Ecclesiastes 1 Cross References - LEB

¹ The words of the Teacher,* the son of David, king in Jerusalem. ² "Vanity of vanities!" says the Teacher,* "Vanity of vanities! All is vanity!" ³ What does a person gain in all his toil with which he toils under the sun? ⁴ A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth stands forever. ⁵ The sun rises, and the sun goes down; to its place it hurries,* and there it rises again. ⁶ The wind goes to the south and goes around to the north; around and around it goes, and on its circuit the wind returns. ⁷ All the streams flow to the sea, but the sea is never full; to the place where the streams flow, there they continue to flow. ⁸ All things toil continuously;* no one can ever finish describing this.* The eye is never* satisfied with seeing, and the ear is never* filled with hearing. ⁹ What has been—it is what will be; what has been done—it is what will be done; there is nothing new under the sun. ¹⁰ There is a thing of which it is said, "Look at this! This is new!" But it already existed in ages past before us. ¹¹ There is neither remembrance of former generations, nor will there be remembrance of future generations. ¹² I, the Teacher,* was king over Israel in Jerusalem. ¹³ I applied my mind to seek and to search by wisdom all that is done under the heavens.* It is a grievous task God has given to _⌊humans_⌋.* ¹⁴ I saw all the works that are done under the sun. Look! Everything is vanity and chasing wind. ¹⁵ What is twisted cannot be straightened,* and what is lacking cannot be counted.* ¹⁶ _⌊I said to myself_⌋,* "Look! I have become great and have increased in wisdom more than anyone who _⌊has preceded_⌋* me over Jerusalem. _⌊I have acquired a great deal of wisdom and knowledge_⌋."* ¹⁷ So _⌊I dedicated myself_⌋* to learn about wisdom and to learn about delusion and folly. However, I discovered* that this also is chasing wind. ¹⁸ For in much wisdom is much frustration,* and whoever increases knowledge increases sorrow.

⁴² All the days that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all of Israel were forty years. ⁴³ Then Solomon slept with his ancestors,* and they buried him in the city of David his father, and Rehoboam his son became king in his place.

³⁰ And Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years.

¹⁷ But as for the _⌊Israelites_⌋* who were living in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam ruled over them. ¹⁸ Then King Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who was _⌊in charge of_⌋* the forced labor, but the _⌊Israelites_⌋* stoned him with stones, and he died. Then King Rehoboam hastily went up into the chariot to flee to Jerusalem. ¹⁹ So Israel has rebelled against the house of David until this day.

⁷ You have also set up prophets to proclaim in Jerusalem concerning you, saying, 'There is a king in Judah.' And now it will be proclaimed to the king according to these words. Now, come and we will plan together."

⁹ I have brought good tidings of righteousness in the great congregation. Look, I have not shut my lips. O Yahweh, _⌊you surely know that_⌋.*

¹² I, the Teacher,* was king over Israel in Jerusalem.

²⁷ "Look! I found this," said the Teacher,* "while trying to find how the plan fits together.

⁸ "Vanity of vanity!" says the Teacher.* "Everything is vanity!" ⁹ The Teacher* was full of wisdom, and he taught the people with knowledge. He carefully considered many proverbs and carefully arranged them. ¹⁰ The Teacher* sought to find delightful words,* and he wrote* what is upright—truthful words.

¹ The Spirit of the Lord Yahweh is upon me, because Yahweh has anointed me, he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up _⌊the brokenhearted_⌋,* to _⌊proclaim_⌋* release to the captives and liberation to those who are bound,

² "Get up! Go to Nineveh, the great city, and proclaim to it the message that I am telling you."

⁵ and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a proclaimer of righteousness, _⌊and seven others_⌋* when he* brought a flood on the world of the ungodly,

⁵ Look, you have made my days mere handbreadths, and my lifespan as nothing next to you. Surely every person standing firm is complete vanity. Selah ⁶ Surely a man walks about as a mere _⌊shadow_⌋;* surely in vain they bustle about. He heaps up possessions but does not know who will gather them in.

