Discipline your children, and they will give you rest, and they will give delight to your soul.

[There is] a generation--how lofty [are] their eyes! And their eyelids they will lift.

This peoples' teeth are swords, and with their jawbones they consume and devour the simple of the earth, and the poor from among men.

For the leech, [there are] two daughters; "Give, give!" [they cry]. As for three of these, they are not satisfied; as for four, they do not say enough.

The afterlife, the barren womb, earth that still demands water, and fire they never say, "Enough".

They three were wonderful above me; and four, I knew them not:

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

The ants are a people not strong, Yet they provide their food in the summer;

The conies are but a feeble folk, Yet make they their houses in the rocks;

The locusts have no king, Yet go they forth all of them by bands;

Spiders can be caught by the hand, yet they're found in kings' palaces.

There are three things which are stately in their march,
Even four which are stately when they walk:

Lest they drink, and forget the law, And pervert the justice due to any that is afflicted.

that they may drink it, and forget their misery and adversity.

Her sons rose up and they will call her happy; her husband, and he will praise her.

Give to her from the fruit of her hand, and may they praise her works in the city gates.

What benefit do people get from all the effort which they expend on earth?

All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full; unto the place whither the rivers go, thither they go again.

No one remembers the former events, nor will anyone remember the events that are yet to happen; they will not be remembered by the future generations.

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.

I communed with my own heart, saying, Lo, I have come to greatness, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.

I searched in my heart how to cheer my flesh with wine, my heart yet guiding me with wisdom, and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what it was good for the sons of men that they should do under heaven all the days of their life.

I got men-servants and women-servants, and they gave birth to sons and daughters in my house. I had great wealth of herds and flocks, more than all who were in Jerusalem before me.

I neither withheld anything from my eyes that they desired, nor did I deprive any pleasure from my heart. My heart rejoiced in all my toil, for this was my reward from all my toil.

And I turned to see wisdom, and madness, and folly, but what is the man who cometh after the king? that which is already -- they have done it!

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.

All this hath he ordained marvelous goodly, to every thing his due time. He hath planted ignorance also in the hearts of men, that they should not find out the ground of his works, which he doth from the beginning to the end.

I know that there is nothing better for them, than to rejoice, and to do good so long as they live.

I have known that all that God doth is to the age, to it nothing is to be added, and from it nothing is to be withdrawn; and God hath wrought that they do fear before Him.

I said in my heart, It is because of the sons of men, that God may prove them, and that they may see that they themselves are but as beasts.

For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; and man hath no preeminence above the beasts: for all is vanity.

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

Then I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and, behold, the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.

And I praise the dead already dead more than the living they yet living.

Yes, better is he than both they, who hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.

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

Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one be warm alone ?

I saw all the living that walk under the sun, that they were with the youth, the second, that stood up in his stead.

There was no end of all the people, even of all them over whom he was: yet they that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind.

Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God; for to draw nigh to hear is better than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they know not that they do evil.

If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and the violent taking away of justice and righteousness in a province, marvel not at the matter: for one higher than the high regardeth; and there are higher than they.

When goods increase, they are increased that eat them; and what advantage is there to the owner thereof, save the beholding of them with his eyes?

For oft times they perish with his great misery and trouble: and if he have a child it getteth nothing.

If a man doth beget a hundred, and live many years, and is great, because they are the days of his years, and his soul is not satisfied from the goodness, and also he hath not had a grave, I have said, 'Better than he is the untimely birth.'

Furthermore, though they never saw the sun nor learned anything, they are more content than the other.

For when there are many words, they increase futility. What is the advantage for man?

For no one knows what is best for a person during his life -- during the few days of his fleeting life -- for they pass away like a shadow. Nor can anyone tell him what the future will hold for him on earth.

Say not thou, "What is the cause that the days of the old time were better than they that be now?" For that were no wise question.

Also to all the words that they speak give not thy heart, that thou hear not thy servant reviling thee.

Behold, this only have I found: that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.

So I saw the wicked buried, and they came to the grave ; and they that had done right went away from the holy place, and were forgotten in the city: this also is vanity.

Although a sinner commits crime a hundred times and prolongs his life, yet I also know that it will go well with God-fearing people, for they are reverent before Him.

However, it will not go well with the wicked, and they will not lengthen their days like a shadow, for they are not reverent before God.

Yet is there a vanity upon earth: there be just men, unto whom it happeneth, as though they had the works of the ungodly; Again, there be ungodly, with whom it goeth as though they had the works of the righteous. This me think also a vain thing.

