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

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:

I never acquired wisdom, but I know what the Holy One knows.

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!

Some people what an arrogant look they have! raise their eyebrows haughtily.

This is what an immoral woman is like: she eats, wipes her mouth, then says "I've done nothing wrong."

Otherwise, they may drink and forget what has been ordained, perverting justice for all the oppressed.

What does a man gain from all of the work that he undertakes on earth?

What is crooked cannot be made straight; what is not there cannot be counted.

I also accumulated silver, gold, and the wealth of kings and their kingdoms. I gathered around me both male and female singers, along with what delights a man all sorts of mistresses.

Whenever I wanted something I had seen, I never refused that desire. Instead, I enjoyed everything I did, and this became the reward in what I had undertaken.

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 what does a person gain from everything that he accomplishes and from his inner life struggles that he undergoes while working on earth?

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,

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

What benefit does the worker gain from what he undertakes?

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.

That which was, now is; and that which will be, already is; and God examines what has already taken place.

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.

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?

When you make a promise to God, don't fail to keep it, since he isn't pleased with fools. Keep what you promise

Never let your mouth cause you to sin and don't proclaim in the presence of the angel, "My promise was a mistake," for why should God be angry at your excuse and destroy what you've undertaken?

When possessions increase, so does the number of consumers; therefore what good are they to their owners, except to look at them?

This is also a painful tragedy: However a person comes, he also departs; so what does he gain as he labors after the wind?

For what advantage has the wise person over the fool? What advantage does the poor man have in knowing how to face life?

It is better to focus on what you can see than to meander after your self-interest; this also is pointless and a chasing after wind.

Whatever exists has been named already; people know what it means to be human and a person cannot defeat one who is more powerful than he.

Because many words lead to pointlessness, how do people benefit from this? 12Who knows what is best for people in this life, every day of their pointless lives that they pass through like a shadow? Who informs people on earth what will come along after them?

Consider the work of God: Who is able to straighten what he has bent?

I advise doing what the king says, especially regarding an oath to God.

Since a king's command is powerful, who is able to challenge him, asking, "What are you doing?"

For he has absolutely no knowledge what will happen, since who can declare to him when it will come about?

Even though a sinner does what is wrong a hundred times and still survives, nevertheless I also know that things will go well for those who fear God, who fear in his presence.

Here is a pointless thing that happens on earth: A righteous man receives what happens to the wicked, and a wicked man receives what happens to the righteous. I concluded that this, too, is pointless.

When I dedicated myself to experience wisdom and to observe what is undertaken on earth even going without sleep day and night

I saw all of it as the activity of God. Frankly, a human being cannot understand what happens on earth, because however hard a man works to discover it, he will not find out. Despite what he thinks he knows, he will not be able to figure it out.

Furthermore, their love, their hate, and their envy have been long lost. Never again will they have a part in what happens on earth.

The fool overflows with words, and no one can predict what will happen. As to what will happen after him, who can explain it?

Do not curse the king, even in your thoughts. Do not curse the rich, even in your bedroom. For a bird will fly by and tell what you say, or something with wings may talk about it.

Apportion what you have into seven, or even eight parts, because you don't know what disaster might befall the land.

Just as you do not understand the way of the spirit in the womb of a pregnant mother, so also you do not know what God is doing in everything he makes.

then man's dust will go back to the earth, returning to what it was, and the spirit will return to the God who gave it.

Moreover, besides being wise himself, the Teacher taught people what he had learned by listening, making inquiries, and composing many proverbs.

The Teacher searched to find appropriate expressions, and what is written here is right and truthful.

Let the conclusion of all of these thoughts be heard: Fear God and obey his commandments, for this is what it means to be human.

What is this coming up from the desert like columns of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and incense from all the fragrant powders of the merchant?

I charge you, young women of Jerusalem, "If you find my beloved, what are you to tell him? Tell him that I'm weak with love."

What is so special about your beloved, most beautiful of women? What is so special about your beloved, that you charge us like this?

We have a little sister, and she has not yet reached maturity. What will we do for our sister to prepare her for her engagement?

"Oh, you sinful nation! You people burdened down by iniquity! You offspring of those who keep practicing what is evil! You corrupt children! "They've abandoned the LORD; they've despised the Holy One of Israel; in their estrangement, they've walked away from me.

"Listen to what the LORD says, you rulers of Sodom, and pay attention to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomorrah!

"Wash yourselves, and make yourselves clean; remove your evil behavior from my presence; stop practicing what is evil.

Learn to practice what is good; seek justice, alleviate oppression, defend orphans in court, and plead the widow's case.

Therefore this is what the Lord GOD of the Heavenly Armies, the one who is Israel's Mighty One, declares: "Now I'll get relief from his enemies and avenge myself on his foes.

Their land is filled with idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their own fingers have made.

"Stop trusting in human beings, whose life breath is in their nostrils, for what are they really worth?"

"For Jerusalem has stumbled, and Judah has fallen, because what they say and do opposes the LORD; they keep defying him.

"How terrible it will be for the wicked! Disaster is headed their way, because what they did with their hand will be repaid to them.

