English Textus Receptus Bible AKJV
Ecclesiastes
The Book of
Ecclesiastes
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Qoh.1
[1]
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
[2]
Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is
vanity.
[3] What profit hath a man of all his labour which
he taketh under the sun?
[4] One generation passeth away,
and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.
[5]
The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his
place where he arose.
[6] 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.
[7] 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.
[8]
All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not
satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
[9]
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.
[10] Is there any thing whereof it may be said,
See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before
us.
[11] 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.
[12] I the Preacher was king over
Israel in Jerusalem.
[13] And 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.
[14] I have seen all the works that
are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of
spirit.
[15] That which is crooked cannot be made straight:
and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.
[16] I
communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate,
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.
[17] And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to
know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of
spirit.
[18] For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that
increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
Qoh.2
[1]
I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth,
therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.
[2]
I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?
[3]
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.
[4] I made me great
works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards:
[5] I
made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind
of fruits:
[6] I made me pools of water, to water therewith
the wood that bringeth forth trees:
[7] 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:
[8] 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.
[9] So
I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in
Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.
[10] 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 labour: and this
was my portion of all my labour.
[11] Then I looked on all
the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had
laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit,
and there was no profit under the sun.
[12] 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.
[13] Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far
as light excelleth darkness.
[14] 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.
[15] 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.
[16] 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.
[17] 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.
[18] 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.
[19] 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 shewed myself wise under
the sun. This is also vanity.
[20] Therefore I went about
to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the
sun.
[21] 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.
[22] For what hath man of all his labour, and
of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the
sun?
[23] For all his days are sorrows, and his travail
grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also
vanity.
[24] 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 labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of
God.
[25] For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto,
more than I?
[26] 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.
Qoh.3
[1]
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under
the heaven:
[2] A time to be born, and a time to die; a
time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
[3]
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time
to build up;
[4] A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a
time to mourn, and a time to dance;
[5] A time to cast away
stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and
a time to refrain from embracing;
[6] A time to get, and a
time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
[7]
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time
to speak;
[8] A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of
war, and a time of peace.
[9] What profit hath he that
worketh in that wherein he laboureth?
[10] I have seen the
travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in
it.
[11] He hath made every thing 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.
[12]
I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and
to do good in his life.
[13] And also that every man should
eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift
of God.
[14] I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be
for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and
God doeth it, that men should fear before him.
[15] That
which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been;
and God requireth that which is past.
[16] And moreover I
saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there;
and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.
[17]
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.
[18]
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.
[19] 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.
[20] All go
unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.
[21]
Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of
the beast that goeth downward to the earth?
[22] Wherefore
I perceive that there is nothing better, than 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?
Qoh.4
[1]
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.
[2] Wherefore I praised the dead
which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive.
[3]
Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath
not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
[4]
Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this
a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of
spirit.
[5] The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth
his own flesh.
[6] Better is an handful with quietness,
than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.
[7]
Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.
[8] 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.
[9] Two are better than one; because they have a
good reward for their labour.
[10] 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.
[11]
Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be
warm alone?
[12] And if one prevail against him, two shall
withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
[13]
Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who
will no more be admonished.
[14] For out of prison he
cometh to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh
poor.
[15] I considered all the living which walk under the
sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead.
[16]
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.
Qoh.5
[1]
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.
[2] Be not rash with thy mouth, and let
not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in
heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.
[3]
For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's
voice is known by multitude of words.
[4] 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.
[5] Better is it
that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not
pay.
[6] 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?
[7] For in the multitude of dreams and many words
there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God.
[8] 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.
[9] Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the
king himself is served by the field.
[10] He that loveth
silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth
abundance with increase: this is also vanity.
[11] 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?
[12] The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether
he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer
him to sleep.
[13] There is a sore evil which I have seen
under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their
hurt.
[14] But those riches perish by evil travail: and he
begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand.
[15] 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.
[16] 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?
[17] All his days also he eateth in
darkness, and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness.
[18]
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.
[19] 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 labour; this is the gift of
God.
[20] For he shall not much remember the days of his
life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.
Qoh.6
[1]
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common
among men:
[2] A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth,
and honour, so that he wanteth 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.
[3]
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.
[4] For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in
darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness.
[5]
Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this hath
more rest than the other.
[6] Yea, though he live a
thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to
one place?
[7] All the labour of man is for his mouth, and
yet the appetite is not filled.
