Study Desk

Four things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise:

the ants are not a strong people, yet they store up their food in the summer;

hyraxes are not a mighty people, yet they make their homes in the cliffs;

locusts have no king, yet all of them march in ranks;

a lizard can be caught in your hands, yet it lives in kings' palaces.

All the streams flow to the sea, yet the sea is never full. The streams are flowing to the place, and they flow there again.

The wise man has eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also knew that one fate comes to them both.

And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will take over all my work that I labored at skillfully under the sun. This too is futile.

But better than either of them is the one who has not yet existed, who has not seen the evil activity that is done under the sun.

There is no limit to all the people who were before them, yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

All man's labor is for his stomach, yet the appetite is never satisfied.

Yet no one knows what will happen because who can tell him what will happen?

Although a sinner commits crime a hundred times and prolongs his life, yet I also know that it will go well with God-fearing people, for they are reverent before Him.

Now a poor wise man was found in the city, and he delivered the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man.

Yet the fool multiplies words. No one knows what will happen, and who can tell anyone what will happen after him?

Daughters of Jerusalem, I am dark like the tents of Kedar, yet lovely like the curtains of Solomon.

The Lord said: Because these people approach Me with their mouths to honor Me with lip-service— yet their hearts are far from Me, and their worship consists of man-made rules learned by rote—

Bring out a people who are blind, yet have eyes, and are deaf, yet have ears.

I declare the end from the beginning, and from long ago what is not yet done, saying: My plan will take place, and I will do all My will.

But I myself said: I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and futility; yet my vindication is with the Lord , and my reward is with my God.