Day 15 The Wisdom Books in a Month

Ecclesiastes 4

1 So I returned, and saw all the oppressions that were done under the sun: and behold the tear of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of them that oppressed them was power; but they had no comforter: 2 and I praised all the dead that had already died more than the living, as many as are alive until now. 3 Better also than both these is he who has not yet been, who has not seen all the evil work that is done under the sun. 4 And I saw all labour, and all the diligent work, that this is a man's envy from his neighbour. This is also vanity and waywardness of spirit. 5 The fool folds his hands together, and eats his own flesh. 6 Better is a handful of rest than two handfuls of trouble and waywardness of spirit. 7 So I returned, and saw vanity under the sun. 8 There is one [alone], and there is not a second; yea, he has neither son nor brother: yet there is no end to all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with wealth; and for whom do I labour, and deprive my soul of good? this is also vanity, and an evil trouble. 9 Two [are] better than one, [seeing] they have a good reward for their labour. 10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falls, and there is not a second to lift him up. 11 Also if two should lie together, they also get heat: but how shall one be warmed [alone]? 12 And if one should prevail against [him], the two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord shall not be quickly broken. 13 Better is a poor and wise child than an old and foolish king, who knows not how to take heed any longer. 14 For he shall come forth out of the house of the prisoners to reign, because [he] also that was in his kingdom has become poor. 15 I beheld all the living who were walking under the sun, with the second youth who shall stand up in each one's place. 16 There is no end to all the people, to all who were before them: and the last shall not rejoice in him: for this also is vanity and waywardness of spirit. 17 Keep thy foot, whensoever thou goest to the house of God; and [when thou art] near to hear, let thy sacrifice [be] better than the gift of fools: for they know not that they are doing evil.

Ecclesiastes 5

1 Be not hasty with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be swift to utter anything before God; for God is in heaven above, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. 2 For through the multitude of trial a dream comes; and a fool's voice is with a multitude of words. 3 Whenever thou shalt vow a vow to God, defer not to pay it; for [he has] no pleasure in fools: pay thou therefore whatsoever thou shalt have vowed. 4 [It is] better that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. 5 Suffer not thy mouth to lead thy flesh to sin; and say not in the presence of God, It was an error: lest God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the works of thy hands. 6 For [there is evil] in a multitude of dreams and vanities and many words: but fear thou God. 7 If thou shouldest see the oppression of the poor, and the wresting of judgment and of justice in the land, wonder not at the matter: for [there is] a high one to watch over him that is high, and high ones over them. 8 Also the abundance of the earth is for every one: the king [is dependent on] the tilled field. 9 He that loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver: and who has loved gain, in the abundance thereof? this is also vanity. 10 In the multitude of good they are increased that eat it: and what virtue has the owner, but the right of beholding [it] with his eyes? 11 The sleep of a servant is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but to one who is satiated with wealth, there is none that suffers him to sleep. 12 There is an infirmity which I have seen under the sun, [namely], wealth kept for its owner to his hurt. 13 And that wealth shall perish in an evil trouble: and [the man] begets a son, and there is nothing in his hand. 14 As he came forth naked from his mother's womb, he shall return back as he came, and he shall receive nothing for his labour, that it should go [with him] in his hand. 15 And this is also an evil infirmity: for as he came, so also shall he return: and what is his gain, for which he vainly labours? 16 Yea, all his days are in darkness, and in mourning, and much sorrow, and infirmity, and wrath. 17 Behold, I have seen good, that it is a fine thing [for a man] to eat and to drink, and to see good in all his labour in which he may labour under the sun, [all] the number of the days of his life which God has given to him: for it is his portion. 18 Yea, and [as for] every man to whom God has given wealth and possessions, and has given him power to eat thereof, and to receive his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God. 19 For he shall not much remember the days of his life; for God troubles him in the mirth of his heart.

Ecclesiastes 6

1 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is abundant with man: 2 a man to whom God shall give wealth, and substance, and honour, and he wants nothing for his soul of all things that he shall desire, yet God shall not give him power to eat of it, for a stranger shall devour it: this is vanity, and an evil infirmity. 3 If a man beget a hundred [children], and live many years, yea, however abundant the days of his years shall be, yet [if] his soul shall not be satisfied with good, and also he have no burial; I said, An untimely birth is better than he. 4 For he came in vanity, and departs in darkness, and his name shall be covered in darkness. 5 Moreover he has not seen the sun, nor known rest: there is [no more rest] to this one than another. 6 Though he has lived to the return of a thousand years, yet he has seen no good: do not all go to one place? 7 All the labour of a man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite shall not be satisfied. 8 For [what] advantage has the wise man over the fool, since [even] the poor knows how to walk in the direction of life? 9 The sight of the eyes is better than that which wanders in soul: this is also vanity, and waywardness of spirit. 10 If anything has been, its name has already been called: and it is known what man is; neither can he contend with him who is stronger than he. 11 For there are many things which increase vanity. 12 What advantage has a man? for who knows [what is] good for a man in his life, [during] the number of the life of the days of his vanity? and he has spent them as a shadow; for who shall tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?

