Open Bible Data Home About News OET Key
OET OET-RV OET-LV ULT UST BSB MSB BLB AICNT OEB WEBBE WMBB NET LSV FBV TCNT T4T LEB BBE Moff JPS Wymth ASV DRA YLT Drby RV SLT Wbstr KJB-1769 KJB-1611 Bshps Gnva Cvdl TNT Wycl SR-GNT UHB BrLXX BrTr Related Topics Parallel Interlinear Reference Dictionary Search
ULT By Document By Section By Chapter Details
ULT FRT GEN EXO LEV NUM DEU JOS JDG RUTH 1 SAM 2 SAM 1 KI 2 KI 1 CHR 2 CHR EZRA NEH EST JOB PSA PROV ECC SNG ISA JER LAM EZE DAN HOS JOEL AMOS OBA YNA MIC NAH HAB ZEP HAG ZEC MAL MAT MARK LUKE YHN ACTs ROM 1 COR 2 COR GAL EPH PHP COL 1 TH 2 TH 1 TIM 2 TIM TIT PHM HEB YAC 1 PET 2 PET 1 YHN 2 YHN 3 YHN YUD REV
{'This view displays the entire ‘book’ so it may be very long to scroll through.
'}ECC EN_ULT en_English_ltr Thu Jul 07 2022 13:36:28 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time) tc
Ecclesiastes
1 The words of Qoheleth, the son of David, king in Jerusalem:
2 “Vapor of vapors,” says Qoheleth.
“Vapor of vapors; the whole is vapor.”
3 What profit belongs to humanity
in exchange for all his toil that he toils under the sun?
4 A generation is going and a generation is coming,
but the earth is standing in perpetuity.
5 And the sun rises and the sun sets;
and to its place, panting, it is rising there.
6 Going to the south and turning to the north,
turning, turning, the wind is going;
and on its courses, the wind is returning.
7 All the rivers are going to the sea,
but the sea—there is no fullness of it.
To a place that the rivers are going—
there, they are going again.
8 All the things are wearisome;
a person is not able to speak.
An eye is not satisfied of seeing,
and an ear is not filled from hearing.
9 Whatever that which was, it is that which will be,
and whatever that which has been done, it is that which will be done.
And there is not anything new under the sun.
10 Is there a thing about which one says,
“See this, it is new?”
It already existed in ages
that were from before our faces.
11 There is not a memory of the former times,
and also, of the latter times that will be,
memory will not be of them,
along with those that will be at the latter time.
12 I, Qoheleth, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 So, I gave my heart to seek and to explore with wisdom concerning all that is done under the heavens. It is an unpleasant business God has given to the sons of humanity to be busy with it. 14 I saw all the deeds that are done under the sun, and—look—everything is vapor and pursuit of wind.
15 A bent thing—one is not able to straighten it,
and lack is not able to be counted.
18 for in much wisdom is much anger,
and when one increases knowledge, he increases pain.
2 I spoke, I with my heart, “Come, let me test you with joy and see good.” But look, it also was vapor. 2 To laughter, I said, “Madness!” And to joy, “What is this doing?” 3 I explored in my heart to drag my flesh with wine (and my heart was guiding me with wisdom) and to seize folly until I could see where is the good for the sons of humanity that they might do under the heavens during the number of the days of their lives.
14 The wise, his eyes are in his head,
but the fool in the darkness is walking.
But I know, even I, that one happening will happen to both of them.
15 And I spoke, I with my heart, “As the happening of the fool, even to me—it will happen to me! And why was I, I, wise then, abundantly?” And I said to my heart that also this is vapor. 16 For there is no memory of the wise person with the fool in perpetuity, because already, in the coming days, both will be forgotten. Alas! The wise die with the fool!
3 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under the heavens:
2 a time to give birth and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to tear out what was planted,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to break down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5 a time to throw stones and a time to gather stones,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
6 a time to seek and a time to lose,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time of war and a time of peace.
10 I saw the business that God gives to the sons of humanity to be busy with it. 11 He makes everything beautiful in its time. Also, he gives perperuity in their heart, yet so that humanity cannot find the work that the God does from beginning to end. 12 I know that there is no good for them except to rejoice and to do good during his life, 13 and every person who eats and drinks and sees good in all of his toil—it is a gift of God. 14 I know that everything that God does, it will be enduring. To it, there is nothing to add, and from it, there is nothing to remove. And God acts so that they fear from before his face.
