Ecclesiastes

A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

A wise man"s heart is at his right hand; but a fool"s heart at his left.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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:

This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great unto me:

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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

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.