11  The words of the Preacher the son of David king in 
Jerusalem .

 12  Vanity of vanities saith the Preacher vanity of vanities 
all is vanity .

 13  What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh 
under the sun .

 14  One generation passeth away and another generation cometh 
but the earth abideth for ever .

 15  The sun also ariseth and the sun goeth down and hasteth to 
his place where he arose .

 16  The wind goeth toward the south and turneth about unto the 
north it whirleth about continually and the wind returneth again 
according to his circuits .

 17  All the rivers run into the sea yet the sea is not full 
unto the place from whence the rivers come thither they return 
again .

 18  All things are full of labour man cannot utter it the eye 
is not satisfied with seeing nor the ear filled with hearing .

 19  The thing that hath been it is that which shall be and that 
which is done is that which shall be done and there is no new 
thing under the sun .

 110  Is there any thing whereof it may be said See this is new 
it hath been already of old time which was before us .

 111  There is no remembrance of former things neither shall 
there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those 
that shall come after .

 112  I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem .

 113  And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom 
concerning all things that are done under heaven this sore 
travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised 
therewith .

 114  I have seen all the works that are done under the sun and 
behold all is vanity and vexation of spirit .

 115  That which is crooked cannot be made straight and that 
which is wanting cannot be numbered .

 116  I communed with mine own heart saying Lo I am come to 
great estate and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have 
been before me in Jerusalem yea my heart had great experience of 
wisdom and knowledge .

 117  And I gave my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and 
folly I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit   .

 118  For in much wisdom is much grief and he that increaseth 
knowledge increaseth sorrow .

* 21  I said in mine heart Go to now I will prove thee with 
mirth therefore enjoy pleasure and behold this also is vanity .

 22  I said of laughter It is mad and of mirth What doeth it .

 23  I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine yet 
acquainting mine heart with wisdom and to lay hold on folly till 
I might see what was that good for the sons of men which they 
should do under the heaven all the days of their life .

 24  I made me great works I builded me houses I planted me 
vineyards .

 25  I made me gardens and orchards and I planted trees in them 
of all kind of fruits .

 26  I made me pools of water to water therewith the wood that 
bringeth forth trees .

 27  I got me servants and maidens and had servants born in my 
house also I had great possessions of great and small cattle 
above all that were in Jerusalem before me .

 28  I gathered me also silver and gold and the peculiar 
treasure of kings and of the provinces I gat me men singers and 
women singers and the delights of the sons of men as musical 
instruments and that of all sorts .

 29  So I was great and increased more than all that were before 
me in Jerusalem also my wisdom remained with me .

 210  And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them I 
withheld not my heart from any joy for my heart rejoiced in all 
my labour and this was my portion of all my labour .

 211  Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought 
and on the labour that I had laboured to do and behold all was 
vanity and vexation of spirit and there was no profit under the 
sun .

 212  And I turned myself to behold wisdom and madness and folly 
for what can the man do that cometh after the king even that 
which hath been already done .

 213  Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly as far as light 
excelleth darkness .

 214  The wise man's eyes are in his head but the fool walketh 
in darkness and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth 
to them all .

 215  Then said I in my heart As it happeneth to the fool so it 
happeneth even to me and why was I then more wise Then I said in 
my heart that this also is vanity .

 216  For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the 
fool for ever seeing that which now is in the days to come shall 
all be forgotten And how dieth the wise man as the fool .

 217  Therefore I hated life because the work that is wrought 
under the sun is grievous unto me for all is vanity and vexation 
of spirit .

 218  Yea I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun 
because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me .

 219  And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool 
yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have 
laboured and wherein I have showed myself wise under the sun 
This is also vanity .

 220  Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all 
the labour which I took under the sun .

 221  For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom and in 
knowledge and in equity yet to a man that hath not laboured 
therein shall he leave it for his portion This also is vanity 
and a great evil .

 222  For what hath man of all his labour and of the vexation of 
his heart wherein he hath laboured under the sun .

 223  For all his days are sorrows and his travail grief yea his 
heart taketh not rest in the night This is also vanity .

 224  There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat 
and drink and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his 
labour This also I saw that it was from the hand of God .

 225  For who can eat or who else can hasten hereunto more than 
I .

 226  For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom 
and knowledge and joy but to the sinner he giveth travail to 
gather and to heap up that he may give to him that is good 
before God This also is vanity and vexation of  spirit .

