso hireth a fool, hireth such one as will take no heed.

Like as the door turneth about upon the threshold, even so doth the slothful welter himself in his bed.

The slothful body thrusteth his hand into his bosom, and it grieveth him to put it again to his mouth.

And then sayeth he, "I did it but in sport!"

A slanderer's words are like flattery, but they pierce the inward parts of the body.

but when he speaketh fair, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart.

Whoso diggeth up a pit, shall fall therein; and he that weltereth a stone, shall stumble upon it himself.

The stone is heavy, and the sand weighty; but a fool's wrath is heavier than them both.

Faithful are the wounds of a lover, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

He that is full, abhorreth a honeycomb; but unto him that is hungry, every sour thing is sweet.

The heart is glad of a sweet ointment and savour, but a stomach that can give good counsel, rejoiceth a man's neighbour.

Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, see thou forsake not; but go not into thy brother's house in time of thy trouble. Better is a friend at hand than a brother far off.

The ungodly fleeth, no man chasing him; but the righteous standeth stiff as a lion.

Because of sin the land doth oft change her prince; but through men of understanding and wisdom a realm endureth long.

They that forsake the law, praise the ungodly; but such as keep the law, abhor them.

Wicked men discern not the thing that is right, but they that seek after the LORD, discuss all things.

Whoso keepeth the law, is a child of understanding; but he that feedeth riotous men, shameth his father.

Whoso leadeth the righteous in to an evil way, shall fall into his own pit; but the just shall have the good in possession.

The rich man thinketh himself to be wise; but the poor that hath understanding, can perceive him well enough.

When righteous men are in prosperity, then doth honour flourish; but when the ungodly come up, the state of men changeth.

He that hideth his sins, shall not prosper; but who so knowledgeth them and forsaketh them, shall have mercy.

Where the prince is without understanding, there is great oppression and wrong; but if he be such one as hateth covetousness, he shall long reign.

Whoso leadeth a godly and an innocent life, shall be safe; but he that goeth froward ways, shall once have a fall.

He that tilleth his land, shall have plenteousness of bread; but he that followeth idleness, shall have poverty enough.

A faithful man is greatly to be commended, but he that maketh too much haste for to be rich, shall not be unguilty.

He that is of a proud stomach, stirreth up strife; but he that putteth his trust in the LORD, shall be well fed.

He that trusteth in his own heart, is a fool; but he that dealeth wisely, shall be safe.

He that giveth unto the poor, shall not want; but he that turneth away his eyes from such as be in necessity, shall suffer great poverty himself.

When the ungodly are come up, men are fain to hide themselves; but when they perish, the righteous increase.

Where the righteous have the over hand, the people are in prosperity; but where the ungodly beareth rule, there the people mourn.

Whoso loveth wisdom, maketh his father a glad man; but he that keepeth harlots, spendeth away that he hath.

With true judgment the king setteth up the land; but if he be a man that taketh gifts, he turneth it upside down.

The sin of the wicked is his own snare, but the righteous shall be glad and rejoice.

The righteous considereth the cause of the poor, but the ungodly regardeth no understanding.

Wicked people bring a city in decay, but wise men set it up again.

The bloodthirsty hate the righteous, but the just seek his soul.

A fool poureth out his spirit altogether, but a wise man keepeth it in till afterward.

The rod and correction minister wisdom; but if a child be not looked unto, he bringeth his mother to shame.

When the ungodly come up, wickedness increaseth; but the righteous shall see their fall.

Where no Prophet is, there the people perish; but well is him that keepeth the law.

After pride cometh a fall; but a lowly spirit bringeth great worship.

He that feareth men, shall have a fall; but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall come to honour.

Many there be that seek the prince's favour, but every man's judgment cometh from the LORD.

The righteous abhorreth the ungodly; but as for those that be in the right way, the wicked hate them.

All the words of God are pure and clean, for he is a shield unto all them that put their trust in him.

Put thou nothing therefore unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found as a liar.

There be four things in the earth, the which are very little: but in wisdom they exceed the wise.

The Emmets are but a weak people, yet gather they their meat together in the harvest.

The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their couches among the rocks.

There be three things that go stiffly, but the going of the fourth is the goodliest of all.

Many daughters there be that gather riches together, but thou goest above them all.

Favour is a deceitful thing, and beauty is vanity; but a woman that feareth God, she shall be praised.

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

One generation passeth away, another cometh, but the earth abideth still.

Thus I have considered all the things that come to pass under the Sun, and lo, they are all but vanity and vexation of mind.

for thereunto I applied my mind: that I might know what were wisdom and understanding, what were error and foolishness. And I perceived that this also was but a vexation of mind:

Then said I thus in my heart, "Now go to, I will take mine ease and have good days." But lo, that was vanity also:

I bought servants and maidens, and had a great household. As for cattle and sheep, I had more substance of them than all they that were before me in Jerusalem.

But when I considered all the works that my hands had wrought, and all the labours that I had taken therein: Lo, all was vanity and vexation of mind, and nothing of any value under the Sun.

For a wise man beareth his eyes about in his head, but the fool goeth in the darkness. I perceived also that they both had one end.

Then thought I in my mind, "If it happeneth unto the fool as it doth unto me, what needeth me then to labour any more for wisdom?" So I confessed within my heart, that this also was but vanity.

Thus began I to be weary of my life, in so much that I could away with nothing that is done under the Sun, for all was but vanity and vexation of mind:

but heaviness, sorrow and disquietness all the days of his life? Insomuch that his heart cannot rest in the night. Is not this also a vain thing?

He giveth unto man, what it pleaseth him; whether it be wisdom, understanding, or gladness. But unto the sinner he giveth weariness and sorrow, that he may gather and heap together the thing, that afterward shall be given unto him whom it pleaseth God. This is now a vain thing, yea a very disquietness and vexation of mind.

What else hath a man that doth anything, but weariness and labour?

I considered also that whatsoever God doth, it continueth forever, and that nothing can be put unto it, nor taken from it: And that God doth it to the intent that men should fear him.

For it happeneth unto men as it doth unto beasts, and as the one dieth, so dieth the other. Yea, they have both one manner of breath, so that - in this - a man hath no preeminence above a beast, but all are subdued unto vanity.

Wherefore I perceive, that there is nothing better for a man, than to be joyful in his labour, for that is his portion. But who will bring him to see the thing that shall come after him?

There is one man, no more but himself alone, having neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of his careful travail, his eyes cannot be satisfied with riches. Yet, doth he not remember himself, and say, "For whom do I take such travail? For whose pleasure do I thus consume away my life?" This is also a vain and miserable thing.

If one of them fall, his companion helpeth him up again: But woe is him that is alone, for if he fall, he hath not another to help him up.

Again, when two sleep together, they are warm: but how can a body be warm alone?

One may be overcome, but two may make resistance: A threefold cable is not lightly broken.

And why? Whereas are many dreams and many words, there are also divers vanities: but look that thou fear God.

A labouring man sleepeth sweetly, whether it be little or much that he eateth; but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.

When God giveth a man riches, goods and honour, so that he wanteth nothing of all that his heart can desire, and yet God giveth him not leave to enjoy the same, but another man spendeth them. This is a vain thing and a miserable plague.

For who knoweth what is good for man living, in the days of his vain life, which is but a shadow? Or, who will tell a man what shall happen after him under the Sun?

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.