Study Desk

Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man.

The nether-world and Destruction are never satiated; so the eyes of man are never satiated.

As a roaring lion, and a ravenous bear; so is a wicked ruler over a poor people.

So is the way of an adulterous woman; {P}

So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem; also my wisdom stood me in stead.

Then said I in my heart: 'As it happeneth to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise?' Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity.

So I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun was grievous unto me; for all is vanity and a striving after wind.

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.

I know that there is nothing better for them, than to rejoice, and to get pleasure so long as they live.

I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever; nothing can be added to it, nor any thing taken from it; and God hath so made it, that men should fear before Him.

For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them; as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that man hath no pre-eminence above a beast; for all is vanity.

And this also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go; and what profit hath he that he laboureth for the wind?

span data-lang="eng" data-trans="jps" data-ref="ecc.5.1" class="versetxt"> Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter a word before God; for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth; therefore let thy words be few. For a dream cometh through a multitude of business; and a fool's voice through a multitude of words. When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for He hath no pleasure in fools; pay that which thou vowest. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. Suffer not thy mouth to bring thy flesh into guilt, neither say thou before the messenger, that it was an error; wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thy hands? For through the multitude of dreams and vanities there are also many words; but fear thou God. If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and the violent perverting of justice and righteousness in the state, marvel not at the matter; for one higher than the high watcheth, and there are higher than they. But the profit of a land every way is a king that maketh himself servant to the field. He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance, with increase; this also is vanity. When goods increase, they are increased that eat them; and what advantage is there to the owner thereof, saving the beholding of them with his eyes? Sweet is the sleep of a labouring man, whether he eat little or much; but the satiety of the rich will not suffer him to sleep. There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept by the owner thereof to his hurt; and those riches perish by evil adventure; and if he hath begotten a son, there is nothing in his hand. As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he go back as he came, and shall take nothing for his labour, which he may carry away in his hand. And this also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go; and what profit hath he that he laboureth for the wind? All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much vexation and sickness and wrath. Behold that which I have seen: it is good, yea, it is comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy pleasure for all his labour, wherein he laboureth under the sun, all the days of his life which God hath given him; for this is his portion. Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour--this is the gift of God. For let him remember the days of his life that they are not many; for God answereth him in the joy of his heart.

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.

If a man beget a hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul have not enough of good, and moreover he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he;

For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool; this also is vanity.

And so I saw the wicked buried, and they entered into their rest; but they that had done right went away from the holy place, and were forgotten in the city; this also is vanity.

So I commended mirth, that a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry, and that this should accompany him in his labour all the days of his life which God hath given him under the sun.

All things come alike to all; there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not; as is the good, so is the sinner, and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.