e

4 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.

5 The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.

6 The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits.

7 h All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.

3

8 All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.

9 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

10 Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it

18 For in much wisdom is much ch. 12. 12. grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.

The vanity of pleasure.

BEFORE CHRIST

about

977.

Luke 12. 19.

Isai. 50. 11.

Prov. 14. 13. ch. 7. 6.

d ch. 1. 17.

my flesh

with wine.

I SAID in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.

2 I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?

3 I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting Heb. to draw mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life.

3 Heb. the number of the days of their life.

my house.

4 I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards:

5 I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits:

6 I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees:

7 I got me servants and maidens, Heb. sons of and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me:

1 Kings 9. 28. & 10. 10, 14, 21, &c.

8 I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons 5 Heb. musical of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts.

instrument

and instruments.

ch. 1. 16.

ch. 3. 22. & 5. 18.

& 9.9.

ch. 1. 3, 14.

ch. 1. 17. & 7.25.

9 So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.

10 And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.

11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.

12 ¶ And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly for what can the man do that

Wisdom excelleth folly.

15 Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why wasps. 49. 10. I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity.

16 For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? as the fool.

17 Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

18 Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun : because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me.

A season for every thing.

BEFORE CHRIST about

977.

2 Or, delight his senses.

3 Heb. before
him,
Gen. 7. 1.
Luke 1. 6.

Job 27. 16,
17.
Prov. 28. 8.

ver. 17. ch. 8. 6.

Heb. to bear. b Hebr. 9. 27.

C Joel 2. 16.

1 Cor. 7. 5. 5 Heb. to be far from.

6 Or, seek.

d Amos 5. 13.

e

drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.

25 For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I? 26 For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

CHAPTER III.

1 By the necessary change of times, vanity is added to human travail. 11 There is an excellency in God's works. 16 But as for man, God shall judge his works there, and

here he shall be like a beast.

a

God the judge of all.

16 And moreover "I saw under

m

ch. 1. 9.

2 Heb. that which is

n

driven away.

under the heaven:

b

2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

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 embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

8 A time to love, and a time to Luke 14. 26. hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

' ch. 1. 3.

6 ch. 1. 13.

9 What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth? 10 I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.

11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath

man from his spirit.

neighbour.

Prov. 6. 10.

& 24. 33.

Prov. 15. 16,

17. & 16. 8.

1 John 2. 16. Ps. 39. 6.

e

5 The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh. 6 Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit. 7 ¶ Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.

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 Prov. 27. 20 eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I 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.

5 Heb. who knoweth not to be admonished.

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. 13 ¶ Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.

divine service, &c.

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.

CHAPTER V.

1 Vanities in divine service, 8 in murmuring against oppression, 9 and in riches. 18 Joy in riches is the gift of God.

a

KEEP thy foot when thou goest

b

to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.

2

2 Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God Or, word. is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.

с

3 For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and da fool's voice is known by multitude of words.

e

Prov. 10. 19. Matt. 6. 7.

a Prov. 10. 19.

e

Deut. 23. 21, 22, 23.

4. When thou vowest a vow unto Numb. 30. 2. God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: 'pay that which thou hast vowed.

Ps. 50. 14. & 76. 11. f Ps. 66. 13, 14.

Acts 5. 4.

5 Better is it that thou shouldest Prov. 20. 25. not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.

h

6 Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou 1 Cor. 11. 10. 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: but fear thou God.

k

3

i ch. 12. 13. * ch. 3. 16.

8 ¶ If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for 'he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher Ps. 12. 5. than they.

3 Heb. at the will, or, purpose.

1
& 58. 11.

& 82. 1.

The vanity of riches.

BEFORE CHRIST about 977.

m ch. 6. 1.

n Job 1. 21. Ps. 49. 17.

1 Tim. 6. 7.

• ch. 1. 3.

P Prov. 11. 29.

a Ps. 127. 2.

ch. 2. 24. & 3. 12, 13, 22. & 9. 7. & 11. 9. 1 Tim. 6. 17.

2 Heb. there is

a good which

is comely, &c.

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. 13 There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt.

m

e

b &c.

c

Job 21. 10, Ps. 17. 14. 7.7,

&

• Luke 12. 20.

Isai. 14. 19,

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 42 Kings 9. 35. burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he. 4 For he cometh in with vanity, P. 58.8. and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness.

5 Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this hath more rest than the other.

6 ¶ Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place?

ness.

18 ¶ Behold that which I have seen it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion. 19 Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and ch. 2. 24. & 3. hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.

3 Heb. the number of the days.

$ ch. 2. 10. & 3. 22.

13. & 6. 2.

'Or, Though he give not much, yet he remembereth, &c.

t

20+ For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.

8 For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?

20

Jer. 22. 19. Job 3. 16.

ch. 4. 3.

'Prov. 16. 26.

Heb. soul.

3 Heb. than the walking

9 ¶ Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of of the soul. spirit.

Isai. 45. 9. Jer. 49. 19.

10 That which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is man neither may he contend Job 9.92. with him that is mightier than he. 11 ¶ Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?

• Heb. the

number of

the days of the life of his

vanity.