Ecclesiastes:9-12

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* 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 . * 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 . * 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 . * For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope : for a living dog is better than a dead lion . * 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 . * 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 . * Go thy way , eat thy bread with joy , and drink thy wine with a merry heart ; for God now accepteth thy works . * Let thy garments be always white ; and let thy head lack no ointment . * 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 . * 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 . * 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 . * 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 . * This wisdom have I seen also under the sun , and it seemed great unto me : * 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 : * 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 . * Then said I , Wisdom is better than strength : nevertheless the poor man 's wisdom is despised , and his words are not heard . * The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools . * Wisdom is better than weapons of war : but one sinner destroyeth much good . * 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 . * A wise man 's heart is at his right hand ; but a fool 's heart at his left . * 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 . * If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee , leave not thy place ; for yielding pacifieth great offences . * There is an evil which I have seen under the sun , as an error which proceedeth from the ruler : * Folly is set in great dignity , and the rich sit in low place . * I have seen servants upon horses , and princes walking as servants upon the earth . * He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it ; and whoso breaketh an hedge , a serpent shall bite him . * Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith ; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby . * 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 . * Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment ; and a babbler is no better . * The words of a wise man 's mouth are gracious ; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself . * The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness : and the end of his talk is mischievous madness . * 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 labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them , because he knoweth not how to go to the city . * Woe to thee , O land , when thy king is a child , and thy princes eat in the morning ! * 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 ! * By much slothfulness the building decayeth ; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through . * A feast is made for laughter , and wine maketh merry : but money answereth all things . * 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 . * Cast thy bread upon the waters : for thou shalt find it after many days . * Give a portion to seven , and also to eight ; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth . * 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 . * He that observeth the wind shall not sow ; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap . * 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 . * 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 . * Truly the light is sweet , and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun : * 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 . * 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 . * Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart , and put away evil from thy flesh : for childhood and youth are vanity . * 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 ; * While the sun , or the light , or the moon , or the stars , be not darkened , nor the clouds return after the rain : * 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 , * 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 musick shall be brought low ; * 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 : * 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 . * Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was : and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it . * Vanity of vanities , saith the preacher ; all is vanity . * 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 . * The preacher sought to find out acceptable words : and that which was written was upright , even words of truth . * The words of the wise are as goads , and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies , which are given from one shepherd . * 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 . * Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter : Fear God , and keep his commandments : for this is the whole duty of man . * 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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