The Spokesman's General Conclusion Mortals are weighed down with a terrible burden that Elohim has placed on them. 14 I have seen everything that is done under the sun. Look at it! It's all pointless. It's like trying to catch the wind.

15 No one can straighten what is bent.

No one can count what is not there.

The Spokesman Begins to Study Life 16 I thought to myself, "I have grown wiser than anyone who has ruled Jerusalem before me. I've had a lot of experience with wisdom and knowledge." 17 I've used my mind to understand wisdom and knowledge as well as madness and stupidity. Now I know that this is like trying to catch the wind.

18 With a lot of wisdom comes a lot of heartache.

The greater your knowledge, the greater your pain.

The Spokesman Studies Laughter 2 1 I thought to myself, "Now I want to experiment with pleasure and enjoy myself." But even this was pointless.

2 I thought, "Laughter doesn't make any sense. What does pleasure accomplish?"

The Spokesman Studies Wine 3 I explored ways to make myself feel better by drinking wine. I also explored ways to do some foolish things. During all that time, wisdom continued to control my mind. I was able to determine whether this was good for mortals to do during their brief lives under heaven.

The Spokesman Studies Personal Achievements 4 I accomplished some great things: I built houses for myself.

I planted vineyards for myself.

5 I made gardens and parks for myself.

I planted every kind of fruit tree in them.

6 I made pools to water the forest of growing trees.

7 I bought male and female slaves.

In addition, slaves were born in my household.

I owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me.

8 I also gathered silver and gold for myself.

I gathered the treasures of kings and provinces.

I provided myself with male and female singers and the pleasures men have with one concubinea after another.

9 So I grew richer than anyone in Jerusalem before me. Yet, my wisdom remained with me. 10 If something appealed to me, I did it. I allowed myself to have any pleasure I wanted, since I found pleasure in my work. This was my reward for all my hard work.

11 But when I turned to look at all that I had accomplished and all the hard work I had put into it, I saw that it was all pointless. It was like trying to catch the wind. I gained nothing from any of my accomplishments under the sun.

Death Is the Common Destiny of All Life 12 Then I turned my attention to experience wisdom, madness, and foolishness. For instance, what can the man who replaces the king do? Only what has already been done. 13 But I saw that wisdom has an advantage over foolishness as light has an advantage over darkness. 14 A wise person uses the eyes in his head, but a fool walks in the dark. But I have also come to realize that the same destiny waits for both of them.

15 I thought to myself, "If the destiny that waits for the fool waits for me as well, then what is the advantage in being wise?" So I thought that even this is pointless.

Without God Everything Is Pointless 16 Neither the wise person nor the fool will be remembered for long, since both will be forgotten in the days to come. Both the wise person and the fool will die. 17 So I came to hate life because everything done under the sun seemed wrong to me. Everything was pointless. It was like trying to catch the wind.

18 I came to hate everything for which I had worked so hard under the sun, because I will have to leave it to the person who replaces me. 19 Who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish? He will still have control over everything under the sun for which I worked so hard and used my wisdom. Even this is pointless.

20 Then I fell into despair over everything for which I had worked so hard under the sun. 21 Here is someone who had worked hard with wisdom, knowledge, and skill. Yet, he must turn over his estate to someone else, who didn't work for it. Even this is pointless and a terrible tragedy.

22 What do people get from all of their hard work and struggles under the sun? 23 Their entire life is filled with pain, and their work is unbearable. Even at night their minds don't rest. Even this is pointless.

With God Even the Simplest Things Have a Point 24 There is nothing better for people to do than to eat, drink, and find satisfaction in their work. I saw that even this comes from the hand of Elohim. 25 Who can eat or enjoy themselves without Elohim? 26 Elohim gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to anyone who pleases him. But to the person who continues to sin, he gives the job of gathering and collecting wealth. The sinner must turn his wealth over to the person who pleases Elohim . Even this is pointless. It's like trying to catch the wind.

Everything in God's Own Time 3 1 Everything has its own time, and there is a specific time for every activity under heaven: 2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to pull out what was planted, 3 a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build up, 4 a time to cry and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, 5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,a a time to hug and a time to stop hugging, 6 a time to start looking and a time to stop looking, a time to keep and a time to throw away, 7 a time to tear apart and a time to sew together, a time to keep quiet and a time to speak out, 8 a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.

