9 Moreover, the profit of all the days of his life which the earth is for all: the king God giveth him: for it is his himself is served by the field. portion. 10 He that loveth silver shall

19 Every man also to whom not be satisfied with silver; nor God hath given riches and he that loveth abundance, with wealth, and hath given him increase. This is also vanity. power to eat thereof, and to

11 When goods increase, take his portion, and to rethey are increased that eat joice in his labour; this is the them: and what good is there gift of God. to the owners thereof, saving 20 For he shall not much the beholding of them with remember the days of his life ; their eyes ?

because God answereth him in 12 The sleep of a labouring the joy of his heart. man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abun

LESSON LXXXVII. dance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.

THERE is an evil which I have 13 There is a sore evil which seen under the sun, and it is I have seen under the sun, common among men : namely, riches kept for the 2 A man to whom God hath owners thereof to their hurt. given riches, wealth, and ho

14 But those riches perish by nour, so that he wanteth nothing evil travail: and he begetteth a for his soul of all that he desireth, son, and there is nothing in his yet God giveth him not power hand.

to eat thereof, but a stranger 15 As he came forth of his eateth it: this is vanity, and mother's womb, naked shall he it is an evil disease. return to go as he came, and | 3 If a man beget an hunshall take nothing of his labour dred children, and live many which he may carry away in years, so that the days of his his hand.

years be many, and his soul 16 And this also is a sore evil, be not filled with good, and that in all points as he came, so also that he have no burial; shall he go: and what profit I say, that an untimely birth hath he that hath laboured for is better than he. the wind ?

4 For he cometh in with 17 All his days also he eateth vanity, and departeth in darkin darkness, and he hath much ness, and his name shall be ind wrath with his sick covered with darkness.

5 Moreover, he hath not seen 18 Behold that which I have the sun, nor known any thing: seen: it is good and comely for this hath more rest than the one to eat and to drink, and to other. enjoy the good of all his labour 16 Yea, though he live a that he taketh under the sun, thousand years twice told, yet

:

sorrow

angry: for

anger resteth

hath he seen no good: do not heart of fools is in the house of all go to one place?

mirth. 7 All the labour of man is 5 It is better to hear the refor his mouth, and yet the ap- buke of the wise, than for a petite is not filled.

man to hear the song of fools. 8 For what hath the wise 6 For as the crackling of more than the fool? what hath thorns under a pot, so is the the poor, that knoweth to walk laughter of the fool. This also before the living ?

is vanity. T9 Better is the sight of the 17 Surely oppression maketh eyes than the wandering of the a wise man mad, and a gift dedesire. This is also vanity and stroyeth the heart. vexation of spirit.

8 Better is the end of a thing 10 That which hath been is than the beginning thereof: and named already, and it is known the patient in spirit is better than that it is man: neither

may

he the proud in spirit. contend with him that is migh- 9 Be not hasty in thy spirit tier than he.

to be (11 Seeing there be many in the bosom of fools. things that increase vanity, 10 Say not thou, What is what is man the better?

the cause that the former days 12 For who knoweth what were better than these ? for is good for man in this life, all thou dost not inquire wisely the days of his vain life which concerning this. he spendeth as a shadow ? for (11 Wisdom is good with who can tell a man what shall inheritance : 'and by it be after him under the sun ? there is profit to them that see

the sun. LESSON LXXXVIII.

12 For wisdom is a defence,

and money is a defence : but A GOOD name is better than

pre- the excellency of knowledge is, cious ointment; and the day of that wisdom giveth life to them death than the day of one's that have it. birth.

13 Consider the work of God: 2 It is better to go to the for who can make that straight house of mourning than to go which he hath made crooked? to the house of feasting : for 14 In the day of prosperity that is the end of all men; and be joyful; but in the day of adthe living will lay it to his versity consider : God also hath heart.

set the one over against the 3 Sorrow is betterthan laugh- other, to the end that man ter; for by the sadness of the should find nothing after him. countenance the heart is made 15 All things have I seen in better.

the days of my vanity : there is 4 The heart of the wise is in a just man that perisheth in his the house of mourning : but the righteousness, and there is a

an

.

wicked man that prolongeth his 27 Behold, this have I found, Life in his wickedness.

(saith the Preacher,) counting 16 Be not righteous over- one by one to find out the acmuch; neither make thyself count; which yet my soul seekover-wise : why shouldest thou eth, but I find not : one man destroy thyself?

among a thousand have I found; 17 Be not over-much wicked; but a woman among all those neither be thou foolish : why have I not found. shouldest thou die before thy 28 Lo, this only have I found, time?

that God hath made man up18 It is good that thou should right; but they have sought out est take hold of this ; yea, also many inventions. from this withdraw not thine hand : for he that feareth God

LESSON LXXXIX. shall come forth of them all.

19 Wisdom strengtheneth the Who is as the wise man ? and wise more than ten mighty men who knoweth the interpretation which are in the city.

of a thing ? a man's wisdom 20 For there is not a just maketh his face to shine, and man upon earth that doeth good, the boldness of his face shall be and sinneth not.

changed. 21 Also take no heed unto all 2 I counsel thee to keep the words that are spoken; lest thou king's commandment, and that hear thy servant curse thee. in regard of the oath of God.