[8] For what hath the wise
more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before
the living?
[9] Better is the sight of the eyes than the
wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of
spirit.
[10] 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.
[11] Seeing there be many things that
increase vanity, what is man the better?
[12] 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?
Qoh.7
[1]
A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death
than the day of one's birth.
[2] 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.
[3]
Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance
the heart is made better.
[4] The heart of the wise is in
the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of
mirth.
[5] It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise,
than for a man to hear the song of fools.
[6] For as the
crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this
also is vanity.
[7] Surely oppression maketh a wise man
mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.
[8] Better is the end
of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is
better than the proud in spirit.
[9] Be not hasty in thy
spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
[10]
Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than
these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.
[11]
Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them
that see the sun.
[12] 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.
[13] Consider the work of God:
for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?
[14]
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.
[15] 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.
[16] Be not
righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest
thou destroy thyself?
[17] Be not over much wicked, neither
be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
[18]
It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this
withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of
them all.
[19] Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten
mighty men which are in the city.
[20] For there is not a
just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
[21]
Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy
servant curse thee:
[22] For oftentimes also thine own
heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
[23]
All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was
far from me.
[24] That which is far off, and exceeding
deep, who can find it out?
[25] 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:
[26] 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.
[27] Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher,
counting one by one, to find out the account:
[28] 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.
[29]
Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they
have sought out many inventions.
Qoh.8
[1]
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.
[2] I counsel thee to keep the
king's commandment, and that in regard of the oath of God.
[3]
Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for
he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him.
[4] Where the word of a
king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest
thou?
[5] Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil
thing: and a wise man's heart discerneth both time and judgment.
[6]
Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the
misery of man is great upon him.
[7] For he knoweth not
that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be?
[8]
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.
[9] 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.
[10] 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.
[11] 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.
[12] 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:
[13]
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.
[14] 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.
[15] 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 labour the days of his
life, which God giveth him under the sun.
[16] When I
applied mine 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:)
[17] 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 labour to seek it out, yet he shall not
find it; yea further; though a wise man think to know it, yet shall
he not be able to find it.
Qoh.9
[1]
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.
[2]
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.
[3] This 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 madness is in their heart
while they live, and after that they go to the dead.
[4]
For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a
living dog is better than a dead lion.
[5] For the living
know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither
have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.
[6]
Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished;
neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is
done under the sun.
[7] Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy,
and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy
works.
[8] Let thy garments be always white; and let thy
head lack no ointment.
[9] 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.
[10] 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.
[11] 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.
[12] 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.
[13] This
wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great unto
me:
[14] 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:
[15] 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.
[16] Then said I, Wisdom is
better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised,
and his words are not heard.
[17] The words of wise men are
heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.
[18]
Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much
good.
Qoh.10
[1]
Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a
stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for
wisdom and honour.
[2] A wise man's heart is at his right
hand; but a fool's heart at his left.
[3] 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.
[4] If the spirit of
the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding
pacifieth great offences.
[5] There is an evil which I have
seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler:
[6]
Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.
[7]
I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants
upon the earth.
[8] He that diggeth a pit shall fall into
it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
[9]
Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth
wood shall be endangered thereby.
[10] If the iron be
blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more
strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.
[11] Surely
the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no
better.
[12] The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious;
but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.
[13] The
beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of
his talk is mischievous madness.
[14] A fool also is full
of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after
him, who can tell him?
[15] The labour of the foolish
wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the
city.
[16] Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child,
and thy princes eat in the morning!
[17] 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!
[18] By
much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the
hands the house droppeth through.
[19] A feast is made for
laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.
[20]
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.
Qoh.11
[1]
Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many
days.
[2] Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for
thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.
[3] 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.
[4] He that
observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds
shall not reap.
[5] 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.
[6]
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.
[7] Truly
the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold
the sun:
[8] 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.
[9] 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.
[10] Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart,
and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.
Qoh.12
[1]
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;
[2] While the sun, or the light, or
the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after
the rain:
[3] 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,
[4] 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 musick shall be
brought low;
[5] 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:
[6] 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.
[7] Then
shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall
return unto God who gave it.
[8] Vanity of vanities, saith
the preacher; all is vanity.
[9] 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.
[10]
The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was
written was upright, even words of truth.
[11] The words of
the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of
assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.
[12] 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.
[13]
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep
his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
[14]
For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret
thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.