Ecclesiastes Chapter 1 The words of the preacher, the
son of David, king in Jerusalem. Vanity of vanities, saith the
preacher, vanity of vanities, all is vanity. What prophet hath
a man of all his labor which he taketh under the sun? One
generation passeth away, and another generation cometh, but
the earth abideth forever. The sun also ariseth, and the
sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose. The
wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north.
It whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again
according to his circuits. All the rivers run into the sea,
yet the sea is not full. Unto the place from whence the
rivers come, thither they return again. All things are full of
labour. Man cannot utter it. The eye
is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. The thing that hath been, it
is that which shall be, and that which is done is that which shall
be done, and there is no new thing under the sun. Is there
any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? It hath been
already of old time, which was before us. There is no remembrance
of former things, neither shall there be any remembrance of things
that are to come with those that shall come after. I, the preacher,
was king over Israel in Jerusalem. I gave my heart to seek and search
out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven.
This sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised
therewith. I have seen all the works that
are done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and vexation of
spirit. That which is crooked cannot
be made straight, and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.
I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to a greater
state, 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. And I gave my heart to know wisdom,
and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is
vexation of spirit. For in much wisdom is much grief,
And he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Ecclesiastes
chapter 2 I said in mine heart, go to now,
I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure. And
behold, this also is vanity. I said of laughter, it is mad,
and of mirth, what doeth it? I sought in mine heart to give
myself unto wine, Yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom, And to
lay hold on folly, till I might see What was that good for the
sons of men, Which they should do under the heaven All the days
of their life. I made me great works, I builded
me houses, I planted me vineyards, I made me gardens and orchards,
and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits. I made me
pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth
trees. I got me servants and maidens,
and had servants born in my house. Also I had great possessions
of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before
me. I gathered me also silver and
gold and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces.
I gat me men singers and women singers and the delights of the
sons of men as musical instruments and that of all sorts. So I was
great and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with
me. And whatsoever mine eyes desired
I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy, for
my heart rejoiced in all my labor, and this was my portion of all
my labor. Then I looked on all the works
that my hands had wrought, and on the labor that I had labored
to do, and behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there
was no profit under the sun. And I turned myself to behold
wisdom and madness and folly. For what can the man do that
cometh after the king, even that which hath been already done?
Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth
darkness. The wise man's eyes are in his
head, But the fool walketh in darkness, And I myself perceived
also That one event happeneth to them all. Then said I in my
heart, As it happeneth to the fool, So it happeneth even to
me, And why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart that
this also is vanity. For there is no remembrance of
the wise more than of the fool for ever, seeing that which now
is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth
the wise man as the fool! Therefore I hated life, because
the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me. For all is vanity and vexation
of spirit. Yea, I hated all my labour which
I had taken under the sun, because I should leave it unto the man
that shall be after me. And who knoweth whether he shall
be a wise man or a fool? Yet shall he have rule over all
my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have showed myself
wise under the sun. This is also vanity. Therefore
I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour
which I took under the sun. For there is a man whose labour
is in wisdom and in knowledge and in equity, yet to a man that
hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion.
This also is vanity and a great evil. For what hath man of all
his labour and of the vexation of his heart wherein he hath
laboured under the sun? For all his days are sorrows
and his travail grief. Yea, his heart taketh not rest
in the night. This is also vanity. There is
nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink
and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw that it was from
the hand of God. For who can eat or who else can
hasten hereunto more than I? For God giveth to a man that
is good in his sight wisdom and knowledge and joy. But to the
sinner he giveth travail to gather and to heap up, that he may give
to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation
of spirit. Ecclesiastes chapter 3 To everything there is a season,
and a time to every purpose under the heaven. A time to be born,
and a time to die. A time to plant, and a time to
pluck up that which is planted. A time to kill, and a time to
heal. A time to break 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 cast away stones, and
a time to gather stones together. A time to embrace, and a time
to refrain from embracing. A time to get, and a time to
lose. A time to keep, and a time to
cast away. A time to rend, 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 of war, and a time of
peace. What profit hath he that worketh
in that wherein he laboureth? I have seen the travail which
God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it. He
hath made everything beautiful in his time. Also he hath set
the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the
work that God maketh from the beginning to the end. I know
that there is no good in them but for a man to rejoice and
to do good in his life, and also that every man should eat and
drink and enjoy the good of all his labor. It is the gift of
God. I know that whatsoever God doeth,
it shall be for ever. Nothing can be put to it, nor
anything taken from it, and God doeth it, that men should fear
before him. That which hath been is now,
and that which is to be hath already been, and God requireth
that which is past. And moreover I saw under the
sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there, and a place
of righteousness, that iniquity was there. I said in mine heart,
God shall judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is
a time there for every purpose and for every work. I said in
mine heart, concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God
might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves
are 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,
so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast. For all is vanity,
all go unto one place, all are of the dust, and all turn to
dust again. Who knoweth the spirit of man
that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward
to the earth? Wherefore I perceive that there
is nothing better, then that a man should rejoice in his own
works for that is his portion for who shall bring him to see
