Happy is the one who is always reverent,
but one who hardens his heart falls into trouble.

A leader who lacks understanding
is very oppressive,
but one who hates dishonest profit
prolongs his life.

A man burdened by bloodguilt
will be a fugitive until death.
Let no one help him.

The one who lives with integrity will be helped,
but one who distorts right and wrong
will suddenly fall.

The one who works his land
will have plenty of food,
but whoever chases fantasies
will have his fill of poverty.

A faithful man will have many blessings,
but one in a hurry to get rich
will not go unpunished.

A greedy man is in a hurry for wealth;
he doesn’t know that poverty will come to him.

One who rebukes a person will later find more favor
than one who flatters with his tongue.

The one who robs his father or mother
and says, “That’s no sin,”
is a companion to a man who destroys.

A greedy person provokes conflict,
but whoever trusts in the Lord will prosper.

The one who trusts in himself is a fool,
but one who walks in wisdom will be safe.

The one who gives to the poor
will not be in need,
but one who turns his eyes away
will receive many curses.

When the wicked come to power,
people hide,
but when they are destroyed,
the righteous flourish.

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One who becomes stiff-necked,
after many reprimands
will be shattered instantly—
beyond recovery.

When the righteous flourish, the people rejoice,
but when the wicked rule, people groan.

A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father,
but one who consorts with prostitutes destroys his wealth.

An evil man is caught by sin,
but the righteous one sings and rejoices.

The righteous person knows the rights of the poor,
but the wicked one does not understand these concerns.

Bloodthirsty men hate an honest person,
but the upright care about him.

A fool gives full vent to his anger,
but a wise man holds it in check.

The poor and the oppressor have this in common:
the Lord gives light to the eyes of both.

When the wicked increase, rebellion increases,
but the righteous will see their downfall.

Without revelation people run wild,
but one who listens to instruction will be happy.

A slave pampered from his youth
will become arrogant later on.

An angry man stirs up conflict,
and a hot-tempered man increases rebellion.

The fear of man is a snare,
but the one who trusts in the Lord is protected.

An unjust man is detestable to the righteous,
and one whose way is upright
is detestable to the wicked.

I have not gained wisdom,
and I have no knowledge of the Holy One.

Who has gone up to heaven and come down?
Who has gathered the wind in His hands?
Who has bound up the waters in a cloak?
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is His name,
and what is the name of His Son—
if you know?

Every word of God is pure;
He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.

There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes,
yet is not washed from its filth.

the way of an eagle in the sky,
the way of a snake on a rock,
the way of a ship at sea,
and the way of a man with a young woman.

This is the way of an adulteress:
she eats and wipes her mouth
and says, “I’ve done nothing wrong.”

a servant when he becomes king,
a fool when he is stuffed with food,

an unloved woman when she marries,
and a servant girl when she ousts her queen.

Four things on earth are small,
yet they are extremely wise:

the ants are not a strong people,
yet they store up their food in the summer;

hyraxes are not a mighty people,
yet they make their homes in the cliffs;

locusts have no king,
yet all of them march in ranks;

a lizard can be caught in your hands,
yet it lives in kings’ palaces.

Three things are stately in their stride,
even four are stately in their walk:

The words of King Lemuel,
an oracle that his mother taught him:

Don’t spend your energy on women
or your efforts on those who destroy kings.

It is not for kings, Lemuel,
it is not for kings to drink wine
or for rulers to desire beer.

Give beer to one who is dying
and wine to one whose life is bitter.

The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will not lack anything good.

She draws on her strength
and reveals that her arms are strong.

She is not afraid for her household when it snows,
for all in her household are doubly clothed.

She makes her own bed coverings;
her clothing is fine linen and purple.

She opens her mouth with wisdom
and loving instruction is on her tongue.

The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem.

Gusting to the south,
turning to the north,
turning, turning, goes the wind,
and the wind returns in its cycles.

Can one say about anything,
“Look, this is new”?
It has already existed in the ages before us.

I, the Teacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.

I explored with my mind how to let my body enjoy life with wine and how to grasp folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom—until I could see what is good for people to do under heaven during the few days of their lives.

