Ketuvim
Qohelet6
Ecclesiastes · Chapter 6
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it
is
common among men:
A man to whom Elohim hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his nephesh of all that he desireth, yet Elohim giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this
is vanity, and it
is an evil disease.
If a man beget an hundred
children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his nephesh be not filled with good, and also
that he have no burial; I say,
that an untimely birth
is better than he.
For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness.
Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known
any thing: this hath more rest than the other.
Yea, though he live a thousand years twice
told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place?
All the labour of man
is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.
For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?
Better
is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this
is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
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.
Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what
is
man the better?
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?
Ketuvim
Qohelet7
Ecclesiastes · Chapter 7
A good name
is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.
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.
Sorrow
is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
The heart of the wise
is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools
is in the house of mirth.
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so
is the laughter of the fool: this also
is vanity.
Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.
Better
is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof:
and the patient in spirit
is better than the proud in spirit.
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
Say not thou, What is
the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.
Wisdom
is good with an inheritance: and
by it there is
profit to them that see the sun.
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.
Consider the work of Elohim: for who can make
that straight, which he hath made crooked?
In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: Elohim also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.
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.
Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth Elohim shall come forth of them all.
Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty
men which are in the city.
For
there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:
For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it
was far from me.
That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?
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:
And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart
is
snares and nets,
and her hands
as bands: whoso pleaseth Elohim shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.
Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher,
counting one by one, to find out the account:
Which yet my nephesh seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
Lo, this only have I found, that Elohim hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
Ketuvim
Qohelet8
Ecclesiastes · Chapter 8
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.
I
counsel thee to keep the king’s mitsvah, and
that
in regard of the oath of Elohim.
Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him.
Where the word of a king
is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou?
Whoso keepeth the mitsvah shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man’s heart discerneth both time and judgment.
Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man
is great upon him.
For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 Elohim, which fear before him:
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 Elohim.
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.
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 Elohim giveth him under the sun.
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:)
Then I beheld all the work of Elohim, 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 further; though a wise
man think to know
it, yet shall he not be able to find
it.