Study Desk

I said in my heart, "God shall judge the righteous and the wicked, For there is a time there for every purpose and for every work."

I said in my heart, "Concerning the condition of the sons of men, God tests them, that they may see that they themselves are like animals."

Walk prudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil.

Do not be rash with your mouth, And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; Therefore let your words be few.

When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; For He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed--

Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, nor say before the messenger of God that it was an error. Why should God be angry at your excuse [fn] and destroy the work of your hands?

For in the multitude of dreams and many words there is also vanity. But fear God.

Here is what I have seen: It is good and fitting for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life which God gives him; for it is his heritage.

As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor--this is the gift of God.

For he will not dwell unduly on the days of his life, because God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart.

A man to whom God has given riches and wealth and honor, so that he lacks nothing for himself of all he desires; yet God does not give him power to eat of it, but a foreigner consumes it. This is vanity, and it is an evil affliction.

Consider the work of God; For who can make straight what He has made crooked?

In the day of prosperity be joyful, But in the day of adversity consider: Surely God has appointed the one as well as the other, So that man can find out nothing that will come after him.

It is good that you grasp this, And also not remove your hand from the other; For he who fears God will escape them all.

And I find more bitter than death The woman whose heart is snares and nets, Whose hands are fetters. He who pleases God shall escape from her, But the sinner shall be trapped by her.

Truly, this only I have found: That God made man upright, But they have sought out many schemes."

I say, "Keep the king's commandment for the sake of your oath to God.

Though a sinner does evil a hundred times, and his days are prolonged, yet I surely know that it will be well with those who fear God, who fear before Him.

But it will not be well with the wicked; nor will he prolong his days, which are as a shadow, because he does not fear before God.

So I commended enjoyment, because a man has nothing better under the sun than to eat, drink, and be merry; for this will remain with him in his labor all the days of his life which God gives him under the sun.