⁹ Only a vapor* are men of low degree, a deception are men of high degree. _⌊Weighed_⌋* in a balance, together they are lighter than a vapor. ¹⁰ Do not trust in extortion, and do not put vain confidence in robbery. If wealth increases, do not set your heart on it.

⁴ Humankind is like a breath, his days like a passing shadow.

¹¹ Yet when I considered* all the effort which I expended and the toil with which I toiled to do, then behold, "Everything is vanity and chasing wind! There is nothing profitable under the sun!"

¹⁵ So I said _⌊to myself_⌋,* "_⌊If I also suffer the same fate as the fool_⌋,* _⌊what advantage is my great wisdom_⌋?"* So I said _⌊to myself_⌋,* "This also is vanity!"

¹⁷ So I hated life because the work done under the sun is grievous to me. For everything is vanity and chasing wind!

¹⁹ And who knows whether he will be wise or foolish? Yet he will exercise control of all the fruit of my toil with which I toiled wisely under the sun. This also is vanity!

²¹ For although a person may toil with great wisdom and skill, he must leave his reward to someone who has not toiled for it. This also is vanity and a great calamity.

²³ All his days are painful, his labor brings grief, and his heart cannot rest at night. This also is vanity!

²⁶ For to the person who is good in his eyes, he gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and heaping up only to give it to him who is pleasing to him. This also is vanity and chasing wind!

¹⁹ For the fate of _⌊humans_⌋* and the fate of the beast is _⌊the same_⌋.* The death of the one is like the death of the other, for _⌊both are mortal_⌋.* Man has no advantage over the beast, for both are fleeting.

⁴ I also realized that all of the toil and all of the skillful work that is done—it is envy between one man and _⌊another_⌋.* This also is vanity and chasing wind!

⁸ Sometimes a man is all alone with no companion; he also has neither son nor brother. Yet there is no end to all his toil, and his eye is not satisfied with wealth. He laments, "For whom am I toiling and depriving _⌊myself_⌋* of pleasure?" This also is vanity—it is an unhappy business!

¹⁶ There is no end to all the people, to all who were before him. Yet the later generation will not rejoice in him, for this also is vanity and chasing wind!

¹⁰ Whoever loves money is not satisfied with money, and whoever loves wealth is not satisfied with profit. This also is vanity!

¹¹ _⌊Increasing words only multiplies futility_⌋,* how does that profit anyone?

⁸ For if a man lives many years, let him rejoice in all of them! Let him remember that the days of the darkness will be many— all that is coming is vanity!

¹⁰ Banish anxiety from your heart, and put away pain from your body, for youth and vigor are vanity.

⁸ "Vanity of vanity!" says the Teacher.* "Everything is vanity!"

²⁰ For the creation has been subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of the one who subjected it, in hope

⁴ Do not tire in order to become rich; out of your understanding, may you desist. ⁵ Your eyes will _⌊alight_⌋* on it, but there is nothing to it, for suddenly it will make for itself wings like an eagle and it will be exhausted in the heavens.

²² For what does a person receive for all his toil and in the longing of his heart with which he toils under the sun?

⁹ What does the worker gain in his toil?

³ But better off than both of them is the one who has not yet been born and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.

⁷ I turned again and saw another vanity under the sun.

¹⁶ This also is a grievous illness. Exactly as he came, so he will go. What profit does he gain for all his toil for the wind?

¹⁸ Look! I have discovered what is good and fitting: to eat and to drink and _⌊to enjoy_⌋* all the fruit of the toil with which one toils under the sun during the number of the days of his life that God gives to him—for this is his lot.*

¹² For who knows what is good for a man in his life during the few days of his fleeting life, which are fleeting as a shadow? For who can tell anyone what will happen _⌊in the future_⌋* under the sun?