God Gives Mortals a Sense of Eternity 9 What do working people gain from their hard labor? 10 I have seen mortals weighed down with a burden that Elohim has placed on them. 11 It is beautiful how Elohim has done everything at the right time. He has put a sense of eternity in people's minds. Yet, mortals still can't grasp what Elohim is doing from the beginning to the end of time.

12 I realize that there's nothing better for them to do than to be cheerful and enjoy what is good in their lives. 13 It is a gift from Elohim to be able to eat and drink and experience the good that comes from every kind of hard work.

14 I realize that whatever Elohim does will last forever. Nothing can be added to it, and nothing can be taken away from it. Elohim does this so that people will fear him.

15 Whatever has happened in the past is present now. Whatever is going to happen in the future has already happened in the past. Elohim will call the past to account.b Humans and Animals Meet the Same End 16 I saw something else under the sun: There is wickedness where justice should be found.

There is wickedness where righteousness should be found.

17 I thought to myself, "Elohim will judge righteous people as well as wicked people, because there is a specific time for every activity and every work that is done." 18 I thought to myself, "Elohim is going to test humans in order to show them that they are like animals." 19 Humans and animals have the same destiny. One dies just like the other. All of them have the same breath of life. Humans have no advantage over animals. All of life is pointless. 20 All life goes to the same place. All life comes from the ground, and all of it goes back to the ground. 21 Who knows whether a human spirit goes upward or whether an animal spirit goes downward to the earth?

22 I saw that there's nothing better for people to do than to enjoy their work because that is their lot in life. Who will allow them to see what will happen after them?

Better Not to Have Been Born 4 1 Next, I turned to look at all the acts of oppression that make people suffer under the sun. Look at the tears of those who suffer! No one can comfort them. Their oppressors have all the power. No one can comfort those who suffer. 2 I congratulate the dead, who have already died, rather than the living, who still have to carry on. 3 But the person who hasn't been born yet is better off than both of them. He hasn't seen the evil that is done under the sun.

Hard Work Versus Laziness 4 Then I saw that all hard work and skillful effort come from rivalry. Even this is pointless. It's like trying to catch the wind. 5 A fool folds his hands and wastes away. 6 One handful of peace and quiet is better than two handfuls of hard work and of trying to catch the wind.

Those Who Are All Alone 7 Next, I turned to look at something pointless under the sun: 8 There are people who are all alone. They have no children or other family members. So there is no end to all the hard work they have to do. Their eyes are never satisfied with riches. But they never ask themselves why they are working so hard and depriving themselves of good things. Even this is pointless and a terrible tragedy.

Two Are Better Than One 9 Two people are better than one because together they have a good reward for their hard work. 10 If one falls, the other can help his friend get up. But how tragic it is for the one who is all alone when he falls. There is no one to help him get up. 11 Again, if two people lie down together, they can keep warm, but how can one person keep warm? 12 Though one person may be overpowered by another, two people can resist one opponent. A triple-braided rope is not easily broken.

Rulers and Fickle Citizens 13 A young man who is poor and wise is better than an old, foolish king who won't take advice any longer.

14 A young man came out of prison to rule as king, even though he had been born in poverty in that same kingdom. 15 I saw all living people moving about under the sun. They sided with the second young man, the king's successor. 16 There was no end to all those people, everyone whom he led.a But those who will come later will not be happy with the successor. Even this is pointless. It's like trying to catch the wind.

Don't Daydream or Speak Carelessly When You Worship 5 b1 Watch your step when you go to the house of Elohim. It is better to go there and listen than to bring the sacrifices fools bring. Fools are unaware that they are doing something evil.

2 Don't be in a hurry to talk. Don't be eager to speak in the presence of Elohim. Since Elohim is in heaven and you are on earth, limit the number of your words.

3 Daydreaming comes when there are too many worries.

Careless speaking comes when there are too many words.