* 31  To every thing there is a season and a time to every 
purpose under the heaven .

 32  A time to be born and a time to die a time to plant and a 
time to pluck up that which is planted .

 33  A time to kill and a time to heal a time to break down and 
a time to build up .

 34  A time to weep and a time to laugh a time to mourn and a 
time to dance .

 35  A time to cast away stones and a time to gather stones 
together a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing .

 36  A time to get and a time to lose a time to keep and a time 
to cast away .

 37  A time to rend and a time to sew a time to keep silence and 
a time to speak .

 38  A time to love and a time to hate a time of war and a time 
of peace .

 39  What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he 
laboureth .

 310  I have seen the travail which God hath given to the sons 
of men to be exercised in it .

 311  He hath made every thing beautiful in his time also he 
hath set the world in their heart so that no man can find out 
the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end  .

 312  I know that there is no good in them but for a man to 
rejoice and to do good in his life .

 313  And also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the 
good of all his labour it is the gift of God .

 314  I know that whatsoever God doeth it shall be for ever 
nothing can be put to it nor any thing taken from it and God 
doeth it that men should fear before him .

 315  That which hath been is now and that which is to be hath 
already been and God requireth that which is past .

 316  And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment 
that wickedness was there and the place of righteousness that 
iniquity was there .

 317  I said in mine heart God shall judge the righteous and the 
wicked for there is a time there for every purpose and for every 
work .

 318  I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of 
men that God might manifest them and that they might see that 
they themselves are beasts .

 319  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 a man hath no 
preeminence above a beast for all is vanity .

 320  All go unto one place all are of the dust and all turn to 
dust again .

 321  Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward and the 
spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth .

 322  Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better than 
that a man should rejoice in his own works for that is his 
portion for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him .

* 41  So I returned and considered all the oppressions that are 
done under the sun and behold the tears of such as were 
oppressed and they had no comforter and on the side of their 
oppressors there was power but they had no comforter .

 42  Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more 
than the living which are yet alive .

 43  Yea better is he than both they which hath not yet been who 
hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun .

 44  Again I considered all travail and every right work that 
for this a man is envied of his neighbour This is also vanity 
and vexation of spirit .

 45  The fool foldeth his hands together and eateth his own 
flesh .

 46  Better is an handful with quietness than both the hands 
full with travail and vexation of spirit .

 47  Then I returned and I saw vanity under the sun .

 48  There is one alone and there is not a second yea he hath 
neither child nor brother yet is there no end of all his labour 
neither is his eye satisfied with riches neither saith he For 
whom do I labour and bereave my soul of good This is alsovanity 
yea it is a sore travail .

 49  Two are better than one because they have a good reward for 
their labour .

 410  For if they fall the one will lift up his fellow but woe 
to him that is alone when he falleth for he hath not another to 
help him up .

 411  Again if two lie together then they have heat but how can 
one be warm alone .

 412  And if one prevail against him two shall withstand him and 
a threefold cord is not quickly broken .

 413  Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish 
king who will no more be admonished .

 414  For out of prison he cometh to reign whereas also he that 
is born in his kingdom becometh poor .

 415  I considered all the living which walk under the sun with 
the second child that shall stand up in his stead .

 416  There is no end of all the people even of all that have 
been before them they also that come after shall not rejoice in 
him Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit .

* 51  Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God and be 
more ready to hear than to give the sacrifice of fools for they 
consider not that they do evil .

 52  Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thine heart be hasty 
to utter any thing before God for God is in heaven and thou upon 
earth therefore let thy words be few .

 53  For a dream cometh through the multitude of business and a 
fool's voice is known by multitude of words .

 54  When thou vowest a vow unto God defer not to pay it for he 
hath no pleasure in fools pay that which thou hast vowed .

 55  Better is it that thou shouldest not vow than that thou 
shouldest vow and not pay .

 56  Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin neither say 
thou before the angel that it was an error wherefore should God 
be angry at thy voice and destroy the work of thine hands .

 57  For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are 
also divers vanities but fear thou God .

 58  If thou seest the oppression of the poor and violent 
perverting of judgment and justice in a province marvel not at 
the matter for he that is higher than the highest regardeth and 
there be higher than they .

