Useless legs to the lame that's what a proverb quoted by a fool is.

Tying a stone to a sling that's what giving honor to a fool is.

A dog that returns to its vomit is like a fool who reverts to his folly.

Do you see a man who is wise in his own opinion? There's more hope for a fool than for him.

The lazy person buries his hand in the dish, but he's too tired to bring it to his mouth again.

that's what someone is like who lies to his neighbor and then says, "I was joking, wasn't I?"

Charcoal is to hot coals as wood is to fire; so also a quarrelsome man fuels strife.

Though he speaks graciously, don't believe him, for there are seven detestable things in his heart.

Never brag about the day to come, because you don't know what it might bring.

Wrath can be fierce and anger overwhelms but who can stand up to jealousy?

The person who is full spurns honey, but to a hungry person even the bitter seems sweet.

Ointments and perfume encourage the heart; in a similar way, a friend's advice is sweet to the soul.

Never abandon your friend nor your father's friend, and don't go to your brother's house in times of trouble. A neighbor who is near is better than a brother who lives far away.

Be wise, my son, and make me happy, so I can reply to anyone who insults me.

A continual dripping on a rainy day and a contentious wife are alike.

Trying to keep her in check is like stopping a wind storm or grabbing oil with your right hand.

Though you crush a fool in a mortar and pestle as someone might crush grain, his stupidity still won't leave him.

Keep well informed of the condition of your flocks and pay attention to your herds,

because riches don't endure forever, and crowns don't last from one generation to the next.

You will have enough goat's milk to drink and to supply your household needs, as well as sustenance for your servant girls.

Evil men don't understand justice, but whoever seeks the LORD understands it all.

It's better to be poor and live a blameless life than to be rich but crooked in one's lifestyle.

Whoever keeps the Law is a discerning son, but whoever keeps company with gluttons brings shame to his father.

Whoever gains wealth by charging exorbitant interest collects it for someone who is kind to the poor.

If someone quits listening to the Law even his prayer is detestable.

The faithful man will prosper with blessings, but whoever is in a hurry to get rich will not escape punishment.

To show partiality isn't good, yet for a piece of bread the valiant will transgress.

The miser is in a hurry to get wealthy, but he isn't aware that poverty will catch up with him.

Whoever steals from his father or mother but claims, "It's no sin," is a companion to someone who demolishes.

Whoever gives to the poor will never lack, but whoever shuts his eyes to their poverty will be cursed.

When the wicked rise to power, people hide themselves, but when the wicked perish, the righteous increase.

The man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father, but anyone who consorts with immoral women squanders his wealth.

A king brings stability to a land through justice, but a man who takes bribes brings it to ruin.

The righteous person is concerned about the poor; but the wicked don't understand what they need to know.

The fool vents all his feelings, but the wise person keeps them to himself.

When a ruler is listening to lies, all of his officials tend to become wicked.

The poor man and the oppressor have this in common: the LORD gave them both eyes with which to see.

When a king faithfully administers justice to the poor, his throne will be established forever.

The rod and rebuke bestow wisdom, but an undisciplined child brings shame to his mother.

Do you see a man who speaks hastily? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

The unjust man is detestable to the righteous, and whoever lives blamelessly is detestable to the wicked.

A discourse by the faithful collector. This is what this valiant man declared to the God with me, to the God with me, who then prevailed:

Surely I am beyond the senselessness of any man; I do not perceive things the way human beings do.

Who has ascended to heaven, and then descended? Who has collected the wind in his hands? Who has wrapped up waters in a garment? Who has established all the farthest points of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name? Surely you know!

Don't add to his words, or he will rebuke you, and you will be shown to be a liar.

God, I have asked you for two things don't refuse me before I die

so that I don't become overfed and deny you by saying, "Who is the LORD?" or so that I don't become poor and steal, and then misuse the name of my God.

Don't lie about a servant to his master, or that servant will curse you and you will pay for it.

Some people curse their fathers and won't bless their mothers.

Some people view themselves as pure, but haven't been cleansed from their own filth.

Some people have swords for teeth and knives for fangs to devour the afflicted from the earth and the needy from among mankind.

The leech has two daughters: "Give" and "Give". Three things will never be satisfied; four will never say "Enough" -

Ants aren't a strong species, yet they prepare their food in the summer.

The rock badgers aren't a strong species either, yet they build their dens in the rocks.

No, my son! No, my son whom I conceived! No, my son to whom I gave birth!