15 Whatever that is, already it was,
and that which is to be, already it is.
And the God seeks that which is pursued.
16 But again I saw under the sun: The place of justice—there was wickedness; and the place of equity—there was wickedness! 17 I spoke, I with my heart: “The equitable and the wicked the God will judge, because a time exists for every matter and on account of every deed there.” 18 I spoke, I with my heart, “For the sake of the sons of humanity, the God is to test them to see that they are animals, they themselves.” 19 For the happening of the sons of humanity and the happening of the animal—and one happening is for them. As the death of this one, so the death of this one, and one spirit exists for both. But an advantage of humanity over the animal, there is none, for everything is vapor. 20 Both are going to one place. Both are from the dust, and both return to the dust. 21 Who knows? The spirit of the sons of humanity, it is the one going up, upwards, and the spirit of the animal, it is the one going down, downwards to the earth. 22 So, I saw that there is nothing better than that humanity should rejoice in his works, for it is his portion. For who will bring him to look at what that will be after him?
4 And I turned, I, and I saw all the oppressions that were being done under the sun. And, look, the tears of the oppressed—and there was no comforter for them. And from the hand of the ones oppressing them was strength, and there was no comforter for them. 2 So I praised, I, the dead people who have already died more than the living, who, they are still alive. 3 But better than the two of them is the one who has not yet lived, who has not seen the evil deed that is being done under the sun.
5 The fool is folding his hands
and is eating his flesh.
6 Better is a fullness of a palm with quiet
than a fullness of two handfuls with toil and pursuit of wind.
9 Better are the two people than the one person,
that there is for them a good wage in exchange for their toil.
10 For if they fall,
the one person will lift up his companion,
but woe is his—the one person that will fall,
but there is no second person to lift him up.
11 Also, if two people lie down, then there is warmth for them.
But for the one person—how will there be warmth?
12 And if he will overpower him, the one person,
the two people will stand against him,
and the three-fold rope will not be torn in two quickly.
13 Better is a child, poor but wise, than a king, old but foolish, who does not know how to be warned any longer. 14 For, from the house of those who are bound, he came forth to become king, yet even in his kingdom he was born poor. 15 I saw all the living, the ones walking around under the sun, with the second child who will stand under him. 16 There was no end to all the people, to all who were to their faces. Even the latter people will not rejoice in him, because even this is vapor and pursuit of wind.
5 Keep your feet when you go to the house of God. And drawing near to listen is better than fools giving a sacrifice, for they are not knowing that they do evil. 2 Do not be hurried concerning your mouth, and do not let your heart hurry to bring forth a word to the face of God. For the God is in heaven, but you are on the earth; therefore, let your words be few.
3 For the dream comes with much business,
and the voice of a fool with many words.
7 For in many dreams and vaporous things and many words—
just fear God.
8 If the extortion of the poor and the robbery of justice and equity you see in the province, do not be amazed concerning the matter, for a high one over a high one is watching, and high ones are over them. 9 And a profit of a land—it is taken by all. But a king is served by a field.
10 A lover of silver will not be satisfied with silver,
and whoever loves increase, not income.
Also this is vapor.
11 When the good thing increases,
the ones eating it increase.
And what advantage belongs to its master
except the sight of his eyes?
12 Sweet is the sleep of the worker,
however little or however much he eats,
but the satisfaction of a rich person—
it is not allowing him to sleep.
6 There is a misfortune that I have seen under the sun and it is great on humanity: 2 A person who the God gives to him wealth and possessions and honor, so he is not lacking for his soul from anything that he desires, but the God does not enable him to eat from it; instead, a nonnative person will eat it—this is vapor, and it is a sickening misfortune. 3 If a man should father a hundred children, and many years should he live—and many that the days of his years may be—but if his soul is not satisfied from the good thing (and also a burial place is not for him), I say, “Better than him is the stillborn child.” 4 For, in vapor it came, and in the darkness it will go, and in the darkness its name will be covered. 5 Even the sun it did not see, nor did it know. More rest belongs to this one than this one. 6 And if he lived a thousand years twice, but a good thing he did not see—are not both going to one place?
7 All the toil of humanity is for his mouth,
and yet the soul is not filled.
9 Better is a sight of the eyes
than the walking of the soul.
