LXX Ecclesiastes

1 The words of the Ecclesiast, the son of David, king of Israel in Jerusalem. 2 Vanity of vanities, said the Ecclesiast,⁠a vanity of vanities; all is vanity. 3 What advantage is there to a man in all his labor that he takes under the sun? 4 A generation goes, and a generation comes: but the earth stands for ever. 5 And the sun arises, and the sun goes down and draws toward its place; 6 arising there it proceeds southward, and goes round toward the north. The wind goes round and round, and the wind returns to its circuits. 7 All the rivers run into the sea; and yet the sea is not filled: to the place from which the rivers come, there they return again. 8 All things are full of labor; a man will not be able to speak of them: neither shall the eye be satisfied with seeing, neither shall the ear be filled with hearing. 9 What is that which has been? the very thing which shall be: and what is that which has been done? the very thing which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. 10 Who is he that shall speak and say, Look, this is new? it has already been in the ages that have passed before us. 11 There is no memorial to the first things; neither to the things that have been last shall their memorial be with those who shall be at the last time. 12 I the Ecclesiast was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 And I applied my heart to seek out and examine by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven, for God has given to the sons of men an evil trouble to be troubled with. 14 I saw all the works that were done under the sun; and, look, all were vanity and preference of spirit.⁠b 15 That which is crooked can’t be made straight: and deficiency can’t be numbered. 16 I spoke in my heart, saying, Look, I am increased, and have acquired wisdom beyond all who were before me in Jerusalem: and my heart saw many things, wisdom and knowledge. 17 And I applied my heart to know wisdom, and knowledge, parables and understanding: I perceived that this also is waywardness of spirit. 18 For in the abundance of wisdom is abundance of knowledge; and he that increases knowledge will increase sorrow.

1 I said in my heart, Come now, I will test you with mirth, and experience good: and, look, this is also vanity. 2 I said to laughter, Madness: and to mirth, Why do you do this? 3 And I examined whether my heart would excite my flesh as with wine, (though my heart guided me in wisdom,) and I desired to lay hold of folly, until I should see of what kind is the good to the sons of men, which they should do under the sun the number of the days of their life. 4 I enlarged my work; I built me houses; I planted me vineyards. 5 I made me gardens and orchards, and planted in them every kind of fruit tree. 6 I made me pools of water, to water from them the timber-bearing wood. 7 I got servants and maidens, and servants were born to me in the house: also I had abundant possession of flocks and herds, beyond all who were before me in Jerusalem. 8 Moreover I collected for myself both silver and gold also, and the private treasures of kings and provinces: I procured me singing men and singing women, and delights of the sons of men, a butler and female cupbearers. 9 So I became great, and advanced beyond all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom was established to me. 10 And whatever my eyes desired, I did not withhold from them, I did not withhold my heart from all my joy: for my heart rejoiced in all my labor; and this was my portion of all my labor. 11 And I looked on all my works which my hands had made, and on my labor which I labored to perform: and look, all was vanity and waywardness of spirit, and there is no advantage under the sun. 12 Then I looked on to see wisdom, and madness, and folly: for who is the man who will follow after counsel, in all things in which he employs it? 13 And I saw that wisdom excels folly, as much as light excels darkness. 14 The wise man's eyes are in his head; but the fool walks in darkness: and I perceived, even I, that one event shall happen to them all. 15 And I said in my heart, As the event of the fool is, so shall it be to me, even to me: and to what purpose have I gained wisdom? I said moreover in my heart, This is also vanity, because the fool speaks of his abundance. 16 For there is no remembrance of the wise man with the fool for ever; since now in the coming days all things are forgotten: and how shall the wise man die with the fool? 17 So I hated life; because the work that was done under the sun was evil before me: for all is vanity and waywardness of spirit. 18 And I hated the whole of my labor which I took under the sun; because I must leave it to the man who will come after me. 19 And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? and whether he will have power over all my labor in which I labored, and in which I grew wise under the sun? this is also vanity. 20 so I went about to dismiss from my heart all my labor in which I had labored under the sun. 21 For there is such a man that his labor is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in fortitude; yet this man shall give his portion to one who has not labored in it. This is also vanity and great evil. 22 For what happens to a man in all his labor, and in the purpose of his heart in which he labors under the sun? 23 For all his days are days of sorrows, and vexation of spirit is his; in the night also his heart does not rest. This is also vanity. 24 A man has nothing really good to eat, and to drink, and to show his soul as good in his trouble. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God. 25 For who shall eat, or who shall abstain, without him? 26 For God has given to the man who is good in his sight, wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but he has given to the sinner trouble, to add and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God; for this is also vanity and waywardness of spirit.