4 When you make a promise to Elohim, don't be slow to keep it because Elohim doesn't like fools. Keep your promise. 5 It is better not to make a promise than to make one and not keep it. 6 Don't let your mouth talk you into committing a sin. Don't say in the presence of a temple messenger, "My promise was a mistake!" Why should Elohim become angry at your excuse and destroy what you've accomplished?

7 In spite of many daydreams, pointless actions, and empty words, you should still fear Elohim.

Corrupt Officials Have Corrupt Officials over Them 8 Don't be surprised if you see poor people being oppressed, denied justice, or denied their rights in any district. One authority is watching over another, and they both have authorities watching over them. 9 Yet, a king is an advantage for a country with cultivated fields.a The Value of Money 10 Whoever loves money will never be satisfied with money. Whoever loves wealth will never be satisfied with more income. Even this is pointless. 11 As the number of goods increase, so do the number of people who consume them. What do owners gain from all their goods except the opportunity to look at them?

12 The sleep of working people is sweet, whether they eat a little or a lot. But the full stomachs that rich people have will not allow them to sleep.

Economic Ruin 13 There is a painful tragedy that I have seen under the sun: Riches lead to the downfall of those who hoard them. 14 These hoarded riches were then lost in bad business deals. The owners had children, but now they have nothing to give them. 15 They came from their mother's womb naked. They will leave as naked as they came. They won't even be able to take a handful of their earnings with them from all their hard work.

16 This also is a painful tragedy: They leave exactly as they came. What advantage do they gain from working so hard for the wind? 17 They spend their entire lives in darkness, in constant frustration, sickness, and resentment.

Conclusion: God Alone Gives Contentment 18 At last I have seen what is good and beautiful: It is to eat and drink and to enjoy the good in all our hard work under the sun during the brief lives Elohim gives us. That is our lot in life. 19 It is a gift from Elohim when Elohim gives some people wealth and possessions, the power to enjoy them, the ability to accept their lot in life, and the ability to rejoice in their own hard work. 20 These people won't give much thought to their brief lives because Elohim keeps them occupied with the joy in their hearts.

The Rich Person and the Stillborn Baby 6 1 There is a tragedy that I have seen under the sun. It is a terrible one for mortals. 2 Elohim gives one person riches, wealth, and honor so that he doesn't lack anything he wants. Yet, Elohim doesn't give him the power to enjoy any of them. Instead, a stranger enjoys them. This is pointless and is a painful tragedy.

3 Suppose a rich person wasn't satisfied with good things while he was alive and didn't even get an honorable burial after he died. Suppose he had a hundred children and lived for many years. No matter how long he would have lived, it still would have been better for him to have been born dead. 4 A stillborn baby arrives in a pointless birth and goes out into the darkness. The darkness then hides its name. 5 Though it has never seen the sun or known anything, the baby finds more rest than the rich person. 6 Even if the rich person lives two thousand years without experiencing anything good-don't we all go to the same place?

More Pointless Challenges 7 Everything that people work so hard for goes into their mouths, but their appetite is never satisfied.

8 What advantage does a wise person have over a fool? What advantage does a poor person have in knowing how to face life?

9 It is better to look at what is in front of you than to go looking for what you want. Even this is pointless. It's like trying to catch the wind.

10 Whatever has happened in the past already has a name. Mortals are already known for what they are. Mortals cannot argue with the one who is stronger than they.

11 The more words there are, the more pointless they become. What advantage do mortals gain from this? 12 Who knows what may be good for mortals while they are alive, during the brief, pointless days they live? Mortals pass by like a shadow. Who will tell them about their future under the sun?

Proverbs about Life 7 1 A good name is better than expensive perfume, and the day you die is better than the day you're born. 2 It is better to go to a funeral than to a banquet because that is where everyone will end up. Everyone who is alive should take this to heart! 3 Sorrow is better than laughter because, in spite of a sad face, the heart can be joyful. 4 The minds of wise people think about funerals, but the minds of fools think about banquets.

5 It is better to listen to wise people who reprimand you than to fools who sing your praises. 6 The laughter of a fool is like the crackling of thorns burning under a pot. Even this is pointless.