¹¹ Wisdom is good with an inheritance; _⌊it benefits the living_⌋.*

¹⁵ So I recommend enjoyment. For there is nothing better for man under the sun than to eat and to drink and to rejoice. This will accompany him in his toil the days of his life that God gives to him under the sun. ¹⁶ I applied my mind to know wisdom and to understand the business that is done on earth—how neither day nor night one's eyes see sleep. ¹⁷ Then I saw all the work of God—man is not able to discover the work that is done under the sun. Although man may toil in seeking, he cannot find it. Even if a wise man claims that he knows it, he cannot find it.

³ This is the _⌊injustice_⌋* that is done under the sun: the same fate comes to everyone. Also the hearts of _⌊humans_⌋* are full of evil; delusion is in their hearts during their lives, and then they die.

⁶ What they loved and hated, as well as what they desired, has already perished. They no longer have any share in what is done under the sun.

¹³ I have also seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to me.

² Why do you weigh out money for what is not food, and your labor for _⌊what cannot satisfy_⌋?* Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and let your soul take pleasure in _⌊rich_⌋* food.

¹³ Look! Is it not from Yahweh of hosts that people labor for mere fire, and nations exhaust themselves for mere vanity?

¹⁸ What value is an idol when its carver has fashioned it, a molten idol, a teacher of lies? For he who fashioned his creation trusts in it, though making mute idols!

²⁶ For what will a person be benefited if he gains the whole world but forfeits his life? Or what will a person give in exchange for his life?

³⁶ For what does it benefit a person to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? ³⁷ For what can a person give in exchange for his life?

²⁷ Do not work for the food that perishes, but the food that remains to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For God the Father has set his seal on this one."

³ And when Adam had lived one hundred and thirty years, he fathered a child in his likeness, according to his image. And he called his name Seth. ⁴ And the days of Adam after he fathered Seth were eight hundred years. And he fathered sons and daughters. ⁵ And all the days of Adam which he lived were nine hundred and thirty years, and he died. ⁶ When* Seth had lived one hundred and five years, he fathered Enosh. ⁷ And after Seth had fathered Enosh he lived eight hundred and seven years, and fathered sons and daughters. ⁸ And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years, and he died. ⁹ When* Enosh lived ninety years, he fathered Kenan. ¹⁰ And after Enosh fathered Kenan he lived eight hundred and fifteen years, and fathered sons and daughters. ¹¹ And all the days of Enosh were nine hundred and five years, and he died. ¹² When* Kenan had lived seventy years, he fathered Mahalalel. ¹³ And after Kenan had fathered Mahalalel, he lived eight hundred and forty years, and fathered sons and daughters. ¹⁴ And all the days of Kenan were nine hundred and ten years, and he died. ¹⁵ When* Mahalalel had lived sixty-five years, he fathered Jared. ¹⁶ And after Mahalalel had fathered Jared, he lived eight hundred and thirty years, and fathered sons and daughters. ¹⁷ And all the days of Mahalalel were eight hundred and ninety-five years, and he died. ¹⁸ When* Jared had lived one hundred and sixty-two years, he fathered Enoch. ¹⁹ And after Jared had fathered Enoch, he lived eight hundred years, and fathered sons and daughters. ²⁰ And all the days of Jared were nine hundred and sixty-two years, and he died. ²¹ When* Enoch had lived sixty-five years, he fathered Methuselah. ²² And Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah three hundred years, and fathered sons and daughters. ²³ And all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. ²⁴ And Enoch walked with God, and he was no more, for God took him. ²⁵ When* Methuselah had lived one hundred and eighty-seven years, he fathered Lamech. ²⁶ And after Methuselah had fathered Lamech, he lived seven hundred and eighty-two years, and fathered sons and daughters. ²⁷ And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred and sixty-nine years, and he died. ²⁸ When* Lamech had lived one hundred and eighty-two years, he fathered a son. ²⁹ And he called his name Noah, saying, "This one _⌊shall relieve us_⌋* from our work, and from the hard labor of our hands, from the ground which Yahweh had cursed. ³⁰ And after Lamech had fathered Noah he lived five hundred and ninety-five years, and he fathered sons and daughters. ³¹ All the days of Lamech were seven hundred and seventy-seven years, and he died.