1 To all things there is a time, and a season for every matter under heaven. 2 A time of birth, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what has been planted; 3 a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to pull down, and a time to build up; 4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to lament, and a time to dance; 5 a time to throw stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to abstain from embracing; 6 a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 7 a time to tear, and a time to sew; 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. 9 What advantage has he that works in those things in which he labors? 10 I have seen all the trouble, which God has given to the sons of men to be troubled with. 11 All the things which he has made are beautiful in its time: he has also set the whole world in their heart, that man might not find out the work which God has made from the beginning even to the end. 12 I know that there is no good in them, except for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life. 13 Also in the case of every man who shall eat and drink, and see good in all his labor, this is a gift of God. 14 I know that whatever things God has done, they shall be for ever: it is impossible to add to it, and it is impossible to take away from it: and God has done it, that men may fear before him. 15 That which has been is now; and whatever things are appointed to be have already been; and God will seek out that which is pursued. 16 And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, there was the ungodly one; and the place of righteousness, there was the ungodly one. 17 And I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the ungodly: for there is a time for every action and for every work. 18 There I said in my heart, concerning the speech of the sons of man, that God will judge them, and that to show that they are beasts,⁠a even to themselves. 19 For there is the event of the sons of man, and the event of the brute; one event happens to them: as is the death of the one, so also the death of the other; and there is one breath to all: and what has the man more than the brute? nothing; for all is vanity. 20 All go to one place; all were formed of the dust, and all will return to dust. 21 And who knows the spirit of the sons of man, whether it goes upward? and the spirit of the beast, whether it goes downward to the earth? 22 And I saw that there was no good, but that in which a man shall rejoice in his works, for it is his portion, for who shall bring him to see any thing of that which shall be after him?

1 So I returned, and saw all the oppressions that were done under the sun: and look at the tear of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of those who oppressed them was power; but they had no comforter: 2 and I praised all the dead that had already died more than the living, as many as are alive until now. 3 Better also than both these is he who has not yet been, who has not seen all the evil work that is done under the sun. 4 And I saw all labor, and all the diligent work, that this is a man's envy from his neighbor. This is also vanity and waywardness of spirit. 5 The fool folds his hands together, and eats his own flesh. 6 Better is a handful of rest than two handfuls of trouble and waywardness of spirit. 7 So I returned, and saw vanity under the sun. 8 There is one alone, and there is not a second; yes, he has neither son nor brother: yet there is no end to all his labor; neither is his eye satisfied with wealth; and for whom do I labor, and deprive my soul of good? this is also vanity, and an evil trouble. 9 Two are better than one, seeing they have a good reward for their labor. 10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falls, and there is not a second to lift him up. 11 Also if two should lie together, they also get heat: but how shall one be warmed alone? 12 And if one should prevail against him, the two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord shall not be quickly broken. 13 Better is a poor and wise child than an old and foolish king, who does not know how to pay attention any longer. 14 For he shall come forth out of the house of the prisoners to reign, because even in his kingdom he was born poor. 15 I saw all the living who were walking under the sun, with the second youth who shall stand up in his place. 16 There is no end to all the people, to all who were before them: and the last shall not rejoice in him: for this also is vanity and waywardness of spirit. 17 Keep your foot, whenever you go to the house of God; and when you are near to hear, let your sacrifice be better than the gift of fools: for they do not know that they are doing evil.