Never devote all your energy to sex, or dedicate your life to destroying kings.

It is not for kings, Lemuel Not for kings to drink wine or for rulers to desire liquor.

Give liquor to someone who is perishing, and wine to someone who is deeply depressed.

She will bring good to him never evil every day of her life.

She reaches out to the poor, opening her hands to those in need.

She designs and sells linen garments, supplying accessories to clothiers.

She looks discretely to the affairs of her household, and she is never lazy.

The sun rises, the sun sets, then rushes back to where it arose.

All the rivers flow toward the sea, but the sea is never full; then rivers return to the headwaters where they began.

Everything is wearisome, more than man is able to express. The eye is never satisfied by seeing, nor the ear by hearing.

I dedicated myself to using wisdom for study and discovery of everything that is done under heaven. God uses terrible things so human beings will struggle with life.

So I dedicated myself to learn about wisdom and knowledge, and about insanity and foolishness. And I discovered that this is also like chasing after the wind.

For with much wisdom there is much sorrow; the more someone adds to knowledge, the more someone adds to grief.

I decided to indulge in wine, while still remaining committed to wisdom. I also tried to indulge in foolishness, just enough to determine whether it was good for human beings under heaven given the short time of their lives.

With respect to my extravagant works, I built houses for myself; I planted vineyards for myself.

I built for myself water reservoirs to irrigate forests that produce trees.

Then I examined all of my accomplishments that I had brought about by my own efforts, including the work that I had labored so hard to complete and it was all pointless, like chasing after the wind, and there was nothing to be gained on earth.

Next I turned to examine wisdom, insanity, and foolishness, because what can a person do who succeeds the king except what has already been accomplished?

Then I told myself, "Whatever happens to the fool will happen also to me. Therefore what's the point in being so wise?" And I told myself that this also is pointless.

For neither the wise nor the fool will be long remembered, since in days to come everything will be forgotten. The wise man dies the same way as the fool, does he not?

Then I despised everything I had worked for on earth, that is, the things that I will leave to the person who will succeed me.

So I came to be in despair about everything I had accomplished on earth.

For sometimes people who strive to obtain wisdom, knowledge, and equity leave everything as an inheritance to a person who never worked for it. This, too, is pointless and greatly troublesome.

Indeed, all of his days are filled with sorrow, and his struggles bring grief. In fact, his mind remains restless throughout the night. This is pointless, too!

The only worthwhile thing for a human being is to eat, drink, and enjoy life's goodness that he finds in what he accomplishes. This, I observed, is also from the hand of God himself,

After all, to the person who is good in God's sight, he gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy, but to the sinner he gives the troublesome task of acquiring and accumulating in order to leave it to someone who is good in the sight of God. This also is pointless and chasing after the wind.

a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot what was planted;

a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to tear down, and a time to build up;

a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

a time to scatter stones, and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

a time to search, and a time to give up searching; a time to keep, and a time to discard;

a time to tear, and a time to mend; a time to be silent, 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 observed the burdens placed by God on human beings in order to perfect them.

He made everything appropriate in its time. He also placed eternity within them yet, no person can fully comprehend what God is doing from beginning to end.

I have concluded that the only worthwhile thing for them is to take pleasure in doing good in life;

I have concluded that everything that God undertakes will last for eternity nothing can be added to it nor taken away from it and that God acts this way so that people will fear him.

I also examined on earth: where the halls of justice were supposed to be, there was lawlessness; and where the righteous were supposed to be, there was lawlessness. 17I told myself, "God will judge both the righteous and the wicked, because there is a time set to judge every event and every work."

"As for human beings," I told myself, "God puts them to the test, that they might see themselves as mere animals."

For what happens to people also happens to animals a single event happens to them: just as someone dies, so does the other. In fact, they all breathe the same way, so that a human being has no superiority over an animal. All of this is pointless.

All of them go to one place: all of them originate from dust, and all of them return to dust.

Who knows whether the spirit of human beings ascends, and whether the spirit of animals descends to the earth?

I concluded that it is worthwhile for people to find joy in their accomplishments, because that is their inheritance, since who can see what will exist after them?

Next I turned to consider all kinds of oppression that exists on earth. Look at the tears of the oppressed there is no one to comfort them. Power is on the side of their oppressors; so they have no comforters.

Better than both of them is someone who has not yet been born, because he hasn't experienced evil on earth.