22 For oftentimes also thine 3 Be not hasty to go out of own heart knoweth that thou his sight : stand not in an evil thyself likewise hast cursed thing: for he doeth whatsoever others.

pleaseth him. | 23 All this have I proved 4 Where the word of a king by wisdom; I said, I will be is, there is power: and who may wise; but it was far from me. say unto him, What doest thou?

24 That which is far off, and 5 Whoso keepeth the comexceeding deep, who can find it mandment shall feel no evil out?

thing: and a wise man's heart 25 I applied mine heart to discerneth both time and judgeknow, and to search, and to ment. seek out wisdom, and the reason 6 Because to every purpose of things, and to know the wick- there is time and judgement; edness of folly, even of foolish- therefore the misery of man is ness and madness :

great upon him. 26 And I find more bitter than 7 For he knoweth not that death the woman whose heart is which shall be : for who can tell snares, and nets, and her hands him when it shall be ? as bands : whoso pleaseth God 8 There is no man that hath shall

escape from her ; but the power over the spirit to retain sinner shall be taken by her. - the spirit; neither hath he power

a

:

a

in the day of death : and there is his life, which God giveth him no discharge in that war; neither under the sun. shall wickedness deliver those 16 When I applied mine that are given to it.

heart to know wisdom, and to 9 All this have I seen, and ap- see the business that is done plied my heart unto every work upon the earth : (for also there that is done under the sun: there is that neither day nor night is a time wherein one man ruleth seeth sleep with his eyes :) over another to his own hurt. 17 Then I beheld all the

10 And so I saw the wicked work of God, that a man canburied, who had come and gone not find out the work that is from the place of the holy, and done under the sun ; because they were forgotten in the city though a man labour to seek it where they had so done : This out, yet he shall not find it ; is also vanity.

yea further, though a wise man 11 Because sentence against think to know it, yet shall he an evil work is not executed not be able to find it. speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in

LESSON XC. them to do evil.

12 Though a sinner do evil For all this I considered in my an hundred times, and his days heart even to declare all this, be prolonged, yet surely I know that the righteous and the wise, that it shall be well with them and their works, are in the hand that fear God, which fear be- of God: no man knoweth either fore him :

love or hatred by all that is be13 But it shall not be well fore them. with the wicked, neither shall 2 All things come alike to all: he prolong his days, which are there is one event to the righteas a shadow; because he fear- ous, and to the wicked; to the eth not before God.

good and to the clean, and to the 14 There is a vanity which unclean; to him that sacrificeth, is done upon the earth; that and to him that sacrificeth not: there be just men, unto whom as is the good, so is the sinner; it happeneth according to the and he that sweareth, as he that work of the wicked: again, there feareth an oath. be wicked men, to whom it hap- 3 This is an evil

among

all peneth according to the work of things that are done under the the righteous. I said, that this sun, that there is one event unalso is vanity.

to all : yea, also the heart of the 15 Then I commended mirth, sons of men is full of evil, and because a man hath no better madness is in their heart while thing under the sun, than to they live, and after that they eat, and to drink, and to be go to the dead. merry: for that shall abide with 4 For to him that is joined him of his labour the days of to all the living there is hope :

sun.

for a living dog is better than snare ; so are the sons of men a dead lion.

snared in an evil time, when it 5 For the living know that falleth suddenly upon them. they shall die : but the dead T 13 This wisdom have I know not any thing, neither seen also under the sun, and it have they any more a reward ; seemed great unto me: for the memory of them is for- 14 There was a little city, gotten.

and few men within it; and 6 Also their love, and their there came a great king against hatred, and their envy is now it, and besieged it, and built perished; neither have they any great bulwarks against it : more a portion for ever in any 15 Now there was found in thing that is done under the it a poor wise man, and he by

his wisdom delivered the city : 7 Go thy way, eat thy yet no man remembered that bread with joy, and drink thy same poor man. wine with a merry heart; for 16 Then said I, Wisdom is God now accepteth thy works. better than strength : neverthe

8 Let thy garments be always less the poor man's wisdom is white; and let thy head lack despised, and his words are not no ointment.

heard. 9 Live joyfully with the wife 17 The words of wise men are whom thou lovest all the days heard in quiet more than the cry of the life of thy vanity, which of him that ruleth among fools. He hath given thee under the 18 Wisdom is better than sun, all the days of thy vanity: weapons of war : but one sinfor that is thy portion in this ner destroyeth much good. life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun.

LESSON XCI. 10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might: Dead flies cause the ointment for there is no work, nor device, of the apothecary to send forth nor knowledge, nor wisdom in a stinking savour : so doth a the grave, whither thou goest. little folly him that is in repu

711 I returned, and saw un- tation for wisdom and honour. der the sun, that the race is not 2 A wise man's heart is at to the swift nor the battle to the his right hand; but a fool's strong; neither yet bread to the heart is at his left. wise, nor yet riches to men of 3 Yea also, when he that is understanding, nor yet favour to a fool walketh by the way, his men of skill; but time and wisdom faileth him, and he saith chance happeneth to them all. to every one that he is a fool.

12 For man also knoweth 4 If the spirit of the ruler rise not his time: as the fishes that up against thee, leave not thy are taken in an evil net, and as place : for yielding pacifieth the birds that are caught in the great offences.