what shall be after him Ecclesiastes chapter 4 So I returned and considered
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 Wherefore I praise the dead which are already dead
more than the living which are yet alive. Yea, better is he
than both they which have not yet been, who have not seen the
evil work that is done under the sun. Again, I consider all
travail and every right work, that for this a man is envied
of his neighbor. This is also vanity and vexation
of spirit. The fool foldeth his hands together
and eateth his own flesh. Better is an handful with quietness
than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit. Then I returned, and I saw vanity
under the sun. There is one alone, and there
is not a second. Yea, he hath neither child nor
brother. Yet is there no end of all his
labour. Neither is his eye satisfied
with riches. Neither saith he, For whom do
I labour and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity. Yea, it is a sore travail. 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, for he hath not another to help him up. Again,
if two lie together, then they have heat, but how can one be
warm alone? And if one prevail against him,
two shall withstand him, and a threefold cord is not quickly
broken. Better is a poor and a wise child
than an old and foolish king who will no more be admonished. For out of prison he cometh to
reign, whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh
poor. I considered all the living which
walk under the sun with the second child that shall stand up in
his stead. There is no end of all the people,
even of all that have been before them. They also that come after
shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and
vexation of spirit. Ecclesiastes chapter 5 Keep thy foot when thou goest
to the house of God, and be more ready to hear than to give the
sacrifice of fools, for they consider not that they do evil.
Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty
to utter anything before God, for God is in heaven, and thou
upon earth. Therefore let thy words be few. For a dream cometh through the
multitude of business, and a fool's voice is known by multitude of
words. When thou vowest a vow unto God,
defer not to pay it, for he hath no pleasure in fools. Pay that
which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest
not vow than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. Suffer not thy
mouth to cause thy flesh to sin, neither say thou before the angel
that it was an error. Wherefore should God be angry
at thy voice and destroy the work of thine hands? For in the
multitude of dreams and many words there are also diverse
vanities, but fear thou God. If thou seest the oppression
of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a
province, marvel not at the matter. For he that is higher than the
highest regardeth, and there be higher than they. Moreover,
the profit of the earth is for all. The king himself is served
by the field. He that loveth silver shall not
be satisfied with silver, nor he that loveth abundance with
increase. This is also vanity. When goods
increase, they are increased that eat them. And what good
is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them
with their eyes? The sleep of a laboring man is
sweet, whether he eat little or much, but the abundance of
the rich will not suffer him to sleep. There is a sore evil
which I have seen under the sun, namely riches kept for the owners
thereof to their herd. But those riches perish by evil
travail, and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand. As he came forth of his mother's
womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take
nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand.
And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came,
so shall he go. And what profit hath he that
hath laboured for the wind? All his days also he eateth in
darkness, and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness.
Behold that which I have seen. It is good and comely for one
to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that
he taketh under the sun all the days of his life which God giveth
him, for it is his portion. Every man also, to whom God hath
given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof,
and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor, this
is the gift of God. For he shall not much remember
the days of his life, because God answereth him in the joy
of his heart. Ecclesiastes chapter 6 There is an evil which I have
seen under the sun, and it is common among men. A man to whom
God hath given riches, wealth, and honor, says he wanted nothing
for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power
to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it. This is vanity, and
it is an evil disease. If a man beget an hundred children,
and live many years, so that the days of his years be many,
and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no
burial, I say that an untimely birth is better than he. For
he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his
name shall be covered with darkness. Moreover, he hath not seen the
sun, nor known anything. This hath more rest than the
other. Yea, though he live a thousand
years twice told, Yet hath he seen no good. Do not all go to
one place? All the labour of man is for
his mouth, And yet the appetite is not filled. For what hath
the wise more than the fool? What hath the poor that knoweth
to walk before the living? Better is the sight of the eyes
than the wandering of the desire. This is also vanity and vexation
of spirit. That which hath been is named
already, and it is known that it is man. Neither may he contend
with him that is mightier than he. Seeing there be many things
that increase vanity, what is man the better? For who knoweth
what is good for man in this life, All the days of his vain
life which he spendeth as a shadow? For who can tell a man what shall
be after him under the sun? Ecclesiastes chapter 7 For good name is better than
precious ointment, And the day of death 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 will lay it to his heart. Sorrow
is better than laughter, for by the sadness of the countenance
the heart is made better. The heart of the wise is in the
house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. It is better to hear the rebuke
of the wise Than for a man to hear the song of fools, For as
the crackling of thorns under a pot, So is the laughter of
the fool. This also is vanity. Surely oppression
maketh a wise man mad, And a gift destroyeth the heart. Better
is the end of a thing Than the beginning thereof, And the patient
in spirit Is better than the proud in spirit. Be not hasty
in thy spirit to be angry, For anger resteth in the bosom of
fools. Say not thou, What is the cause
that the former days Were better than these? for thou dost not
inquire Wisely concerning this. Wisdom is good with an inheritance,
And by it there is profit to them that see the sun. For wisdom
is a defence, and money is a defence, But the excellency of knowledge
is, That wisdom giveth life to them that have it. Consider the
work of God, for who can make that straight which he hath made
crooked? In the day of prosperity be joyful,
but in the day of adversity consider. God also hath set the one over
against the other, to the end that man should find nothing
after him. All things have I seen in the
days of my vanity. There is a just man that perisheth
in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth
his life in his wickedness. Be not righteous overmuch, neither
make thyself overwise, Why shouldst thou destroy thyself? Be not
overmuch wicked, neither be thou foolish, Why shouldst thou die
before thy time? It is good that thou shouldst
take hold of this, Yea, also from this withdraw not thine
hand, For he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.
