Study Desk

There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet are not washed from their filthiness.

The ants are a people not strong, yet they provide their food in the summer;

The rock-badgers are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the crags;

The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;

The spider thou canst take with the hands, yet is she in kings' palaces.

She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth food to her household, and a portion to her maidens.

All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full; unto the place whither the rivers go, thither they go again.

I searched in my heart how to pamper my flesh with wine, and, my heart conducting itself with wisdom, how yet to lay hold on folly, till I might see which it was best for the sons of men that they should do under the heaven the few days of their life.

And who knoweth whether he will be a wise man or a fool? yet will he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.

For there is a man whose labour is with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skill; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.

He hath made every thing beautiful in its time; also He hath set the world in their heart, yet so that man cannot find out the work that God hath done from the beginning even to the end.

Wherefore I praised the dead that are already dead more than the living that are yet alive;

but better than they both is he that hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

There is one that is alone, and he hath not a second; yea, he hath neither son nor brother; yet is there no end of all his labour, neither is his eye satisfied with riches: 'for whom then do I labour, and bereave my soul of pleasure?' This also is vanity, yea, it is a grievous business.

There was no end of all the people, even of all them whom he did lead; yet they that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind. Guard thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be ready to hearken: it is better than when fools give sacrifices; for they know not that they do evil.

a man to whom God giveth 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.

All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.

which yet my soul sought, but I found not; one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.

because a sinner doeth evil a hundred times, and prolongeth his days--though yet I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, that fear before Him;

then I beheld all the work of God, that 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.