Study Desk

Because there is a man whose work has been done with wisdom, with knowledge, and with an expert hand; but one who has done nothing for it will have it for his heritage. This again is to no purpose and a great evil.

Whatever is has been before, and what is to be is now; because God makes search for the things which are past.

I said in my heart, God will be judge of the good and of the bad; because a time for every purpose and for every work has been fixed by him.

I said in my heart, It is because of the sons of men, so that God may put them to the test and that they may see themselves as beasts.

Because the fate of the sons of men and the fate of the beasts is the same. As is the death of one so is the death of the other, and all have one spirit. Man is not higher than the beasts; because all is to no purpose.

So I saw that there is nothing better than for a man to have joy in his work--because that is his reward. Who will make him see what will come after him?

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their work.

And if one has a fall, the other will give him a hand; but unhappy is the man who is by himself, because he has no helper.

Because out of a prison the young man comes to be king, though by birth he was only a poor man in the kingdom.

Be not unwise with your mouth, and let not your heart be quick to say anything before God, because God is in heaven and you are on the earth--so let not the number of your words be great.

When you take an oath before God, put it quickly into effect, because he has no pleasure in the foolish; keep the oath you have taken.

Because much talk comes from dreams and things of no purpose. But let the fear of God be in you.

If you see the poor under a cruel yoke, and law and right being violently overturned in a country, be not surprised, because one authority is keeping watch on another and there are higher than they.

He will not give much thought to the days of his life; because God lets him be taken up with the joy of his heart.

It is better to go to the house of weeping, than to go to the house of feasting; because that is the end of every man, and the living will take it to their hearts.

Be not quick to let your spirit be angry; because wrath is in the heart of the foolish.

Be not quick to go from before him. Be not fixed in an evil design, because he does whatever is pleasing to him.

For every purpose there is a time and a decision, because the sorrow of man is great in him.

And then I saw evil men put to rest, taken even from the holy place; and they went about and were praised in the town because of what they had done. This again is to no purpose.

Because punishment for an evil work comes not quickly, the minds of the sons of men are fully given to doing evil.