He that is stiff necked and will not be reformed, shall suddenly be destroyed without any help.

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

Whoso flattereth his neighbour, layeth a net for his feet.

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

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

If a wise man go to law with a fool - whether he deal with him friendly or roughly - he getteth no rest.

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

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

If thou seest a man that is hasty to speak unadvised; thou mayest trust a fool more than him.

Whoso keepeth company with a thief, hateth his own soul; he heareth blasphemies, and telleth it not forth.

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

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

Who hath climbed up into heaven? Who hath come down from thence? Who hath holden the wind fast in his hand? Who hath comprehended the waters in a garment? Who hath set all the ends of the world? What is his name, or his son's name? Canst thou tell?

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.

Lest I be so full, I deny thee, and say, "What fellow is the LORD?" And lest I, being constrained through poverty, fall unto stealing and foreswear the name of my God.

He that bringeth up an evil report upon the generation of his father and mother, is not worthy to be commended.

This generation which is like a horse-leech, hath two daughters; the one is called "fetch hither," and the other "bring hither."

There be three things that are never satisfied, and the fourth sayeth never, "Hoo." The hell, a woman's womb, and the earth hath never water enough. As for fire, it sayeth never, "Hoo."

Whoso laugheth his father to scorn, and setteth his mother's commandment at naught; the ravens pick out his eyes in the valley, and devoured be he of the young Eagles.

There be three things too high for me, and as for the fourth, it passeth my knowledge.

Such is the way also of a wife that breaketh wedlock, which wipeth her mouth like as when she hath eaten, and sayeth, "As for me, I have done no harm."

Through three things the earth is disquieted, and the fourth may it not bear:

through an idle housewife, and through a handmaiden that is heir to her mistress.

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

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

A Lion which is king of beasts, and giveth place to no man;

Lest they being drunken forget the law, and regard not the cause of the poor, and of all such as be in adversity.

Give strong drink unto such as are condemned to death, and wine unto those that mourn:

Be thou an advocate and stand in judgment thyself, to speak for all such as be dumb and sucourless.

With thy mouth defend the thing that is lawful and right, and the cause of the poor and helpless.

Whoso findeth a honest faithful woman, she is much more worth than pearls.

She is like the merchants' ship, that bringeth her victuals from afar.

She openeth her hand to the poor, yea she stretcheth forth her hands to such as have need

She maketh herself fair ornaments; her clothing is white silk and purple.

Her husband is much set by in the gates, when he sitteth among the rulers of the land.

Strength and honour is her clothing, and in the latter day she shall rejoice.

She openeth her mouth with wisdom, and in her tongue is the law of grace.

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.

All floods run into the sea, and yet the sea is not filled: for look, unto what place the waters run, thence they come again.

All things are so hard, that no man can express them. The eye is not satisfied with sight; the ear is not filled with hearing.

The thing that hath been, cometh to pass again; and the thing that hath been done, again is done - there is nothing new under the Sun.

Is there anything, whereof it may be said, "Lo, this is new?" For it was long ago in the times that have been before us.

The thing that is past, is out of remembrance; Even so the things that are for to come, shall no more be thought upon among them that come after.

For where much wisdom is, there is also great travail and disquietness; and the more knowledge a man hath, the more is his care.

So I thought in my heart, to withdraw my flesh from wine, to apply my mind unto wisdom, and to comprehend foolishness until the time that among all the things which are under the Sun, I might see what were best for men to do, so long as they live under heaven.

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.

Then turned I me to consider wisdom, error and foolishness: for what is he among men, that might be compared to me the king in such work?

And I saw that wisdom excelleth foolishness, as far as light doth darkness.

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.

For the wise are ever as little in remembrance as the foolish, and all the days for to come shall be forgotten, yea the wise man dieth as well as the fool.

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:

For who knoweth, whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? And yet shall he be lord of all my labours, which I with such wisdom have taken under the Sun. Is not this a vain thing?

So I turned me to refrain my mind from all such travail, as I took under the Sun:

Forsomuch as a man should weary himself with wisdom, with understanding and opportunity, and yet be fain to leave his labours unto another, that never sweat for them. This is also a vain thing and a great misery.