7 Oppression can turn a wise person into a fool, and a bribe can corrupt the mind.

8 The end of something is better than its beginning. It is better to be patient than arrogant.

9 Don't be quick to get angry, because anger is typical of fools. 10 Don't ask, "Why were things better in the old days than they are now?" It isn't wisdom that leads you to ask this!

Wisdom Gives Life 11 Wisdom is as good as an inheritance. It is an advantage to everyone who sees the sun. 12 Wisdom protects us just as money protects us, but the advantage of wisdom is that it gives life to those who have it.

13 Consider what Elohim has done! Who can straighten what Elohim has bent?

A Truth for Every Situation 14 When times are good, be happy. But when times are bad, consider this: Elohim has made the one time as well as the other so that mortals cannot predict their future.

Mortals Don't Get What They Deserve 15 I have seen it all in my pointless life: Righteous people die in spite of being righteous.

Wicked people go on living in spite of being wicked.

16 Don't be too virtuous, and don't be too wise. Why make yourself miserable? 17 Don't be too wicked, and don't be a fool. Why should you die before your time is up? 18 It's good to hold on to the one and not let go of the other, because the one who fears Elohim will be able to avoid both extremes.

The Advantages of Wisdom 19 Wisdom will help a wise person more than ten rulers can help a city. 20 Certainly, there is no one so righteous on earth that he always does what is good and never sins.

21 Don't take everything that people say to heart, or you may hear your own servant cursing you. 22 Your conscience knows that you have cursed others many times.

23 I used wisdom to test all of this. I said, "I want to be wise, but it is out of my reach." 24 Whatever wisdom may be, it is out of reach. It is deep, very deep. Who can find out what it is? 25 I turned my attention to study, to explore, and to seek out wisdom and the reason for things. I learned that wickedness is stupid and foolishness is madness.

26 I find that a woman whose thoughts are like traps and snares is more bitter than death itself. Even her hands are like chains. Whoever pleases Elohim will escape her, but she will catch whoever continues to sin.

27 The spokesman said, "This is what I've found: I added one thing to another in order to find a reason for things. 28 I am still seeking a reason for things, but have not found any. I found one man out of a thousand who had it, but out of all these I didn't find one woman. 29 I have found only this: Elohim made people decent, but they looked for many ways to avoid being decent."a 8 1 Who is really wise? Who knows how to explain things? Wisdom makes one's face shine, and it changes one's grim look.

The Power of Kings Versus the Power of Death 2 I advise you to obey the king's commands because of the oath you took in Elohim's presence. 3 Don't be in a hurry to leave the king's service. Don't take part in something evil, because he can do whatever he pleases. 4 Since a king's word has such power, no one can ask him what he is doing. 5 Whoever obeys his commands will avoid trouble. The mind of a wise person will know the right time and the right way to act. 6 There is a right time and a right way to act in every situation. Yet, a terrible human tragedy hangs over people.

7 They don't know what the future will bring. So who can tell them how things will turn out? 8 No one has the power to prevent the spiritb of life from leaving. No one has control over the day of his own death. There is no way to avoid the war against death. Wickedness will not save wicked people from dying.

Life Is Unfair 9 I have seen all of this, and I have carefully considered all that is done under the sun whenever one person has authority to hurt others. 10 Then I saw wicked people given an honorable burial. They used to go in and out of the holy place. They were praised in the city for doing such things. Even this is pointless.

The Need for Swift Justice 11 When a sentence against a crime isn't carried out quickly, people are encouraged to commit crimes. 12 A sinner may commit a hundred crimes and yet live a long life. Still, I know with certainty that it will go well for those who fear Elohim, because they fear him. 13 But it will not go well for the wicked. They will not live any longer. Their lives are like shadows, because they don't fear Elohim.

Enjoy Life 14 There is something being done on earth that is pointless. Righteous people suffer for what the wicked do, and wicked people get what the righteous deserve. I say that even this is pointless.

15 So I recommend the enjoyment of life. People have nothing better to do under the sun than to eat, drink, and enjoy themselves. This joy will stay with them while they work hard during their brief lives which Elohim has given them under the sun.