Also this is vapor and pursuit of wind.
7 Better is a good name than good oil,
and the day of death than the day of his being born.
2 Better to go to a house of mourning
than to go to a house of a banquet,
because it is the end of all humanity
and the living will give it to his heart.
3 Better grief than laughter,
for with a bad face a heart may be well.
4 The heart of wise people is in a house of mourning,
but the heart of fools is in a house of joy.
5 Better to listen to a rebuke of a wise person
than a person listening to a song of fools,
6 for like the sound of the thorns under the cooking-pot,
so is the laughter of the fool.
And this also is vapor.
7 Surely oppression crazes a wise person,
and a bribe destroys a heart.
8 Better is the end of a thing than its beginning.
Better is length of spirit than height of spirit.
9 Do not hasten in your spirit to become angry,
for anger rests in the lap of fools.
10 Do not say, “What was, that the former days were better than these?”
For you do not ask about this out of wisdom.
11 Wisdom is good with an inheritance
and an advantage to those who see the sun.
12 For as in the shadow of wisdom, so in the shadow of silver.
And this is an advantage of knowledge: Wisdom preserves her owners.
14 In a day of good, be in good,
but in a day of misfortune, see—
indeed, the God has done this as well as this,
so that humanity cannot find anything after him.
There is a righteous person perishing in his righteousness,
and there is a wicked person lengthening in his evil.
16 Do not be overly righteous,
and do not be exceedingly wise—
why should you be shocked?
17 Do not be very wicked,
and do not be a fool—
why should you die when it is not your time?
18 It is good that you should take hold of this,
and also, from this, do not let your hand rest.
For the one who fears God will go forth with both of them.
23 All of this I tested with wisdom. I said, “Let me be wise,” but it was far from me. 24 Far away is that which was. And deep, deep—who can find it? 25 I turned, I and my heart, to know and to explore and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know the wickedness that is folly and the foolishness that is madness. 26 And I am finding more bitter than death:
the woman who, she is snares—
and nets, her heart;
chains, her hands.
One who is good to the face of the God will flee from her,
but a sinner will be captured by her.
One to one to find the scheme of things,
28 while still my soul sought,
but I have not found:
One man from a thousand men I found,
but a woman among all of these people, I did not find.
That the God made humanity upright,
but they, they have sought out many schemes.”
8 Who is like the wise person,
and who knows the interpretation of a matter?
The wisdom of a person enlightens his face,
and the strength of his face is changed.
5 One who listens to a command will not know a bad matter,
and the heart of a wise person will know the time and procedure.
6 because, for every matter, there is a time and procedure,
because the misfortune of humanity is severe upon him,
7 for, he is not knowing whatever that will be, for, when it will be—
who will declare it to him?
8 There is no person authorized over the wind to restrain the wind,
and there is no authority over the day of death,
and there is no discharge in the war,
and wickedness will not deliver its masters.
11 that a decree against the evil deed is not made quickly—
therefore, the heart of the sons of humanity fills in them to do evil;
12 that a sinner is doing evil a hundred times and lengthening days for himself—
yet also I know that it will be good for those who fear God,
who fear from before his face.
13 But it will not be good for the wicked,
nor will he lengthen his days like the shadow,
because he is not fearing before the face of God.
that there are righteous people
who it befalls to them like the deeds of the wicked people,
and there are wicked people
who it befalls to them like the deeds of the righteous people.
I say that also this is vapor.
9 Indeed, all of this I gave to my heart, to examine all of this: That the righteous and the wise and their work are in the hand of God. Either love or hate, humanity is not knowing; both are to their faces. 2 Everything is as for everyone, one happening:
For the righteous person and for the wicked person,
for the good person and for the pure person and for the unclean person,
and for the person who sacrifices and for the person who does not sacrifice.
As the good person, so the sinner;
the person who swears an oath is as the person who fears an oath.
4 For whoever that is joined to all the living,
there is hope;
for for a living dog—
it is better than the dead lion,
5 for the living know that they will die,
but the dead—they are not knowing anything,
and there is no longer for them a reward—
even their memory is forgotten!
6 Even their love, even their hate,
even their jealousy—already it has perished.
And there is not for them a portion any longer in perpetuity
among all that is done under the sun.
That not to the swift is the race,
and not to the mighty is the war,
and even not to wise people is bread,
and even not to discerning people is wealth,
and even not to understanding people is favor,
for a time and the occurrence will happen to all of them.