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?

Is it not better then for a man to eat and drink, and his soul to be merry in his labour? Yea I saw that this also was a gift of God:

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.

Every thing hath a time; yea, all that is under the heaven, hath his convenient season.

There is a time to be born, and a time to die. There is a time to plant, and a time to pluck up the thing, that is planted;

For as touching the travail and carefulness which God hath given unto men, I see that he hath given it them, to be exercised in it.

So I perceived, that in these things there is nothing better for a man, then to be merry and to do well so long as he liveth.

For all that a man eateth and drinketh, yea whatsoever a man enjoyeth of all his labor, the same is a gift of God.

The thing that hath been, is now; and the thing that is for to come, hath been afore time: for God restoreth again the thing that was past.

I communed with mine own heart also concerning the children of men: how God hath chosen them, and yet letteth them appear as though they were beasts.

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.

They go all unto one place, for as they be all of dust, so shall they all turn unto dust again.

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?

So I turned me, and considered all the violent wrong that is done under the Sun, and beheld the tears of such as were oppressed; and there was no man to comfort them or that would deliver and defend them from the violence of their oppressors.

Wherefore I judged those that are dead, to be more happy than such as be alive.

Yea, him that is yet unborn to be better at ease than they both, because he seeth not the miserable works that are done under the Sun.

Again, I saw that all travail and diligence of labour was hated of every man. This is also a vain thing, and a vexation of mind.

"One handful," sayeth he, "is better with rest, than both the hands full with labor and travail."

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.

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

A poor child being wise, is better than an old king that doteth, and cannot beware in time to come.

Someone cometh out of prison, and is made a king; and another which is born in the kingdom, cometh unto poverty.

As for the people that have been before him, and that come after him, they are innumerable: yet is not their joy the greater through him. This is also a vain thing and a vexation of mind. (v17) When thou comest into the house of God, keep thy foot and draw nigh, that thou mayest hear: that is better than the offerings of fools, for they know not what evil they do

and let not thine heart speak anything rashly before God. For God is in heaven, and thou upon earth, therefore let thy words be few.

For where much carefulness is, there are many dreams: and where many words are, there men may hear fools.

If thou make a vow unto God, be not slack to perform it. As for foolish vows, he hath no pleasure in them.

If thou promise anything, pay it; for better it is that thou make no vow than that thou shouldest promise, and not pay.

Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh for to sin, neither say thou before the angel that it is thy ignorance. For then God will be angry at thy voice, and destroy all the works of thine hands.

If thou seest the poor to be oppressed and wrongfully dealt withal, so that equity and the right of the law is wrested in the land: marvel not thou at such judgment, for one great man keepeth touch with another, and the mighty help themselves together.

The whole land also with the fields and all that is therein, is in subjection and bondage unto the king.

He that loveth money, will never be satisfied with money: and whoso delighteth in riches, shall have no profit thereof. Is not this also a vain thing?

Yet is there a sore plague, which I have seen under the sun: namely, riches kept to the hurt of him that hath them in possession.

Like as he came naked out of his mother's womb, so goeth he thither again, and carryeth nothing away with him of all his labour.

This is a miserable plague, that he shall go away even as he came. What helpeth him then, that he hath labored in the wind?

Therefore me think it a better and fairer thing, a man to eat and drink, and to be refreshed of all his labour that he taketh under the Sun all the days of his life which God giveth him: for this is his portion.

For unto whomsoever God giveth riches, goods and power, he giveth it him to enjoy it, to take it for his portion, and to be refreshed of his labour: this is now the gift of God.

For he thinketh not much how long he shall live, forsomuch as God filleth his heart with gladness.

There is yet a plague under the Sun, and it is a general thing among men:

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.

If a man beget a hundredth children, and live many years, so that his days are many in number, and yet cannot enjoy his good, neither be buried: as for him I say, that an untimely birth is better than he.

For he cometh to naught, and goeth his way into darkness, and his name is forgotten.

All the labour that man taketh is for himself, and yet his desire is never filled after his mind.