²⁰ When Reu had lived thirty-two years, he fathered Serug. ²¹ And Reu lived two hundred and seven years after he fathered Serug, and he fathered other sons and daughters. ²² When Serug had lived thirty years, he fathered Nahor. ²³ And Serug lived two hundred years after he fathered Nahor, and he fathered other sons and daughters. ²⁴ When Nahor had lived twenty-nine years, he fathered Terah. ²⁵ And Nahor lived one hundred and nineteen years after he fathered Terah, and he fathered other sons and daughters. ²⁶ When Terah had lived seventy years, he fathered Abram, Nahor, and Haran. ²⁷ Now* these are the generations* of Terah. Terah fathered Abram, Nahor, and Haran, and Haran fathered Lot. ²⁸ And Haran died in the presence of Terah his father in the land of his birth, in Ur of the Chaldeans. ²⁹ And Abram and Nahor took wives for themselves. The name of the wife of Abram was Sarai, and the name of the wife of Nahor was Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah and Iscah. ³⁰ And Sarai was barren; she had no child. ³¹ And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot, the son of Haran, _⌊his grandson_⌋,* and Sarai his daughter-in-law, the wife of Abram his son, and went out with them from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan. And they went to Haran, and they settled there. ³² And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years, and Terah died in Haran.

⁹ Now these are the descendants of Esau, the father of Edom, in the hill country of Seir. ¹⁰ These are the names of the sons of Esau: Eliphaz, the son of Adah, the wife of Esau; Reuel, the son of Basemath, the wife of Esau. ¹¹ The sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz. ¹² (Now Timnah was the concubine of Eliphaz, the son of Esau. And she bore Amalek to Eliphaz.) These are the sons of Adah, the wife of Esau. ¹³ Now these are the sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These are the sons of Basemath, the wife of Esau. ¹⁴ Now these are the sons of Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah, daughter of Zibeon, the wife of Esau: She bore to Esau Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. ¹⁵ These are the chiefs of the sons of Esau. The sons of Eliphaz, the firstborn of Esau: the chiefs of Teman, Omar, Zepho, Kenaz, ¹⁶ Korah, Gatam, and Amalek. These are the chiefs of Eliphaz in the land of Edom. These are the sons of Adah. ¹⁷ Now these are the sons Reuel, the son of Esau: the chiefs Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These are the chiefs of Reuel in the land of Edom. These are the sons of Basemath, the wife of Esau. ¹⁸ Now these are the sons of Oholibamah, the wife of Esau: the chiefs Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These are the chiefs born of Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah, the wife of Esau. ¹⁹ These are the sons of Esau, and these are their chiefs (that is, Edom).

⁹ And Jacob said to Pharaoh, "The days of the years of my sojourning are one hundred and thirty years. Few and hard have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not reached the days of the years of the lives of my ancestors* in the days of their sojourning."

⁶ And Joseph died and all of his brothers and all of that generation. ⁷ And the _⌊Israelites_⌋* were fruitful and multiplied and were many and were very, very numerous, and the land was filled with them.