I made gardens and parks for myself and planted every kind of fruit tree in them.

I acquired male and female servants and had slaves who were born in my house. I also owned many herds of cattle and flocks, more than all who were before me in Jerusalem.

So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem; my wisdom also remained with me.

All that my eyes desired, I did not deny them. I did not refuse myself any pleasure, for I took pleasure in all my struggles. This was my reward for all my struggles.

When I considered all that I had accomplished and what I had labored to achieve, I found everything to be futile and a pursuit of the wind. There was nothing to be gained under the sun.

And I realized that there is an advantage to wisdom over folly, like the advantage of light over darkness.

The wise man has eyes in his head,
but the fool walks in darkness.

Yet I also knew that one fate comes to them both.

For, just like the fool, there is no lasting remembrance of the wise man, since in the days to come both will be forgotten. How is it that the wise man dies just like the fool?

For to the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy, but to the sinner He gives the task of gathering and accumulating in order to give to the one who is pleasing in God’s sight. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

There is an occasion for everything,
and a time for every activity under heaven:

He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also put eternity in their hearts, but man cannot discover the work God has done from beginning to end.

I know that all God does will last forever; there is no adding to it or taking from it. God works so that people will be in awe of Him.

For the fate of people and the fate of animals is the same. As one dies, so dies the other; they all have the same breath. People have no advantage over animals since everything is futile.

Again, I observed all the acts of oppression being done under the sun. Look at the tears of those who are oppressed; they have no one to comfort them. Power is with those who oppress them; they have no one to comfort them.

But better than either of them is the one who has not yet existed, who has not seen the evil activity that is done under the sun.

The fool folds his arms
and consumes his own flesh.

Better one handful with rest
than two handfuls with effort and a pursuit of the wind.

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

For if either falls, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up.

Also, if two lie down together, they can keep warm; but how can one person alone keep warm?

And if someone overpowers one person, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not easily broken.

Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer pays attention to warnings.

For he came from prison to be king, even though he was born poor in his kingdom.

There is no limit to all the people who were before them, yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Better to draw near in obedience than to offer the sacrifice as fools do, for they ignorantly do wrong.

Do not be hasty to speak, and do not be impulsive to make a speech before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.

When you make a vow to God, don’t delay fulfilling it, because He does not delight in fools. Fulfill what you vow.

Do not let your mouth bring guilt on you, and do not say in the presence of the messenger that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry with your words and destroy the work of your hands?

If you see oppression of the poor and perversion of justice and righteousness in the province, don’t be astonished at the situation, because one official protects another official, and higher officials protect them.

The one who loves money is never satisfied with money, and whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with income. This too is futile.

When good things increase, the ones who consume them multiply; what, then, is the profit to the owner, except to gaze at them with his eyes?

That wealth was lost in a bad venture, so when he fathered a son, he was empty-handed.

As he came from his mother’s womb, so he will go again, naked as he came; he will take nothing for his efforts that he can carry in his hands.

What is more, he eats in darkness all his days, with much sorrow, sickness, and anger.

Here is what I have seen to be good: it is appropriate to eat, drink, and experience good in all the labor one does under the sun during the few days of his life God has given him, because that is his reward.

God has also given riches and wealth to every man, and He has allowed him to enjoy them, take his reward, and rejoice in his labor. This is a gift of God,

Here is a tragedy I have observed under the sun, and it weighs heavily on humanity:

For he comes in futility and he goes in darkness, and his name is shrouded in darkness.

Whatever exists was given its name long ago, and it is known what man is. But he is not able to contend with the One stronger than he.

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

For who knows what is good for man in life, in the few days of his futile life that he spends like a shadow? Who can tell man what will happen after him under the sun?

A good name is better than fine perfume,
and the day of one’s death than the day of one’s birth.

Grief is better than laughter,
for when a face is sad, a heart may be glad.

The heart of the wise is in a house of mourning,
but the heart of fools is in a house of pleasure.

Don’t let your spirit rush to be angry,
for anger abides in the heart of fools.