16 When I carefully considered how to study wisdom and how to look at the work that is done on earth (even going without sleep day and night), 17 then I saw everything that Elohim has done. No one is able to grasp the work that is done under the sun. However hard a person may search for it, he will not find its meaning. Even though a wise person claims to know, he is not able to grasp it.

Everything Is in the Hands of God 9 1 Now, I have carefully thought about all this, and I explain it in this way: Righteous people and wise people, along with their accomplishments, are in Elohim's hands. No one knows whether there will be love or hatred. 2 Everything turns out the same way for everyone. All people will share the same destiny, whether they are righteous, wicked, or good, clean or unclean,a whether they offer sacrifices or don't offer sacrifices. Good people are treated like sinners. People who take oaths are treated like those who are afraid to take oaths.

Where There's Life, There's Hope 3 This is the tragedy of everything that happens under the sun: Everyone shares the same destiny. Moreover, the hearts of mortals are full of evil. Madness is in their hearts while they are still alive. After that, they join the dead. 4 But all who are among the living have hope, because a living dog is better than a dead lion. 5 The living know that they will die, but the dead don't know anything. There is no more reward for the dead when the memory of them has faded. 6 Their love, their hate, and their passions have already vanished. They will never again take part in anything that happens under the sun.

Enjoy Life with Your Wife 7 Go, enjoy eating your food, and drink your wine cheerfully, because Elohim has already accepted what you've done. 8 Always wear clean clothes, and never go without lotion on your head. 9 Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, during all your brief, pointless life. Elohim has given you your pointless life under the sun. This is your lot in life and what you get for the hard work that you do under the sun.

Work with All Your Might 10 Whatever presents itself for you to do, do it with all your might, because there is no work, planning, knowledge, or skill in the grave where you're going.

Time and Unpredictable Events 11 I saw something else under the sun. The race isn't won by fast runners, or the battle by heroes. Wise people don't necessarily have food. Intelligent people don't necessarily have riches, and skilled people don't necessarily receive special treatment. But time and unpredictable events overtake all of them. 12 No one knows when his time will come. Like fish that are caught in a cruel net or birds caught in a snare, humans are trapped by a disaster when it suddenly strikes them.

Wisdom Is Despised 13 I also have seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it made a deep impression on me. 14 There was a small town with a few soldiers in it, and a powerful king came to attack it. He surrounded it and blockaded it. 15 A poor, wise person was found in that town. He saved the town using his wisdom. But no one remembered that poor person. 16 So I said, "Wisdom is better than strength," even though that poor person's wisdom was despised, and no one listened to what he said.

17 One should pay more attention to calm words from wise people than shouting from a ruler of fools. 18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner can destroy much that is good.

10 1 Dead flies will make a bottle of perfume stink, and then it is spoiled. A little foolishness outweighs wisdom and honor.

Proverbs about Life in General 2 A wise person's heart leads the right way. The heart of a fool leads the wrong way. 3 Even when a fool goes walking, he has no sense and shows everyone else that he's a fool.

4 If a ruler becomes angry with you, don't resign your position. If you remain calm, you can make up for serious offenses.

5 There is a tragedy that I've seen under the sun, an error often made by rulers. 6 Foolish people are often given high positions, and rich people are left to fill lower positions. 7 I have seen slaves sitting on horses and influential people going on foot like slaves.

8 Whoever digs a pit may fall into it. Whoever breaks through a stone wall may be bitten by a snake. 9 Whoever works in a stone quarry may get hurt. Whoever splits wood may be injured.

10 If an ax is blunt and the edge isn't sharpened, then one has to use more strength. But wisdom prepares the way for success. 11 If a snake bites before it has been charmed, then there is no advantage in being a snake charmer.

12 A wise person's words win favors, but a fool's lips are self-destructive. 13 A fool starts out by talking foolishness and ends up saying crazy things that are dangerous. 14 He never stops talking. No one knows what the future will bring, or what will happen after death. Who can say! 15 Fools wear themselves out with hard work, because they don't even know the way to town.

16 How horrible it will be for any country where the king used to be a servant and where the high officials throw parties in the morning. 17 A country is blessed when the king is from a noble family and when the high officials eat at the right time in order to get strength and not to get drunk.

18 A roof sags because of laziness. A house leaks because of idle hands.