In light of all of this, I committed myself to explain it this way: the righteous and the wise, along with everything they do, are in the hands of God. Furthermore, as to love and hate, no human being knows everything concerning them.

This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea also, the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

And why? As long as a man liveth, he is careless: for a quick dog, say they, 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.

As well their love, as their hatred and their envy, is perished long ago; neither have they any more a portion for ever in anything that is done under the sun.

For also man knew not his time: as the fishes being laid hold of in an evil net, and as the birds laid hold of in the snare, as they, the sons of men being snared for an evil time, as it will fall upon them suddenly.

A fool also makes many words; a man knows not what they shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?

The struggles of fools weary them,
for they don’t know how to go to the city.

For mirth they are making a feast, And wine maketh life joyful, And the silver answereth with all.

If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth; and if a tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there shall it be.

In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand; for thou knowest not which shall prosper, whether this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.

Yea, if a man live many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember the days of darkness, for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity.

in the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows shall be darkened,

and the doors are shut toward the street; when the sound of the grinding is subdued, and they rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low;

yea, they shall be afraid of that which is high, and terrors'shall be in the way; and the almond-tree shall blossom, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail; because man goeth to his everlasting home, and the mourners go about the streets:

The words of the wise are pointed, and sayings grouped together are like nails fixed with a hammer; they are given by one guide.

For God shall judge all works and secret things, whether they be good or evil.

Draw me; we will run after thee: The king hath brought me into his chambers; We will be glad and rejoice in thee; We will make mention of thy love more than of wine: Rightly do they love thee.

Look not upon me, because I am swarthy, Because the sun hath scorched me. My mother's sons were incensed against me; They made me keeper of the vineyards; But mine own vineyard have I not kept.

The fig-tree ripeneth her green figs, And the vines are in blossom; They give forth their fragrance. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.

They watching going about in the city, found me: Saw ye him that my soul loved?

They all handle the sword, and are expert in war: Every man hath his sword upon his thigh, Because of fear in the night.

Your teeth are like a flock of shorn sheep, which came up from the washing; they all are bearing twins and not one is barren among them.

The watchmen that went about the city found me; They smote me, they wounded me; The keepers of the walls took away my veil from me.

His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the water brooks, as though they were washed with milk and set like pearls in gold.

(The Chorus)“Where has your beloved gone,
O most beautiful among women?
Where is your beloved hiding himself,
That we may seek him with you?”

Turn away thine eyes from me, For they overcome me. Thy hair is as a flock of goats On the slopes of Gilead.

Your teeth are like a flock of ewes which go up from the washing; they all are bearing twins, and a barren one is not among them.

They are sixty queens, and eighty concubines, and maidens no number.

My dove, mine undefiled, is but one; She is the only one of her mother, She is the choice one of her that bore her. The daughters saw her, and they called her blessed; The queens and the concubines, and they praised her.

(The Chorus)
“Return, return, O Shulammite;
Return, return, that we may gaze at you.”

Oh that thou wert as my brother, That sucked the breasts of my mother! Should I find thee without, I would kiss thee; And they would not despise me.

(The Chorus)
“Who is this coming up from the wilderness
Leaning upon her beloved?”

Many waters are not able to quench the love, And floods do not wash it away. If one give all the wealth of his house for love, Treading down -- they tread upon it.

THEYA sister, have we, a little one, and, breasts, hath she none, What shall we do for our sister, in the day when she may be spoken for?

Hear, ye heavens, and give ear, thou earth! for Jehovah hath spoken: I have nourished and brought up children; and they have rebelled against me.

Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that corrupt themselves! They have forsaken Jehovah; they have despised the Holy One of Israel; they are turned away backward.

From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in him; wounds, and weals, and open sores: they have not been dressed, nor bound up, nor mollified with oil.

Your land is devastated, your cities burned with fire. Right before your eyes your crops are being destroyed by foreign invaders. They leave behind devastation and destruction.

“What are your multiplied sacrifices to Me [without your repentance]?”
Says the Lord.
“I have had enough of [your] burnt offerings of rams
And the fat of well-fed cattle [without your obedience];
And I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls or lambs or goats [offered without repentance].

Your new moons and your set feasts my soul hateth: they are a burden to me; I am wearied of bearing them.

Come now, let us reason together, saith Jehovah: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

How was the faithful city for a harlot! I filled with judgment; justice will lodge in her; and now they are killing

thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves; every one loveth presents, and hunteth after rewards; they judge not the fatherless, and the cause of the widow cometh not unto them.

I will restore your judges to what they once were,
and your advisers to their former state.
Afterward you will be called the Righteous City,
a Faithful City.”