Study Desk

I said to myself, "God will judge both the righteous man and the wicked man," for a time for every matter and for every deed is there.

I said to myself concerning the sons of men, "God has surely tested them in order for them to see that they are but beasts."

Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil.

Do not be hasty in word or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few.

When you make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. Pay what you vow!

Do not let your speech cause you to sin and do not say in the presence of the messenger of God that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry on account of your voice and destroy the work of your hands?

For in many dreams and in many words there is emptiness. Rather, fear God.

Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat, to drink and enjoy oneself in all one's labor in which he toils under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him; for this is his reward.

Furthermore, as for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also empowered him to eat from them and to receive his reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God.

For he will not often consider the years of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the gladness of his heart.

a man to whom God has given riches and wealth and honor so that his soul lacks nothing of all that he desires; yet God has not empowered him to eat from them, for a foreigner enjoys them. This is vanity and a severe affliction.

Consider the work of God, For who is able to straighten what He has bent?

In the day of prosperity be happy, But in the day of adversity consider— God has made the one as well as the other So that man will not discover anything that will be after him.

It is good that you grasp one thing and also not let go of the other; for the one who fears God comes forth with both of them.

And I discovered more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, whose hands are chains. One who is pleasing to God will escape from her, but the sinner will be captured by her.

"Behold, I have found only this, that God made men upright, but they have sought out many devices."

I say, "Keep the command of the king because of the oath before God.

Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and may lengthen his life, still I know that it will be well for those who fear God, who fear Him openly.

But it will not be well for the evil man and he will not lengthen his days like a shadow, because he does not fear God.

So I commended pleasure, for there is nothing good for a man under the sun except to eat and to drink and to be merry, and this will stand by him in his toils throughout the days of his life which God has given him under the sun.