As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.

As the sparrow for flitting about, as the swallow for flying, so a curse undeserved shall not come.

A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the back of fools.

Where no wood is, the fire goeth out; and where there is no talebearer, the contention ceaseth.

As coals for hot coals, and wood for fire, so is a contentious man to inflame strife.

when his voice is gracious, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart.

Boast not thyself of to-morrow, for thou knowest not what a day will bring forth.

Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not; and go not into thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity: better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off.

Take his garment that is become surety for another, and hold him in pledge for a strange woman.

The fining-pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold; so let a man be to the mouth that praiseth him.

for wealth is not for ever; and doth the crown endure from generation to generation?

The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of a field;

and there is goats' milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and sustenance for thy maidens.

He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance gathereth it for him that is gracious to the poor.

To have respect of persons is not good; but for a piece of bread will a man transgress.

A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his steps.

The bloodthirsty hate the perfect, but the upright care for his soul.

A king that faithfully judgeth the poor, his throne shall be established for ever.

The fear of man bringeth a snare; but whoso putteth his confidence in Jehovah is protected.

Remove far from me vanity and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread of my daily need:

The leech hath two daughters: Give, give. There are three things never satisfied; four which say not, It is enough:

Sheol, and the barren womb; the earth which is not filled with water, and the fire which saith not, It is enough.

There are three things too wonderful for me, and four that I know not:

Under three things the earth is disquieted, and under four it cannot bear up:

There are four things little upon the earth, and they are exceeding wise:

There are three things which have a stately step, and four are comely in going:

The lion, mighty among beasts, which turneth not away for any;

For the pressing of milk bringeth forth butter, and the pressing of the nose bringeth forth blood; and the pressing of anger bringeth forth strife.

It is not for kings, Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, nor for rulers to say, Where is the strong drink?

Open thy mouth for the dumb, for the cause of all those that are left desolate.

Who can find a woman of worth? for her price is far above rubies.

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

One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh, but the earth standeth for ever.

For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.

I searched in my heart how to cherish my flesh with wine, while practising my heart with wisdom; and how to lay hold on folly, till I should see what was that good for the children of men which they should do under the heavens all the days of their life.

And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them: I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour, and this was my portion from all my labour.

And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly; for what shall the man do that cometh after the king? that which hath already been done.

For there shall be no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; because everything is already forgotten in the days which come. And how dieth the wise even as the fool?

And I hated life; for the work that is wrought under the sun was grievous unto me; for all is vanity and pursuit of the wind.

For there is a man whose labour hath been with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skill, and who leaveth it to a man that hath not laboured therein, to be his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.

For what will man have of all his labour and of the striving of his heart, wherewith he hath wearied himself under the sun?

For all his days are sorrows, and his travail vexation: even in the night his heart taketh no rest. This also is vanity.

There is nothing good for man, but that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.

For who can eat, or who be eager, more than I?

For he giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he giveth travail to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good in God's sight. This also is vanity and pursuit of the wind.

I know that there is nothing good for them but to rejoice and to do well in their life;

I know that whatever God doeth, it shall be for ever; there is nothing to be added to it, nor anything to be taken from it; and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.

I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.

For what befalleth the children of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other, and they have all one breath; and man hath no pre-eminence above the beast: for all is vanity.

And I have seen that there is nothing better than that man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion; for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?

There is one alone and without a second; also he hath neither son nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour, neither is his eye satisfied with riches, and he saith not, For whom then am I labouring, and depriving my soul of good? This also is vanity and a grievous occupation.

Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.

For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him that is alone when he falleth, and who hath not another to lift him up!

For out of the prison-house he came forth to reign, although he was born poor in his kingdom.

Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and draw near to hear, rather than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they know not that they do evil.

Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter anything before God: for God is in the heavens, and thou upon earth; therefore let thy words be few.

For a dream cometh through the multitude of business, and a fool's voice through a multitude of words.

When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.

For in the multitude of dreams are vanities; so with many words: but fear God.

If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter; for a higher than the high is watching, and there are higher than they.

There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt;

And this also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came so doth he go away, and what profit hath he, in having laboured for the wind?

Behold what I have seen good and comely: it is to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labour wherewith man laboureth under the sun, all the days of his life which God hath given him: for that is his portion.

For he will not much remember the days of his life, because God answereth him with the joy of his heart.

one to whom God giveth riches, wealth, and honour, and he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and a sore evil.

For it cometh in vanity, and departeth in darkness, and its name is covered with darkness;

All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.

For what advantage hath the wise above the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?

For there are many things that increase vanity: what is man advantaged?

For who knoweth what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell man what shall be after him under the sun?

Vexation is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.

It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise, than to hear the song of fools.

For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.

Be not hasty in thy spirit to be vexed; for vexation resteth in the bosom of fools.

Say not, How is it that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.

For wisdom is a defence as money is a defence; but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom maketh them that possess it to live.

Consider the work of God; for who can make straight what he hath made crooked?

It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from that withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God cometh forth from them all.

For also thine own heart knoweth that oftentimes thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.

All this have I tried by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.

Whatever hath been, is far off, and exceeding deep: who will find it out?

Be not hasty to go out of his sight; persist not in an evil thing: for he doeth whatever pleaseth him,

For to every purpose there is time and manner. For the misery of man is great upon him;

for he knoweth not that which shall be; for who can tell him how it shall be?

Though a sinner do evil a hundred times, and prolong his days, yet I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, because they fear before him;

And I commended mirth, because there is nothing better for man under the sun than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry; for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God hath given him under the sun.

When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth (for also there is that neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes),

For all this I laid to my heart and indeed to investigate all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God; man knoweth neither love nor hatred: all is before them.

For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

For the living know that they shall die; but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward, for the memory of them is forgotten.

Their love also, and their hatred, and their envy is already perished; neither have they any more for ever a portion in all that is done under the sun.

Go, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God hath already accepted thy works.

Enjoy life with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity; for that is thy portion in life, and in thy labour wherein thou art labouring under the sun.

Whatever thy hand findeth to do, do with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, whither thou goest.

For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are taken with the snare, like them are the children of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.

If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for quietness pacifieth great offences.

Happy art thou, O land, when thy king is a son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!

A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh life merry; but money answereth everything.

Curse not the king, no, not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for the bird of the air will carry the voice, and that which hath wings will tell the matter.

Cast thy bread upon the waters; for thou shalt find it after many days.