Ecclesiastes 7

1 A good name is better than good oil; and the day of death than the day of birth. 2 [It is] better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the banquet house: since this is the end of every man; and the living man will apply good [warning] to his heart. 3 Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart will be made better. 4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. 5 [It is] better to hear a reproof of a wise man, than for a man to hear the song of fools. 6 As the sound of thorns under a caldron, so is the laughter of fools: this is also vanity. 7 For oppression makes a wise man mad, and destroys his noble heart. 8 The end of a matter is better than the beginning thereof: the patient is better than the high-minded. 9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger will rest in the bosom of fools. 10 Say not, What has happened, that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire in wisdom concerning this. 11 Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and [there is] an advantage [by it] to them that see the sun. 12 For wisdom in its shadow is as the shadow of silver: and the excellence of the knowledge of wisdom will give life to him that has it. 13 Behold the works of God: for who shall be able to straighten him whom God has made crooked? 14 In the day of prosperity live joyfully, and consider in the day of adversity: consider, [I say], God also has caused the one to agree with the other for [this] reason, that man should find nothing after him. 15 I have seen all things in the days of my vanity: there is a just man perishing in his justice, and there is an ungodly man remaining in his wickedness. 16 Be not very just; neither be very wise: lest thou be confounded. 17 Be not very wicked; and be not stubborn: lest thou shouldest die before thy time. 18 It is well for thee to hold fast by this; also by this defile not thine hand: for to them that fear God all things shall come forth [well]. 19 Wisdom will help the wise man more than ten mighty men which are in the city. 20 For there is not a righteous man in the earth, who will do good, and not sin. 21 Also take no heed to all the words which ungodly men shall speak; lest thou hear thy servant cursing thee. 22 For many times he shall trespass against thee, and repeatedly shall he afflict thine heart; for thus also hast thou cursed others. 23 All these things have I proved in wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me. 24 [That which is] far beyond what was, and a great depth, who shall find it out? 25 I and my heart went round about to know, and to examine, and to seek wisdom, and the account [of things], and to know the folly and trouble and madness of the ungodly man. 26 And I find her [to be], and I will pronounce [to be] more bitter than death the woman which is a snare, and her heart nets, [who has] a band in her hands: [he that is] good in the sight of God shall be delivered from her; but the sinner shall be caught by her. 27 Behold, this have I found, said the Preacher, [seeking] by one at a time to find out the account, 28 which my soul sought after, but I found not: for I have found one man of a thousand; but a woman in all these I have not found. 29 But, behold, this have I found, that God made man upright; but they have sought out many devices. Who knows the wise? and who knows the interpretation of a saying?

Ecclesiastes 8

1 A man's wisdom will lighten his countenance; but a man of shameless countenance will be hated. 2 Observe the commandment of the king, and [that] because of the word of the oath of God. 3 Be not hasty; thou shalt go forth out of his presence: stand not in an evil matter; for he will do whatsoever he shall please, 4 even as a king having power: and who will say to him, What doest thou? 5 He that keeps the commandment shall not know an evil thing: and the heart of the wise knows the time of judgment. 6 For to every thing there is time and judgment; for the knowledge of a man is great to him. 7 For there is no one that knows what is going to be: for who shall tell him how it shall be? 8 There is no man that has power over the spirit to retain the spirit; and there is no power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in the day of battle; neither shall ungodliness save her votary. 9 So I saw all this, and I applied my heart to every work that has been done under the sun; all the things wherein man has power over man to afflict him. 10 And then I saw the ungodly carried into the tombs, and [that] out of the holy place: and they departed, and were praised in the city, because they had done thus: this also is vanity. 11 Because there is no contradiction made on the part of those who do evil quickly, therefore the heart of the children of men is fully determined in them to do evil. 12 He that has sinned has done evil from that time, and long from beforehand: nevertheless I know, that it is well with them that fear God, that they may fear before him: 13 but it shall not be well with the ungodly, and he shall not prolong his days, [which are] as a shadow; forasmuch as he fears not before God. 14 There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there are righteous persons to whom it happens according to the doing of the ungodly; and there are ungodly men, to whom it happens according to the doing of the just: I said, This is also vanity. 15 Then I praised mirth, because there is no good for a man under the sun, but to eat, and drink, and be merry: and this shall attend him in his labour all the days of his life, which God has given him under the sun. 16 Whereupon I set my heart to know wisdom, and to perceive the trouble that was wrought upon the earth: for there is that neither by day nor night sees sleep with his eyes. 17 And I beheld all the works of God, that a man shall not be able to discover the work which is wrought under the sun; whatsoever things a man shall endeavour to seek, however a man may labour to seek it, yet he shall not find it; yea, how much soever a wise man may speak of knowing it, he shall not be able to find it: for I applied all this to my heart, and my heart has seen all this.