What more could I do in my vineyard, that I haven't already done? When I expected it to produce good grapes, why did it yield wild ones?

"Now, let me tell you, won't you please, what I'm going to do to my vineyard. "I'm going to take away its protective hedge, and it will be devoured; I'll break down its wall, and it will be trampled.

They have the lyre and harp, the tambourine and flute, as well as wine at their festivals, but they don't respect what the LORD is doing, nor do they consider his actions.

"How terrible it will be for those who call evil good and good evil, who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness, who substitute what is bitter for what is sweet and what is sweet for what is bitter!"

"But this is what the Lord GOD has to say: ""It won't take place. It won't ever happen.

He'll eat cheese and honey, when he knows enough to reject what's wrong and choose what's right.

However, before the youth knows enough to reject what's wrong and choose what's right, the land whose two kings you dread will be devastated."

For this is what the LORD spoke to me, as his forceful hand was resting on me, and as he was warning me not to live the way this people were living:

"Don't call conspiracy everything that this people calls conspiracy, and don't fear what they fear, or live in terror.

What will you do on the day of Judgment, in the calamity that will come from far away? To whom will you run for help, and where will you leave your wealth,

But this is not what he intends, and this is not what he thinks in his mind; but it is in his mind to destroy, and to cut down many nations.

"Because this is what he is saying: "My commanders are all kings, are they not?

What survives of the trees in his forest will be so few that a child can count them."

Therefore this is what the Lord GOD of the Heavenly Armies says: "My people, you who live in Zion, don't be afraid of the Assyrians, of the rod that beats you, who lift up their club against you as the Egyptians did.

His delight will be in the fear of the LORD. He won't judge by what his eyes see, nor decide disputes by what his ears hear,

The LORD of the Heavenly Armies has sworn: "Surely as I have planned, that's what she will become; and just as I have determined, so will it remain

"This is what I've planned for the whole earth, and this is the hand that is stretched out over all the nations.

Therefore the wealth they have acquired and what they have stored up they carry them away over the Arab Wadi.

then a throne will be established in gracious love, and there will sit in faithfulness in the Tent of David one who judges, seeks justice, and is swift to do what is right."

When the evening arrives, watch out sudden terror! By morning they will be there no longer! So it will be for those who plunder us and what will happen to those who rob us."

For this is what the LORD told me: "I will remain quiet and watch in my dwelling place like dazzling heat in sunshine, like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest."

Where are your wise men now? Let them tell you, let them make known what the LORD has planned against Egypt.

at that time the LORD spoke through Amoz's son Isaiah: "Go loosen the sackcloth that's around your waist, and take your sandals off your feet." So that's what he did: he went around naked and barefoot.

At that time, the inhabitants of this coastland will say, "See, this is what has happened to those on whom we counted and relied for help and deliverance from the king of Assyria! How, then, can we escape?'"

For this is what the LORD told me: "Go post a lookout. Have him report what he sees.

O my downtrodden people, my wall! I'll tell you what I have heard from the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel."

A message concerning Dumah. "Someone is calling to me from Seir: "Watchman, what is left of the night? Watchman, what is left of the night?'

For this is what the LORD is saying to me: "Within three years, according to the years of a contract worker, the pomp of Kedar will come to an end.

A message concerning the Valley of Vision. "What troubles you, now that you've all gone up to the rooftops,

This is what the Lord GOD of the Heavenly Armies says:

"Come, go to this steward, to Shebna who is in charge of the household, and ask him: "What are you doing here, and who are your relatives here that you could carve out a grave for yourself here cutting out a tomb at the choicest location, chiseling out a resting place for yourself out of solid rock?

"I'll place on his shoulder the key to the house of David what he opens, no one will shut, and what he shuts, no one will open.

therefore this is what the LORD God says: "Look! I am laying a foundation stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation: Whoever believes firmly will not act hastily.

"Pay attention! Listen to what I have to say; Pay attention, and hear my speech.

He has turned the tables on you as if the potter were thought to be like heat. Can what is made say of the one who made it, "He did not make me?' Or can what is formed say of the ones who formed it, "He has no skill?'

"Therefore, this is what the LORD, who redeemed Abraham, says concerning the house of Jacob: "No longer will Jacob be ashamed; no longer will his face grow pale.

They say to the seers, "Don't see visions,' and to the prophets, "Don't give us visions of what is right! Instead, tell us welcome things, prophesy illusions,

Therefore, this is what the Holy One of Israel says: "Because you reject this message, and put your trust in oppression and enjoy it, and since you rely on it,

For this is what the LORD GOD, the Holy One of Israel, says: "In repentance and rest you will be saved; in staying calm and trusting will be your strength. But you refused.

For this is what the LORD told me: "Just as a lion or a young lion growls over his objects of prey, even when a whole band of shepherds is called out against it, it is not alarmed at their shouting or disturbed by their clamor so the LORD of the Heavenly Armies will come down to do battle on Mount Zion and on its hill.

"As for you ladies of leisure Get up and listen to my voice! You daughters who feel so complacent hear what I have to say!