Wisdom strengtheneth the wise, more than ten mighty men which
are in the city. For there is not a just man upon
earth that doeth good and sinneth not. Also take no heed unto all
words that are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee.
For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself
likewise hast cursed others. All this have I proved by wisdom. I said, I will be wise, but it
was far from me. That which is far off and exceeding
deep, who can find it out? I applied mine heart to know,
and to search, And to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things,
And to know the wickedness of folly, Even of foolishness and
madness. And I find, more bitter than
death, the woman Whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands
as bands, Whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her, But the
sinner shall be taken by her. Behold, this have I found, saith
the preacher, counting one by one to find out the account,
which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not. One man among a thousand
have I found, but a woman among all those have I not found. Lo,
this only have I found, that God hath made man upright, but
they have sought out many inventions. Ecclesiastes Chapter 8 Who is as the wise man, and who
knoweth the interpretation of a thing? A man's wisdom maketh
his face to shine, And the boldness of his face shall be changed.
I counsel thee to keep the king's commandment, And that in regard
of the oath of God. Be not hasty to go out of his
sight, Stand not in an evil thing, For he doeth whatsoever pleaseth
him. Where the word of a king is,
there is power, And who may say unto him, What doest thou? Whoso
keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing. And a wise
man's heart discerneth both time and judgment, Because to every
purpose there is time and judgment. Therefore the misery of man is
great upon him, For he knoweth not that which shall be, For
who can tell him when it shall be? There is no man that hath
power over the spirit to retain the spirit, neither hath he power
in the day of death, and there is no discharge in that war,
neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it. All
this have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that
is done under the sun. There is a time wherein one man
ruleth over another to his own hurt. And so I saw the wicked
buried, who had come and gone from the place of the holy, and
they were forgotten in the city where they had so done. This
is also vanity. 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. Though a sinner do evil
an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know
that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before
him. But it shall not be well with
the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days which are as
a shadow, because he feareth not before God. There is a vanity
which is done upon the earth, that there be just men unto whom
it happeneth according to the work of the wicked. Again there
be wicked men, to whom it happeneth according to the work of the
righteous. I said that this also is vanity. Then I commended mirth,
because a man hath no better thing under the sun than to eat
and to drink and to be merry, for that shall abide with him
of his labor the days of his life which God giveth him under
the sun. When I applied my heart to know
wisdom and to see the business that is done upon the earth,
for also there is that neither day nor night seeth sleep with
his eyes, then I beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot
find out the work that is done under the sun because though
a man labor to seek it out yet he shall not find it yea father
though a wise man think to know it yet shall he not be able to
find it Ecclesiastes chapter 9 For all this I considered in
my heart, even to declare all this, that the righteous and
the wise and their works are in the hand of God. No man knoweth
either love or hatred by all that is before them. All things
come alike to all. There is one event to the righteous
and to the wicked, to the good and to the clean and to the unclean,
to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not. As
is the good, so is the sinner, and he that sweareth as he that
feareth an oath. There is an evil among all things
that are 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 madnesses in their heart while they live,
and after that they go to the dead. For to him that is joined
to all the living there is hope, for a living dog 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. Also their
love and their hatred and their envy is now perished, neither
have they any more a portion for ever in anything that is
done under the sun. Go thy way, eat thy bread with
joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart, for God now accepteth
thy works. Let thy garments be always white,
and let thy head lack no ointment. Live joyfully with the wife whom
thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity which he hath
given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity. For that
is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou
takest under the sun. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to
do, do it with thy might. For there is no work, nor device,
nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave, whither thou goest,
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 favour
to men of skill, but time and chance happeneth to them all.