 59  Moreover the profit of the earth is for all the king 
himself is served by the field .

 510  He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver 
nor he that loveth abundance with increase this is also vanity .

 511  When goods increase they are increased that eat them and 
what good is there to the owners thereof saving the beholding of 
them with their eyes .

 512  The sleep of a labouring man is sweet whether he eat 
little or much but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him 
to sleep .

 513  There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun 
namely riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt .

 514  But those riches perish by evil travail and he begetteth a 
son and there is nothing in his hand .

 515  As he came forth of his mother's womb naked shall he 
return to go as he came and shall take nothing of his labour 
which he may carry away in his hand .

 516  And this also is a sore evil that in all points as he came 
so shall he go and what profit hath he that hath laboured for 
the wind .

 517  All his days also he eateth in darkness and he hath much 
sorrow and wrath with his sickness .

 518  Behold that which I have seen it is good and comely for 
one to eat and to drink and to enjoy the good of all his labour 
that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life which God 
giveth him for it is his portion .

 519  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 .

 520  For he shall not much remember the days of his life 
because God answereth him in the joy of his heart .

* 61  There is an evil which I have seen under the sun and it is 
common among men .

 62  A man to whom God hath given 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 .

 63  If a man beget an hundred children and live many years so 
that the days of his years be many and his soul be not filled 
with good and also that he have no burial I say that an untimely 
birth is better than he .

 64  For he cometh in with vanity and departeth in darkness and 
his name shall be covered with darkness .

 65  Moreover he hath not seen the sun nor known any thing this 
hath more rest than the other .

 66  Yea though he live a thousand years twice told yet hath he 
seen no good do not all go to one place .

 67  All the labour of man is for his mouth and yet the appetite 
is not filled .

 68  For what hath the wise more than the fool what hath the 
poor that knoweth to walk before the living .

 69  Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the 
desire this is also vanity and vexation of spirit .

 610  That which hath been is named already and it is known that 
it is man neither may he contend with him that is mightier than 
he .

 611  Seeing there be many things that increase vanity what is 
man the better .

 612  For who knoweth what is good for man in this life all the 
days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow for who can 
tell a man what shall be after him under the sun .

* 71  A good name is better than precious ointment and the day  
of death than the day of one's birth .

 72  It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to 
the house of feasting for that is the end of all men and the 
living will lay it to his heart .

 73  Sorrow is better than laughter for by the sadness of the 
countenance the heart is made better .

 74  The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning but the 
heart of fools is in the house of mirth .

 75  It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise than for a man 
to hear the song of fools .

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

 77  Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad and a gift 
destroyeth the heart .

 78  Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof and 
the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit .

 79  Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry for anger resteth in 
the bosom of fools .

 710  Say not thou What is the cause that the former days were 
better than these for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning 
this .

 711  Wisdom is good with an inheritance and by it there is 
profit to them that see the sun .

 712  For wisdom is a defence and money is a defence but the 
excellency of knowledge is that wisdom giveth life to them that 
have it .

 713  Consider the work of God for who can make that straight 
which he hath made crooked .

 714  In the day of prosperity be joyful but in the day of 
adversity consider God also hath set the one over against the 
other to the end that man should find nothing after him .

 715  All things have I seen in the days of my vanity there is a 
just man that perisheth in his righteousness and there is a 
wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness .

 716  Be not righteous over much neither make thyself  over wise 
why shouldest thou destroy thyself .

 717  Be not over much wicked neither be thou foolish why 
shouldest thou die before thy time .

 718  It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this yea also 
from this withdraw not thine hand for he that feareth God shall 
come forth of them all .

 719  Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men 
which are in the city .

 720  For there is not a just man upon earth that doeth good and 
sinneth not .

 721  Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken lest thou 
hear thy servant curse thee .

 722  For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou 
thyself likewise hast cursed others .

 723  All this have I proved by wisdom I said I will be wise but 
it was far from me .

 724  That which is far off and exceeding deep who can find it 
out .

 725  I applied mine heart to know and to search and to seek out 
wisdom and the reason of things and to know the wickedness of 
folly even of foolishness and madness .

 726  And I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is 
snares and nets and her hands as bands whoso pleaseth God shall 
escape from her but the sinner shall be taken by her .