Like the fish that are caught in a troublesome net,
and like the birds that are caught in the snare—
like them, the sons of humanity are snared at a time of misfortune
when it falls upon them suddenly.
17 The words of wise people in quietness are heeded,
more than the cry of a ruler among the fools.
18 Better is wisdom than weapons of battle,
but one sinner will destroy much good.
10 Flies of death cause a perfumer’s oil to putrify and bubble;
weightier than wisdom or honor is a little foolishness.
2 The heart of a wise person, to his right,
but a heart of a fool, to his left.
3 And even whenever the fool is walking on the road,
his heart is lacking,
and it says to everyone
that he is a fool.
4 If the spirit of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your place,
for calmness will cause great sins to leave.
5 There is a misfortune I saw under the sun,
like an unintentional sin that goes out from before the face of the authority.
6 Folly is placed into many high places,
and rich people sit in the lowly place.
7 I saw slaves on horses
and princes walking like slaves on the ground.
8 One who digs a pit will fall into it,
and one who breaks through a wall—a snake will bite him.
9 One who pulls up stones will be hurt by them;
one who splits wood will be endangered by them.
10 If the iron is dull,
but he himself does not lighten the faces,
he must exert strength.
But a profit to succeeding is wisdom.
11 If the snake bites without a charm,
then there is no profit for the master of the tongue.
12 The words of the mouth of a wise person are favor,
but the lips of a fool will swallow him.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness,
and the end of his mouth is evil insanity,
14 but the fool multiplies words.
Humanity does not know what will be,
and that which will be after him—who will declare it to him?
15 The toil of foolish people wearies him,
so that he does not know how to go to a city.
16 Woe to you, land, that your king is a youth
and your princes eat in the morning.
17 Blessed are you, land, that your king is a son of nobles
and that your princes will eat at the time with might and not with drunkenness.
18 With laziness, the beams of the roof sink,
and in idleness of hands, the house will leak.
19 For laughter, people are making bread,
and wine gladdens life,
but silver answers everything.
20 Even in your thought, do not belittle a king,
and in the room of your bed, do not belittle a rich person,
for a bird of the heavens will carry the voice,
and a master of wings will declare the word.
11 Throw your bread on the face of the waters,
for in many days you will find it.
2 Give a portion to seven and even to eight,
for you do not know what will be a misfortune on the earth.
3 If the clouds are filled with rain,
they will pour out on the earth.
And whether a tree will fall in the south or in the north,
the place where the tree will fall—there it will be.
4 One who attends to the wind will not sow,
and one who watches the clouds will not harvest.
6 In the morning, sow your seed,
and, in the evening, do not let your hand rest,
for you are not knowing whether this one will prosper—
this one or this one—
or whether two of them as one will be good.
7 And light is sweet,
and it is good for the eyes to see the sun.
8 For if the man will live many years,
in all of them let him rejoice.
But let him remember the days of darkness,
that they will be many.
Everything that is coming is vapor.
12 So, remember your Creator
in the days of your young adulthood,
when the days of misfortune have not come
and the years arrive of which you will say,
“There is not for me pleasure in them“;
2 when the sun and the light
and the moon and the stars have not darkened,
and the clouds return after the rain;
3 in the day when the guards of the house will tremble,
and the men of valor will be bent over,
and the women grinders cease because they are few,
and those who look at the window will grow dark,
4 and the doors will be shut in the street;
when the sound of the grinding is low,
and a person rises at the sound of the bird,
and all the daughters of song are stooped;
5 also, they are afraid of a high thing,
and terrors are in the way,
and the almond tree blossoms,
and the locusts moves along,
and the caper-fruit fails—
for humanity is going to his eternal home,
and the mourners go around in the street—
6 before the cord of silver is removed,
and the bowl of gold is broken,
and the pitcher is shattered at the fountain,
and the wheel is crushed at the cistern,
7 and the dust returns to the earth as that it was,
and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
9 More than that Qoheleth was wise, again, he taught the people knowledge, and he weighed, and he searched. He ordered many proverbs. 10 Qoheleth sought to find words of pleasure, and words of truth were written rightly.
13 The end of the matter;
everything has been heard:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the whole of humanity.
14 For every deed the God will bring into judgment,
concerning everything hidden,
whether good or whether evil.