For man also knoweth not his time. As the fishes that are
taken in an evil net, And as the birds that are caught in
the snare, So are the sons of men snared in an evil time, When
it falleth suddenly upon them. This wisdom have I seen also
under the sun, And it seemed great unto me. There was a little
city, and few men within it, and there came a great king against
it and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it. Now
there was found in it a poor wise man, and he, by his wisdom,
delivered the city. Yet no man remembered that same
poor man. then said I wisdom is better
than strength nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised
and his words are not heard the words of wise men are heard in
quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools wisdom
is better than weapons of war but one sinner destroyeth much
good Ecclesiastes chapter 10 Dead flies cause the ointment
of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savor. So doth a little
folly, him that is in reputation for wisdom and honor. A wise
man's heart is at his right hand, But a fool's heart at his left. Yea, also, when he that is a
fool Walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, And he saith
to every one that he is a fool. If the spirit of the ruler rise
up against thee, Leave not thy place, for yielding pacifieth
great offences. There is an evil which I have
seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler.
Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.
I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants
upon the earth. He that diggeth a pit shall fall
into it, and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him. Who so removeth stones shall
be hurt therewith, And he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered
thereby. If the iron be blunt, and he
do not wet the edge, Then must he put to more strength, but
wisdom is profitable to direct. Surely the serpent will bite
without enchantment, And a babbler is no better. The words of a
wise man's mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool will swallow
up himself. The beginning of the words of
his mouth is foolishness, and the end of his talk is mischievous
madness. A fool also is full of words. A man cannot tell what shall
be, And what shall be after him, who can tell him? The labour
of the foolish wearieth every one of them, Because he knoweth
not how to go to the city. Woe to thee, O land, when thy
king is a child, And thy princes eat in the morning! Blessed art
thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, And thy princes
eat in due season, For strength and not for drunkenness. By much
slothfulness the building decayeth, And through idleness of the hands
the house droppeth through. A feast is made for laughter,
and wine maketh merry, But money answereth all things. Curse not
the king, no, not in thy thought, And curse not the rich in thy
bedchamber, for a bird of the air shall carry the voice and
that which hath wings shall tell the matter Ecclesiastes chapter 11 Cast thy bread upon the waters,
for thou shalt find it after many days. Give a portion to
seven and also to eight, for thou knowest not what evil shall
be upon the earth. If the clouds be full of rain,
they empty themselves upon the earth. And if the tree fall toward
the south or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth,
there it shall be. He that observeth the wind shall
not sow, and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap. As
thou knowest not what is the way of the Spirit, nor how the
bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child, even
so thou knowest not the works of God, who maketh all. In the morning sow thy seed,
and in the evening withhold not thine hand, for thou knowest
not whether shall prosper either this or that, or whether they
both shall be alike good. Truly the light is sweet, and
a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun. But if
a man live many years and rejoice in them all, Yet let him remember
the days of darkness, For they shall be many. All that cometh
is vanity. Rejoice, O young man, in thy
youth, and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth,
and walk in the ways of thine heart and in the sight of thine
eyes. But know thou that for all these
things God will bring thee into judgment. Therefore remove sorrow
from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh, for childhood
and youth are vanity. Ecclesiastes chapter 12 Remember now thy Creator in the
days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years
draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them. While
the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars be not darkened,
nor the clouds return after the rain, 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 be darkened, And the doors shall be shut in
the streets, When the sound of the grinding is low, And he shall
rise up at the voice of the bird, And all the daughters of music
shall be brought low, Also when they shall be afraid of that
which is high, And fears shall be in the way, And the almond
tree shall flourish, And the grasshopper shall be a burden,
And desire shall fail. Because man goeth to his long
home, And the mourners go about the streets, Or ever the silver
cord be loosed, Or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher
be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern. Then shall the dust return to
the earth as it was, and the spirit shall return unto God
who gave it. Vanity of vanities, saith the
preacher, all is vanity. And moreover, because the preacher
was wise, he still taught the people knowledge. Yea, he gave
good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs. The
preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and that which was written
was upright, even words of truth. The words of the wise are as
goads, and as nails, fastened by the masters of assemblies,
which are given from one shepherd. And further, by these, my son,
be admonished, Of making many books there is no end, And much
study is a weariness of the flesh. Let us hear the conclusion of
the whole matter. Fear God and keep his commandments,
For this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every
work into judgment with every secret thing, whether it be good
or whether it be evil.