1 Do not be hasty with your mouth, and do not let your heart be swift to utter anything before God; for God is in heaven above, and you upon earth: therefore let your words be few. 2 For through the multitude of trial a dream comes; and a fool's voice is with a multitude of words. 3 Whenever you shall vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it; for he has no pleasure in fools: therefore pay whatever you shall have vowed. 4 It is better that you should not vow, than that you should vow and not pay. 5 Do not allow your mouth to lead your flesh to sin; and do not say in the presence of God, It was an error:⁠a so that God does not become angry at your voice, and destroy the works of your hands. 6 For there is evil in a multitude of dreams and vanities and many words: but fear God. 7 If you should see the oppression of the poor, and the wresting of judgment and of justice in the land, do not be surprised at the matter: for there is a high one to watch over him that is high, and high ones over them. 8 Also the abundance of the earth is for every one: the king is dependent on the tilled field. 9 He that loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver: and who has loved gain, in the abundance of it? this is also vanity. 10 In the multitude of good they are increased that eat it: and what virtue has the owner, but the right of beholding it with his eyes? 11 The sleep of a servant is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but to one who is satiated with wealth, there is none that allows him to sleep. 12 There is an infirmity which I have seen under the sun, namely, wealth kept for its owner to his hurt. 13 And that wealth shall perish in an evil trouble: and the man fathers a son, and there is nothing in his hand. 14 As he came forth naked from his mother's womb, he shall return back as he came, and he shall receive nothing for his labor, that it should go with him in his hand. 15 And this is also an evil infirmity: for as he came, he shall return in the same way: and what is his gain, for which he vainly labors? 16 Yes, all his days are in darkness, and in mourning, and much sorrow, and infirmity, and fierce anger. 17 Look, I have seen good, that it is a fine thing for a man to eat and to drink, and to see good in all his labor in which he may labor under the sun, all the number of the days of his life which God has given to him: for it is his portion. 18 Yes, and as for every man to whom God has given wealth and possessions, and has given him power to eat of it, and to receive his portion, and to rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God. 19 For he shall not much remember the days of his life; for God troubles him in the mirth of his heart.

1 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is abundant with man: 2 a man to whom God shall give wealth, and substance, and honor, and he lacks nothing for his soul of all things that he shall desire, yet God shall not give him power to eat of it, for a stranger shall devour it: this is vanity, and an evil infirmity. 3 If a man father one hundred children, and live many years, yes, however abundant the days of his years shall be, yet if his soul shall not be satisfied with good, and also he have no burial; I said, An untimely birth is better than he. 4 For he came in vanity, and departs in darkness, and his name shall be covered in darkness. 5 Moreover he has not seen the sun, nor known rest: there is no more rest to this one than another. 6 Though he has lived to the return of a thousand years, yet he has seen no good: do not all go to one place? 7 All the labor of a man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite shall not be satisfied. 8 For what advantage has the wise man over the fool, since even the poor knows how to walk in the direction of life? 9 The sight of the eyes is better than that which wanders in soul: this is also vanity, and waywardness of spirit. 10 If anything has been, its name has already been called: and it is known what man is; neither can he contend with him who is stronger than he. 11 For there are many things which increase vanity. What advantage has a man? 12 For who knows what is good for a man in his life, during the number of the days of the life of his vanity? and he has spent them as a shadow; for who shall tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?

1 A good name is better than good oil; and the day of death than the day of his birth. 2 It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the banquet house: since this is the end of every man; and the living man will apply it to his heart. 3 Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the face the heart will be made better. 4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. 5 It is better to hear a reproof of a wise man, than for a man to hear the song of fools. 6 As the sound of thorns under a cauldron, so is the laughter of fools: this is also vanity. 7 for oppression makes a wise man mad, and destroys his noble heart. 8 The end of a matter is better than the beginning of it: the patient is better than the high-minded. 9 Do not be hasty in your spirit to be angry: for anger will rest in the bosom of fools. 10 Do not say, What has happened, that the former days were better than these? for you do not inquire in wisdom concerning this. 11 Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and there is an advantage by it to those who see the sun. 12 For wisdom in its shadow is as the shadow of silver: and the excellence of the knowledge of wisdom will give life to him that has it. 13 Look at the works of God: for who shall be able to straighten him whom God has made crooked? 14 In the day of prosperity live joyfully, and consider in the day of adversity: consider, I say, God also has caused the one to agree with the other concerning speech, that man should find nothing after him. 15 I have seen all things in the days of my vanity: there is a just man perishing in his justice, and there is an ungodly man remaining in his wickedness. 16 Do not be very just; neither be very wise: so that you are not bewildered. 17 Do not be very wicked; and do not be stubborn: so that you do not die before your time. 18 It is well for you to hold fast by this; also from this do not withdraw your hand: for he that fears God shall come forth from all things. 19 Wisdom will help the wise man more than ten mighty men which are in the city. 20 For there is not a righteous man in the earth, who will do good, and not sin. 21 Also take no heed to all the words which men shall speak; so that you do not hear your servant cursing you. 22 For many times he shall trespass against you, and repeatedly he will afflict your heart; for you have also cursed others. 23 I have tested all these things in wisdom: I said, I will be wise. 24 But it was far from me, far beyond what was, and a great depth; who shall find it out? 25 I and my heart searched widely to know, and to examine, and to seek wisdom, and the account of things, and to know the folly and trouble and madness of the ungodly man. 26 And I find more bitter than death the woman which is a snare, and her heart nets, who has a band in her hands: he that is good in the sight of God shall be delivered from her; but the sinner shall be caught by her. 27 Look, I have found this, said the Ecclesiast, seeking by one at a time to find out the account, 28 which my soul sought after, but I did not find: for I have found one man of a thousand; but a woman in all these I have not found. 29 But, look, I have found this, that God made man upright; but they have sought out many devices.

