A time for all things. Before CHRIST cir. 977 die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck | rejoice in his own works; for "that is his Before up that which is planted; portion: *for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him? 3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to c Joel 2. 16. embrace, and a time to refrain from Heb. to be embracing; 1 Cor. 7.5 far from. 1 Or, sark. d Amos 5. 13. e Luke 14 96. fcb. 1.3. ch. 1. 13. h ch. 8. 17. Rom. 11. 33. i ver. 22. k ch. 2. 24. m ch. 1.9 6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; da time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. 9 'What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth? 3 Yea, better is he than both they, 16, 21. ch.6. which hath not yet been, who hath not seen 3the evil work that is done under the sun. 10 I have seen the travail, which God 4¶ Again, I considered all travail, and hath given to the sons of men to be ex-every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit. 5The fool foldeth his hands toge ercised in it. 11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that "no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end. 12¶ I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life. 13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God. 14 I know that, whatsoever God doeth, 1 Jam. 1. 17. it shall be for ever: 'nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him. 15 That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; + Heb. that and God requireth +that which is past. 16¶ And moreover "I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there. which is driven away. sch. 5. 8. Rom. 2.6 7. 8. 2 Cor. Sla 2 Thess. 1.6, 7. p ver. 1. 1. Or, that clear God, they might and ut, &c. 4 Ps. 49. 12, 20. & 73 22. ch. 2. 16. r Gen. 3 19. sch. 127. ↑ Heb. of the sons of 1 Heb. it cending. sex. 12. eb. #2445 18. 14.9 17 I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work. 18¶ I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, || that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts. 19 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity. 20 All go unto one place; 'all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. 8 There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with Prov riches; "neither saith he, For whom do I 2. 16, labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail. 9 Two are better than one; because 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 falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. 11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? 12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. Ps. 39. & 13 Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will not no more be admonished. 14 For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor. 15 I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead. 16 There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit. 21 ¶ Who knoweth the spirit + of man that +goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth? 22 ¶ Wherefore I perceived that there is nothing better, than that a man should | 1 Vanities in divine service, 8 in murmuring CHAP. V. knoweth to be adm nished. 13. 5 Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. Vanity of riches without use. 17 All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness. Before CHRIST cir. 977. 18 Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat 312,1372 and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the 17 sun + all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion. God 19 Every man also to whom CHAP. VI. 1 The vanity of riches without use. 3 Of Heb. there is a good which is comely, &c. number of Heb, the the days. ch.2.10. ch. 2. 24, & & 3.22. t 3.13. &62 | Or, Though he give t muck, yet he remembereth, .. Puffer not thy mouth to cause thynder the sun, and it is common HERE is an evil which I have seen a ch.5.13 h1 Cor. 11. flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands? 7 For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: i ch. 12. 13. but fear thou God. 9 Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field. 10 He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity. 11 When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes? 12 The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep. m 13 There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt. 14 But those riches perish by evil travail: and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand. Ps. 49. 17. 15 As he came forth of his mother's o ch. 1. 3. p Prov. 11. 99. among men: &c. P. 17. 2 A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, b. so that he b Job 21. 10, wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he 147 desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease. 3¶ If a man beget an hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he. 7 All the labour of man is for his fro. të mouth, and yet the + appetite is not filled. † Heb. mai 8 For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living? 9 Better is the sight of the eyes +than+He then the wandering of the desire: this is also of the wai. vanity and vexation of spirit. 10 That which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is man: "neither may he contend with him that Job & 32. is mightier than he. 9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be anJames 1. 19. gry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. 10 Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than +Heb. out of these? for thou dost not enquire †wisely concerning this. ¡Or, as good avan inheri ance, yea, better too. beh. 11. 7. + Heb. shadow. à See Job 12. 14. ch. 1. 15 Isai. 14-27. k cb. 3. 4 Deut. 28. 47 11 Wisdom is good with an inheritance; and by it there is profit " to them that see the sun. 12 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. 13 Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked? 14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God + Heb.made. also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him. 15 All things have I seen in the days 8.14 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. m Prov. 25. m 16 Be not righteous over much; Eccles. 3 "neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou + destroy thyself? 21, 22. Rom. 13 • Heb. be de miare Pa 55.23 Fra 10.77. • Heb. not w they time. 17 Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time? 18 It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all. 46. 