The Bible (Old and New Testaments)

For a dream cometh through a multitude of business; and a fool's voice through a multitude of words.

When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for He hath no pleasure in fools; pay that which thou vowest.

Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.

Suffer not thy mouth to bring thy flesh into guilt, neither say thou before the messenger, that it was an error; wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thy hands?

For through the multitude of dreams and vanities there are also many words; but fear thou God.

If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and the violent perverting of justice and righteousness in the state, marvel not at the matter; for one higher than the high watcheth, and there are higher than they.

But the profit of a land every way is a king that maketh himself servant to the field.

He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance, with increase; this also is vanity.

When goods increase, they are increased that eat them; and what advantage is there to the owner thereof, saving the beholding of them with his eyes?

Sweet is the sleep of a labouring man, whether he eat little or much; but the satiety of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.

There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept by the owner thereof to his hurt;

and those riches perish by evil adventure; and if he hath begotten a son, there is nothing in his hand.

As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he go back as he came, and shall take nothing for his labour, which he may carry away in his hand.

And this also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go; and what profit hath he that he laboureth for the wind?

All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much vexation and sickness and wrath.

Behold that which I have seen: it is good, yea, it is comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy pleasure for all his labour, wherein he laboureth under the sun, all the days of his life which God hath given him; for this is his portion.

Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour — this is the gift of God.

For let him remember the days of his life that they are not many; for God answereth him in the joy of his heart.

There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is heavy upon men:

a man to whom God giveth riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it; this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

If a man beget a hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul have not enough of good, and moreover he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he;

for it cometh in vanity, and departeth in darkness, and the name thereof is covered with darkness;

moreover it hath not seen the sun nor known it; this hath gratification rather than the other;

yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, and enjoy no good; do not all go to one place?

All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.

For what advantage hath the wise more than the fool? or the poor man that hath understanding, in walking before the living?

Better is the seeing of the eyes than the wandering of the desire; this also is vanity and a striving after wind.

Whatsoever cometh into being, the name thereof was given long ago, and it is foreknown what man is; neither can he contend with Him that is mightier than he.

Seeing there are many words that increase vanity, what is man the better?

For who knoweth what is good for man in his life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?

A good name is better than precious oil; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.

It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting; for that is the end of all men, and the living will lay it to his heart.

Vexation is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the countenance the heart may be gladdened.

The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.

For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool; this also is vanity.

Surely oppression turneth a wise man into a fool; and a gift destroyeth the understanding.

Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof; and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.

Say not thou: 'How was it that the former days were better than these?' for it is not out of wisdom that thou inquirest concerning this.

Wisdom is good with an inheritance, yea, a profit to them that see the sun.

For wisdom is a defence, even as money is a defence; but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom preserveth the life of him that hath it.

Consider the work of God; for who can make that straight, which He hath made crooked?

In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; God hath made even the one as well as the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.

All things have I seen in the days of my vanity; there is a righteous man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his evil-doing.

Be not righteous overmuch; neither make thyself overwise; why shouldest thou destroy thyself?

Be not overmuch wicked, neither be thou foolish; why shouldest thou die before thy time?

It is good that thou shouldest take hold of the one; yea, also from the other withdraw not thy hand; for he that feareth God shall discharge himself of them all.

Wisdom is a stronghold to the wise man more than ten rulers that are in a city.

For there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

Also take not heed unto all words that are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee;

for oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.

All this have I tried by wisdom; I said: 'I will get wisdom'; but it was far from me.

That which is is far off, and exceeding deep; who can find it out?

I turned about, and applied my heart to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason of things, and to know wickedness to be folly, and foolishness to be madness;

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.

Behold, this have I found, saith Koheleth, adding one thing to another, to find out the account;

which yet my soul sought, but I found not; one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.

Behold, this only have I found, that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.

Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? A man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his face is changed.

I counsel thee: keep the king's command, and that in regard of the oath of God.

Be not hasty to go out of his presence; stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him.

Forasmuch as the king's word hath power; and who may say unto him: 'What doest thou?'

Whoso keepeth the commandment shall know no evil thing; and a wise man's heart discerneth time and judgment.

For to every matter there is a time and judgment; for the evil of man is great upon him.

For he knoweth not that which shall be; for even when it cometh to pass, who shall declare it unto him?

There is no man that hath power over the wind to retain the wind; neither hath he power over the day of death; and there is no discharge in war; neither shall wickedness deliver him that is given to it.

All this have I seen, even applied my heart thereto, whatever the work that is done under the sun; what time one man had power over another to his hurt.

And so I saw the wicked buried, and they entered into their rest; but they that had done right went away from the holy place, and were forgotten in the city; this also is vanity.

Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil;

because a sinner doeth evil a hundred times, and prolongeth his days — though yet I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, that fear before Him;

but it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow, because he feareth not before God.

There is a vanity which is done upon the earth: that there are righteous men, unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there are wicked men, to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous — I said that this also is vanity.

So I commended mirth, that a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry, and that this should accompany him in his labour all the days of his life which God hath given him under the sun.

When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth — for neither day nor night do men see sleep with their eyes —

then I beheld all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun; because though a man labour to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea further, though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.

For all this I laid to my heart, even to make clear all this: that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God; whether it be love or hatred, man knoweth it not; all is before them.

All things come alike to all; there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not; as is the good, so is the sinner, and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.

This is an evil in all that is 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.

For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

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.

As well their love, as their hatred and their envy, is long ago perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.

Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God hath already accepted thy works.

Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no oil.

Enjoy life 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 life, and in thy labour wherein thou labourest under the sun.

Whatsoever thy hand attaineth to do by thy strength, that do; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

I returned, and saw under the 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.

For man also knoweth not his time; as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare, even so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.

This also have I seen as wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great unto me:

there was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it;

now there was found in it a man poor and wise, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.

Then said I: 'Wisdom is better than strength; nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.'

The words of the wise spoken in quiet are more acceptable than the cry of a ruler among fools.

Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroyeth much good.

Dead flies make the ointment of the perfumer fetid and putrid; so doth a little folly outweigh wisdom and honour.

A wise man's understanding is at his right hand; but a fool's understanding at his left.

Yea also, when a fool walketh by the way, his understanding faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.

If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for gentleness allayeth great offences.

There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, like an error which proceedeth from a ruler:

Folly is set on great heights, and the rich sit in low place.