1 Who knows the wise? and who knows the interpretation of a saying? A man's wisdom will lighten his face; but a man of shameless face will be hated. 2 Observe the commandment of the king, and do not be hasty concerning the word of the oath of God. 3 You shall go forth out of his presence: do not stand in an evil matter; for he will do whatever he shall please, 4 even as a king having power speaks: and who will say to him, What will you do? 5 He that keeps the commandment shall not know an evil thing: and the heart of the wise knows the time of judgment. 6 For to every thing there is time and judgment; for the knowledge of a man is great to him. 7 For there is no one that knows what is going to be: for who shall tell him how it shall be? 8 There is no man that has power over the spirit to retain the spirit; and there is no power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in the day of the battle; neither shall ungodliness save her votary. 9 So I saw all this, and I applied my heart to every work that has been done under the sun; all the things in which man has power over man to afflict him. 10 And then I saw the ungodly carried into the tombs,⁠a and that out of the holy place: and they departed, and were praised in the city, because they had done thus: this also is vanity. 11 Because there is no contradiction made on the part of those who do evil quickly, therefore the heart of the children of men is fully determined in them to do evil. 12 He that has sinned has done evil from that time, and long from beforehand: nevertheless I know, that it is well with those who fear God, that they may fear before him: 13 but it shall not be well with the ungodly, and he shall not prolong his days, which are as a shadow; since he does not fear before God. 14 There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there are righteous persons to whom it happens according to the doing of the ungodly; and there are ungodly men, to whom it happens according to the doing of the just: I said, This is also vanity. 15 Then I praised mirth, because there is no good for a man under the sun, but to eat, and drink, and be merry:⁠b and this shall attend him in his labor all the days of his life, which God has given him under the sun. 16 Then I set my heart to know wisdom, and to perceive the trouble that was done upon the earth: for there is that neither by day nor night sees sleep with his eyes. 17 And I saw all the works of God, that a man shall not be able to discover the work which is done under the sun; whatever things a man shall endeavor to seek, however a man may labor to seek it, yet he shall not find it; yes, however much a wise man may speak of knowing it, he shall not be able to find it.

1 For I applied all this to my heart, and my heart has seen all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: yes, there is no man that knows either love or hatred, though all are before their face. 2 Vanity is in all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good, and to the bad; both to the pure, and to the impure; both to him that sacrifices, and to the person who does not sacrifice: as is the good, so is the sinner: as is the swearer, even so is he that fears an oath. 3 There is this evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one event to all: yes, the heart of the sons of men is filled with evil, and madness is in their heart during their life, and after that they go to the dead. 4 for who is he that has fellowship with all the living? there is hope of him: for a living dog is better than a dead lion. 5 For the living will know that they shall die: but the dead know nothing, and there is no longer any reward to them; for their memory is lost. 6 also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, have now perished; yes, there is no portion for them any more for ever in all that is done under the sun. 7 Go, eat your bread with mirth, and drink your wine with a joyful heart; for now God has favorably accepted your works. 8 Let your garments be always white; and let not oil be lacking on your head. 9 And see life with the wife whom you love all the days of the life of your vanity, which are given you under the sun, all the days of your vanity: for that is your portion in your life, and in your labor in which you labor under the sun. 10 Whatever your hand shall find to do, do with all your might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Hades where you go. 11 I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor yet bread to the wise, nor yet wealth to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of knowledge; for time and chance will happen to them all. 12 For surely man also does not know his time: as fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as birds that are caught in a snare; even thus the sons of men are snared at an evil time, when it falls suddenly upon them. 13 This I also saw to be wisdom under the sun, and it is great before me: 14 suppose there were a little city, and few men in it; and there should come against it a great king, and surround it, and build great mounds against it; 15 and should find in it a poor wise man, and he should save the city through his wisdom: yet no man would remember that poor man. 16 And I said Wisdom is better than power: yet the wisdom of the poor man is set at nothing, and his words not listened to. 17 The words of the wise are heard in quiet more than the cry of those who rule in folly. 18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war: and one sinner will destroy much good.