2 Chron. 3.23. 1 John 1. 8. not thine 22 For oftentimes also thine own heart + Heb. give knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast heart. cursed others. 23 All this have I proved by wisdom: 'I said, I will be wise; but it was r Rom. 1. 22. far from me. 24 "That which is far off, and exceed-Job 28. 12, ing deep, who can find it out? Tim. 6 16. t Rom. 11-33 compassed. 25 "I applied mine heart to know, +Heb. I and and to search, and to seek out wisdom, my heart and the reason of things, and to know the a ch. 1. 17. wickedness of folly, even of foolishness & 2. 12. and madness: 26 And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: †whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her. 27 Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, || counting one by one, find out the account: 28 Which yet my soul seeketh, but find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found. b after ano out the reaz Job 33. 23 ther, to find Ps. 12. 1. a Gen. 1.,27. they . Gen. 3. 6, 29 Lo, this only have I found, "that God hath made man upright; but have sought out many inventions. CHAP. VIII. 1 Kings are greatly to be respected. 6 The divine providence is to be observed. 12 It is better with the godly in adversity, than with the wicked in prosperity. 16 The work of God is unsearchable. a a HO is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of thing? a man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his face shall be changed. 2¶ I counsel thee to keep the king's commandment, and that in regard of the oath of God. 3 Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him. 4 Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou? b 7. 5 Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man's Heb. shall heart discerneth both time and judgment. 6 Because to every purpose there is f ch.3.1. time and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him. g Prov. 24.22. 75 For he knoweth not that which ch. 6. 12 & 9. 12. & 10. shall be: for who can tell him || when it 14 Or, how it shall be? shall be. God's works unsearchable. Before CHRIST cir. 977 h Ps. 49. 6,7. i Job 14.5 Or, casting off weapons. k Ps. 10. 6. * 50. 21. h ECCLESIASTES. 8 ¶ 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. 9 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. 10 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. k 11 Because sentence against an Isa. 25. 10. evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. 1 Isai. 65. 20. Rom. 2. 5. m Ps. 37. 11, 12 ¶ 1Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, 18, 19. Prov yet surely I know that it shall be well 1. 32, 33. with them that fear God, which fear beMatt. 25 34, fore him: Isai. 3. 10,11. 41. n Ps. 73.14. CHRIST cir. 977 Death, the lot of good and bad. 2 All things come alike to all: there Before is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and b Job 21.7. to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, &c. Ps. 73.3, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the 3.15 good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath. 3 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. 4 For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion. 5 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. d 12, 13. Mal. e Job 14.21. d Job.& 10. Isa. 2. 6 Also their love, and their hatred, 14 and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun. 13 But it shall not be well with the 7 Go thy way, eat thy bread with e ch. 8. 15wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, joy, and drink thy wine with a merry which are as a shadow; because he fear-heart; for God now accepteth thy works. eth not before God. 14 There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there be just men, ch. 214& unto whom it "happeneth according to 7. 15. &91, 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. 16 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:) 17 Then I beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work Rom. 11.33 that is done under the sun: because though a man labour to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea farther; though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it. 8 Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment. 9 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. 10 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. 11 ¶ I returned, and saw under the Amos 2.14 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. 12 For h man also knoweth not his hch. § 7time: 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 i snared in an evil time, when it falleth Prev. 20. 6. suddenly upon them. Directions for charity. Before strength: nevertheless the poor man's | eat in due season, for strength, and not wisdom is despised, and his words are for drunkenness! CHRIST cir. 977. m Mark 6. not heard. 2, 3. n ver. 16, 17 The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools. n 18 " Wisdom is better than weapons of Josh. 7.1, war: but one sinner destroyeth much good. 11, 12. 14 A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and 'what shall be after him, who can tell him? 15 The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city. 16 ¶ "Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning! 17 Blessed art thou, O land, when thy 18 By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through. 19¶ A feast is made for laughter, and wine +maketh merry: but money answereth all things. 20 Curse not the king, no, not in air thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter. CHAP. XI. 1 Directions for charity. 7 Death in life, 9 and the day of judgment in the days of youth, are to be thought on. CAST NAST thy bread "+upon the waters: b for thou shalt find it after many + Heb. upon days. 2 Give a portion to seven, and to eight; for thou knowest not evil shall be upon the earth. also what the face of the waters. 5 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 19 falleth, there it shall be. 4 He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap. g 5 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. d Mic. 5. 5. e Eph. 5. 16. f John 3. 8. Ps. 139. 14, 15. 7¶ Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold h ch.7.11. the sun: 8 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. 9 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. Prox. 31-4 king is the son of nobles, and "thy princes REMEMBER now thy Creator in a Prov. 92. 563 the days of thy youth, while the 27 2 N 2 |