 727  Behold this have I found saith the preacher counting one 
by one to find out the account .

 728  Which yet my soul seeketh but I find not one man among a 
thousand have I found but a woman among all those have I not 
found .

 729  Lo this only have I found that God hath made man upright 
but they have sought out many inventions .

* 81  Who is as the wise man and who knoweth the interpretation 
of a thing a man's wisdom maketh his face to shine and the 
boldness of his face shall be changed .

 82  I counsel thee to keep the king's commandment and that in 
regard of the oath of God .

 83  Be not hasty to go out of his sight stand not in an evil 
thing for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him .

 84  Where the word of a king is there is power and who may say 
unto him What doest thou .

 85  Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing and 
a wise man's heart discerneth both time and judgment .

 86  Because to every purpose there is time and judgment 
therefore the misery of man is great upon him .

 87  For he knoweth not that which shall be for who can tell him 
when it shall be .

 88  There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain 
the spirit neither hath he power in the day of death and there 
is no discharge in that war neither shall wickedness deliver 
those that are given to it .

 89  All this have I seen and applied my heart unto every work 
that is done under the sun there is a time wherein one man 
ruleth over another to his own hurt .

 810  And so I saw the wicked buried who had come and gone from 
the place of the holy and they were forgotten in the city where 
they had so done this is also vanity .

 811  Because sentence against an evil work is not executed 
speedily therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in 
them to do evil .

 812  Though a sinner do evil an hundred times and his days be 
prolonged yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that 
fear God which fear before him .

 813  But it shall not be well with the wicked neither shall he 
prolong his days which are as a shadow because he feareth not 
before God .

 814  There is a vanity which is done upon the earth that there 
be just men unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the 
wicked again there be wicked men to whom it happeneth according 
to the work of the righteous I said that this  also is vanity .

 815  Then I commended mirth because a man hath no better thing 
under the sun than to eat and to drink and to be merry for that 
shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life which 
God giveth him under the sun .

 816  When I applied mine heart to know wisdom and to see the 
business that is done upon the earth (for also there is that 
neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes .

 817  Then I beheld all the work of God that a man cannot find 
out the work that is done under the sun because though a man 
labour to seek it out yet he shall not find it yea farther 
though a wise man think to know it yet shall he not  be able to 
find it .

* 91  For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all 
this that the righteous and the wise and their works are in the 
hand of God no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is 
before them .

 92  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 .

 93  This is an evil among all things that are done under the 
sun that there is one event unto all yea also the heart of the 
sons of men is full of evil and madness is in their heart while 
they live and after that they go to the dead .

 94  For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope 
for a living dog is better than a dead lion .

 95  For the living know that they shall die but the dead know 
not any thing neither have they any more a reward for the memory 
of them is forgotten .

 96  Also their love and their hatred and their envy is now 
perished neither have they any more a portion for ever in any 
thing that is done under the sun .

 97  Go thy way eat thy bread with joy and drink thy wine with a 
merry heart for God now accepteth thy works .

 98  Let thy garments be always white and let thy head lack no 
ointment .

 99  Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days 
of the life of thy vanity which he hath given thee under the sun 
all the days of thy vanity for that is thy portion in this life 
and in thy labour which thou takest under the  sun   .

 910  Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with thy might for 
there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the 
grave whither thou goest .

 911  I returned and saw under the sun that the race is not to 
the swift nor the battle to the strong neither yet bread to the 
wise nor yet riches to men of understanding nor yet favour to 
men of skill but time and chance happeneth to them  all .

 912  For man also knoweth not his time as the fishes that are 
taken in an evil net and as the birds that are caught in the 
snare so are the sons of men snared in an evil time when it 
falleth suddenly upon them .

 913  This wisdom have I seen also under the sun and it seemed 
great unto me .

 914  There was a little city and few men within it and there 
came a great king against it and besieged it and built great 
bulwarks against it .

 915  Now there was found in it a poor wise man and he by his 
wisdom delivered the city yet no man remembered that same poor 
man .

 916  Then said I Wisdom is better than strength nevertheless 
the poor man's wisdom is despised and his words are not heard .

 917  The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry 
of him that ruleth among fools .

 918  Wisdom is better than weapons of war but one sinner 
destroyeth much good .

* 101  Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send 
forth a stinking savour so doth a little folly him that is in 
reputation for wisdom and honour .