1 Pestilent flies will corrupt a preparation of sweet ointment: and a little wisdom is more precious than great glory of folly. 2 A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left. 3 Yes, and whenever a fool walks by the way, his heart will fail him, and all that he thinks of is folly. 4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against you, do not leave your place; for soothing will put an end to great offenses. 5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which has proceeded from the ruler. 6 The fool has been set in very high places, while rich men would sit in a low one. 7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants on the earth. 8 He that digs a pit shall fall into it; and him that breaks down a hedge a serpent shall bite. 9 He that removes stones shall be troubled by them; he that cleaves wood shall be endangered by them. 10 If the ax-head should fall off, then the man troubles his face, and he must put forth more strength: and in that case wisdom is the advantage of a valiant man. 11 If a serpent bite when there is no charmer's whisper, then there is no advantage to the charmer. 12 The words of a wise mouth are gracious: but the lips of a fool will swallow him up. 13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly: and the end of his talk mischievous madness. 14 A fool moreover multiplies words: man does not know what has been, nor what will be: who shall tell him what will come after him? 15 The labor of fools will afflict them, as that of one who does not know how to go to the city. 16 Woe to you, city, whose king is young, and your princes eat in the morning! 17 You are blessed, land, whose king is a son of nobles, and whose princes shall eat seasonably, for strength, and shall not be ashamed. 18 By slothful neglect a building will be brought low: and by idleness of the hands the house will leak. 19 Men prepare bread for laughter, and wine that the living should rejoice: but to money all things will humbly yield obedience. 20 Even in your conscience, do not curse the king; and do not curse the rich in your bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry your voice, and that which has wings shall report your speech.

1 Send forth your bread upon the face of the water: for you shall find it after many days. 2 Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for you do not know what evil there shall be upon the earth. 3 If the clouds be filled with rain, they pour it out upon the earth: and if a tree fall southward, or if it fall northward, in the place where the tree shall fall, there it shall be. 4 He that observes the wind does not sow; and he that looks at the clouds will not reap. 5 Among whom none knows what is the way of the wind: as the bones are hid in the womb of a pregnant woman, so you shall not know the works of God, even all things whatever he shall do. 6 In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening do not let your hand be slack: for you do not know what sort shall prosper, whether this or that, or whether both shall be good alike. 7 Moreover the light is sweet, and it is good for the eyes to see the sun. 8 For even if a man should live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that comes is vanity. 9 Rejoice, young man, in your youth; and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth, and walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes: yet know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment. 10 Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, and put away evil from your flesh: for youth and folly are vanity.

1 And remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of evil come, and the years overtake you in which you shall say, I have no pleasure in them. 2 While the sun and light are not darkened, nor the moon and the stars; nor the clouds return after the rain: 3 in the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the mighty men shall become bent, and the grinding women cease because they have become few, and the women looking out at the windows be dark; 4 and they shall shut the doors in the marketplace, because of the weakness of the voice of her that grinds at the mill; and he shall rise up at the voice of the sparrow, and all the daughters of song shall be brought low; 5 and they shall look up, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall blossom, and the locust shall increase, and the caper shall be scattered: because man has gone to his eternal home, and the mourners have gone about the market: 6 before the silver cord be let go, or the choice gold be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel run down to the cistern; 7 before the dust also return to the earth as it was, and the spirit return to God who gave it. 8 Vanity of vanities, said the Ecclesiast; all is vanity. 9 And because the Ecclesiast was wise above others, so it was that he taught the people excellent knowledge, and the ear will trace out the parables. 10 The Ecclesiast sought diligently to find out acceptable words, and a correct writing, even words of truth. 11 The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails firmly fastened, which have been given from one shepherd by agreement, and there is more beyond them. 12 My son, guard yourself: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh. 13 Hear the end of the matter, the sum: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole man. 14 For God will bring every work into judgment, with everything that has been overlooked, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.