a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

I have seen the burden which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in their hearts, yet so that man can't find out the work that God has done from the beginning even to the end.

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

I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it; and God has done it, that men should fear before him.

That which is has been long ago, and that which is to be has been long ago: and God seeks again that which is passed away.

For that which happens to the sons of men happens to animals. Even one thing happens to them. As the one dies, so the other dies. Yes, they have all one breath; and man has no advantage over the animals: for all is vanity.

All go to one place. All are from the dust, and all turn to dust again.

Who knows the spirit of man, whether it goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, whether it goes downward to the earth?"

Therefore I saw that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his works; for that is his portion: for who can bring him to see what will be after him?

Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and chasing after wind.

There is one who is alone, and he has neither son nor brother. There is no end to all of his labor, neither are his eyes satisfied with wealth. "For whom then, do I labor, and deprive my soul of enjoyment?" This also is vanity. Yes, it is a miserable business.

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 who is alone when he falls, and doesn't have another to lift him up.

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

If a man prevails against one who is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who doesn't know how to receive admonition any more.

For out of prison he came forth to be king; yes, even in his kingdom he was born poor.

Guard your steps when you go to God's house; for to draw near to listen is better than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they don't know that they do evil.

Don't be rash with your mouth, and don't let your heart be hasty to utter anything before God; for God is in heaven, and you on earth. Therefore let your words be few.

When you vow a vow to God, don't defer to pay it; for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay that which you vow.

Don't allow your mouth to lead you into sin. Don't protest before the messenger that this was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice, and destroy the work of your hands?

If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent taking away of justice and righteousness in a district, don't marvel at the matter: for one official is eyed by a higher one; and there are officials over them.

When goods increase, those who eat them are increased; and what advantage is there to its owner, except to feast on them with his eyes?

The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eats little or much; but the abundance of the rich will not allow him to sleep.

There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: wealth kept by its owner to his harm.

Behold, that which I have seen to be good and proper is for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labor, in which he labors under the sun, all the days of his life which God has given him; for this is his portion.

Every man also to whom God has given riches and wealth, and has given him power to eat of it, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor -- this is the gift of God.

a man to whom God gives riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacks nothing for his soul of all that he desires, yet God gives him no power to eat of it, but an alien eats it. This is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

Yes, though he live a thousand years twice told, and yet fails to enjoy good, don't all go to one place?

For what advantage has the wise more than the fool? What has the poor man, that knows how to walk before the living?

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

It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men, and the living should take this to heart.

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

Don't be hasty in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools.

Don't say, "Why were the former days better than these?" For you do not ask wisely about this.

In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yes, God has made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything after him.

Don't be overly righteous, neither make yourself overly wise. Why should you destroy yourself?

Don't be too wicked, neither be foolish. Why should you die before your time?

It is good that you should take hold of this. Yes, also from that don't withdraw your hand; for he who fears God will come forth from them all.

Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.

Surely there is not a righteous man on earth, who does good and doesn't sin.

Also don't take heed to all words that are spoken, lest you hear your servant curse you;

I turned around, and my heart sought to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know that wickedness is stupidity, and that foolishness is madness.

"Behold, I have found this," says the Preacher, "one to another, to find out the scheme;

I say, "Keep the king's command!" because of the oath to God.

Don't be hasty to go out of his presence. Don't persist in an evil thing, for he does whatever pleases him,

for the king's word is supreme. Who can say to him, "What are you doing?"

Whoever keeps the commandment shall not come to harm, and his wise heart will know the time and procedure.

For he doesn't know that which will be; for who can tell him how it will be?

There is no man who has power over the spirit to contain the spirit; neither does he have power over the day of death. There is no discharge in war; neither shall wickedness deliver those who practice it.

All this have I seen, and applied my mind to every work that is done under the sun. There is a time in which one man has power over another to his hurt.

Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.

But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he lengthen days like a shadow; because he doesn't fear God.

There is a vanity which is done on the earth, that there are righteous men to whom it happens according to the work of the wicked. Again, there are wicked men to whom it happens according to the work of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity.

Then I commended mirth, because a man has no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be joyful: for that will accompany him in his labor all the days of his life which God has given him under the sun.

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

then I saw all the work of God, that man can't find out the work that is done under the sun, because however much a man labors to seek it out, yet he won't find it. Yes even though a wise man thinks he can comprehend it, he won't be able to find it.

For all this I laid to my heart, even to explore all this: that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God; whether it is love or hatred, man doesn't know it; all is before them.

All things come alike to all. There is one event to the righteous and to the wicked; to the good, to the clean, to the unclean, to him who sacrifices, and to him who doesn't sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner; he who takes an oath, as he who fears an oath.

This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one event to all: yes 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.

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

For the living know that they will die, but the dead don't know anything, neither do they have any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.

Let your garments be always white, and don't let your head lack oil.

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, where you are going.

I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all.

For man also doesn't know his time. As the fish that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare, even so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falls suddenly on them.

I have also seen wisdom under the sun in this way, and it seemed great to me.

Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to send forth an evil odor; so does a little folly outweigh wisdom and honor.

Yes also, when the fool walks by the way, his understanding fails him, and he says to everyone that he is a fool.

If the spirit of the ruler rises up against you, don't leave your place; for gentleness lays great offenses to rest.

If the axe is blunt, and one doesn't sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but skill brings success.

A fool also multiplies words. Man doesn't know what will be; and that which will be after him, who can tell him?

The labor of fools wearies every one of them; for he doesn't know how to go to the city.

Woe to you, land, when your king is a child, and your princes eat in the morning!

Happy are you, land, when your king is the son of nobles, and your princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!

Don't curse the king, no, not in your thoughts; and don't curse the rich in your bedroom: for a bird of the sky may carry your voice, and that which has wings may tell the matter.

Give a portion to seven, yes, even to eight; for you don't know what evil will be on the earth.

He who observes the wind won't sow; and he who regards the clouds won't reap.

As you don't know what is the way of the wind, nor how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child; even so you don't know the work of God who does all.

In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening don't withhold your hand; for you don't know which will prosper, whether this or that, or whether they both will be equally good.

Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to see the sun.

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 who look out of the windows are darkened,

yes, they shall be afraid of heights, and terrors will be in the way; and the almond tree shall blossom, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail; because man goes to his everlasting home, and the mourners go about the streets:

and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and that which was written blamelessly, words of truth.

Take me away with you. Let us hurry. The king has brought me into his rooms. Friends We will be glad and rejoice in you. We will praise your love more than wine! Beloved They are right to love you.

Don't stare at me because I am dark, because the sun has scorched me. My mother's sons were angry with me. They made me keeper of the vineyards. I haven't kept my own vineyard.

If you don't know, most beautiful among women, follow the tracks of the sheep. Graze your young goats beside the shepherds' tents.

I have compared you, my love, to a steed in Pharaoh's chariots.

My beloved is to me a sachet of myrrh, that lies between my breasts.

My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms from the vineyards of En Gedi. Lover

As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, his fruit was sweet to my taste.

He brought me to the banquet hall. His banner over me is love.

My beloved spoke, and said to me, "Rise up, my love, my beautiful one, and come away.

Until the day is cool, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be like a roe or a young hart on the mountains of Bether.

By night on my bed, I sought him whom my soul loves. I sought him, but I didn't find him.

I will get up now, and go about the city; in the streets and in the squares I will seek him whom my soul loves. I sought him, but I didn't find him.