 102  A wise man's heart is at his right hand but a fool's heart 
at his left .

 103  Yea also when he that is a fool walketh by the way his 
wisdom faileth him and he saith to every one that he is a fool .

 104  If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee leave not 
thy place for yielding pacifieth great offences .

 105  There is an evil which I have seen under the sun as an 
error which proceedeth from the ruler .

 106  Folly is set in great dignity and the rich sit in low 
place .

 107  I have seen servants upon horses and princes walking as 
servants upon the earth .

 108  He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it and whoso 
breaketh an hedge a serpent shall bite him .

 109  Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith and he that 
cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby .

 1010  If the iron be blunt and he do not whet the edge then 
must he put to more strength but wisdom is profitable to direct .

 1011  Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment and a 
babbler is no better .

 1012  The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious but the lips 
of a fool will swallow up himself .

 1013  The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness 
and the end of his talk is mischievous madness  .

 1014  A fool also is full of words a man cannot tell what shall 
be and what shall be after him who can tell him .

 1015  The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them 
because he knoweth not how to go to the city .

 1016  Woe to thee O land when thy king is a child and thy 
princes eat in the morning .

 1017  Blessed art thou O land when thy king is the son of 
nobles and thy princes eat in due season for strength and not 
for drunkenness .

 1018  By much slothfulness the building decayeth and through 
idleness of the hands the house droppeth through .

 1019  A feast is made for laughter and wine maketh merry but 
money answereth all things .

 1020  Curse not the king no not in thy thought and curse not 
the rich in thy bedchamber for a bird of the air shall carry the 
voice and that which hath wings shall tell the matter .

* 111  Cast thy bread upon the waters for thou shalt find it 
after many days .

 112  Give a portion to seven and also to eight for thou knowest 
not what evil shall be upon the earth .

 113  If the clouds be full of rain they empty themselves upon 
the earth and if the tree fall toward the south or toward the 
north in the place where the tree falleth there it shall be .

 114  He that observeth the wind shall not sow and he that 
regardeth the clouds shall not reap .

 115  As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit nor how 
the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child even so 
thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all .

 116  In the morning sow thy seed and in the evening withhold 
not thine hand for thou knowest not whether shall prosper either 
this or that or whether they both shall be alike good .

 117  Truly the light is sweet and a pleasant thing it is for 
the eyes to behold the sun .

 118  But if a man live many years and rejoice in them all yet 
let him remember the days of darkness for they shall be many All 
that cometh is vanity .

 119  Rejoice O young man in thy youth and let thy heart cheer 
thee in the days of thy youth and walk in the ways of thine 
heart and in the sight of thine eyes but know thou that for all 
these things God will bring thee into judgment  .

 1110  Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart and put away evil 
from thy flesh for childhood and youth are vanity   .

* 121  Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth while 
the evil days come not nor the years draw nigh when thou shalt 
say I have no pleasure in them .

 122  While the sun or the light or the moon or the stars be not 
darkened nor the clouds return after the rain .

 123  In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble and 
the strong men shall bow themselves and the grinders cease 
because they are few and those that look out of the windows be 
darkened .

 124  And the doors shall be shut in the streets when the sound 
of the grinding is low and he shall rise up at the voice of the 
bird and all the daughters of music shall be brought low .

 125  Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high and 
fears shall be in the way and the almond tree shall flourish and 
the grasshopper shall be a burden and desire shall fail because 
man goeth to his long home and the mourners  go about the 
streets .

 126  Or ever the silver cord be loosed or the golden bowl be 
broken or the pitcher be broken at the fountain or the wheel 
broken at the cistern .

 127  Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was and the 
spirit shall return unto God who gave it .

 128  Vanity of vanities saith the preacher all is vanity .

 129  And moreover because the preacher was wise he still taught 
the people knowledge yea he gave good heed and sought out and 
set in order many proverbs .

 1210  The preacher sought to find out acceptable words and that 
which was written was upright even words of truth .

 1211  The words of the wise are as goads and as nails fastened 
by the masters of assemblies which are given from  one shepherd .

 1212  And further by these my son be admonished of making many 
books there is no end and much study is a weariness of the flesh 
.

 1213  Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter Fear God 
and keep his commandments for this is the whole duty of man .

 1214  For God shall bring every work into judgment with every 
secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil .

  

 

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