¹⁶ And these are the names of the sons of Levi according to their genealogies:* Gershon and Kohath and Merari, and the years of the life of Levi were _⌊one hundred and thirty-seven years_⌋.* ¹⁷ The sons of Gershon are Libni and Shimei according to their clans. ¹⁸ And the sons of Kohath are Amram and Izhar and Hebron and Uzziel, and the years of the life of Kohath were _⌊one hundred and thirty-three years_⌋.* ¹⁹ And the sons of Merari are Mahli and Mushi. These are clans of the Levites according to their genealogies.* ²⁰ And Amram took Jochebed his aunt for himself as a wife, and she bore for him Aaron and Moses, and the years of the life of Amram were _⌊one hundred and thirty-seven years_⌋.* ²¹ And the sons of Izhar are Korah and Nepheg and Zikri. ²² And the sons of Uzziel are Mishael and Elzaphan and Sithri. ²³ And Aaron took Elisheba the daughter of Amminadab, the sister of Nahshon, for himself as a wife, and she bore for him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. ²⁴ And the sons of Korah are Assir and Elkanah and Abiasaph. These are the clans of the Korahites. ²⁵ And Eleazar the son of Aaron took for himself one from the daughters of Putiel as a wife, and she bore for him Phinehas. These are the heads of the _⌊families_⌋* of the Levites according to their clans. ²⁶ It was that Aaron and Moses to whom Yahweh said, "Bring the _⌊Israelites_⌋* out from the land of Egypt according to their divisions." ²⁷ They were those who spoke to Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, in order to bring the _⌊Israelites_⌋* out from Egypt. It was that Moses and Aaron.

⁴⁷ Remember what my lifespan is. Remember for what vanity you have created all the children of humankind. ⁴⁸ What man can live on and not see death? Can he deliver his life from the _⌊power_⌋* of Sheol? Selah

⁹ For all of our days dwindle away in your rage; we complete our years like a sigh. ¹⁰ As for the days of our years, within them are seventy years or if by strength eighty years, and their pride* is trouble and disaster, for it passes quickly and we fly away.

²⁴ I say, "My God, do not carry me off from my life in the middle of my days." Your years continue throughout all generations. ²⁵ Long ago you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. ²⁶ They will perish, but you will endure. And like a garment they will all wear out, you will replace them like clothing, and they will be set aside. ²⁷ But you are the same, and your years do not end. ²⁸ The children of your servants will continue, and their _⌊descendants_⌋* will be established before you.

⁵ He established the earth on her foundations, so that it will not be moved forever and ever.

⁹⁰ Your faithfulness endures _⌊throughout all generations_⌋.* You have established the earth and it stands. ⁹¹ By your ordinances they stand today, for all are your servants.

⁵ "Your ancestors,* where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever?

³⁵ Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

¹⁰ But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will disappear with a rushing noise, and the celestial bodies will be destroyed by* being burned up, and the earth and the deeds done on it will be disclosed. ¹¹ Because* all these things are being destroyed in this way, what sort of people must you be in holy behavior and godliness, ¹² while* waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by* being burned up and the celestial bodies will melt as they* are consumed by heat! ¹³ But according to his promise, we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness resides.

²² _⌊As long as the earth endures_⌋,* seed and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will not cease.

¹³ And the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, until the nation took vengeance on its enemies.
Is it not written in the scroll of Jashar? The sun stood still in the middle of the heaven and was not in haste to set for about a full day. ¹⁴ There has not been a day like this before it or after, that Yahweh listened to the voice of a man; for Yahweh fought for Israel.

⁴ Yet in all the world their line* goes out, and their words to the end of the world. In them* he has pitched a tent for the sun, ⁵ and it is like a bridegroom who comes out of his bridal chamber. It is glad like a strong man to run its course. ⁶ Its rising is from one* end of the heavens and its circuit to the other end* of them; and nothing is hidden from its heat.

¹ For the music director. A maskil of the sons of Korah.*
As a deer longs for streams of water, so my soul longs for you, O God.

³⁶ His offspring will endure* forever, and his throne as the sun before me. ³⁷ Like the moon it will be steadfast forever, and like an enduring witness in the sky.'" Selah

¹⁹ He made the moon for appointed times; the sun knows its time for setting. ²⁰ You make darkness, and it is night, when* all the animals of the forest creep about. ²¹ The young lions are roaring for the prey and seeking their food from God. ²² When the sun rises, they gather together and lie down in their dens. ²³ Humankind goes out to its work, and to its labor until evening.

²⁰ "Thus says Yahweh: 'If you could break my covenant with the day, and my covenant with the night, so that day and night would not come at their time,

¹¹ Sun and moon stood still in their place; at the light of your arrows they moved about; at the gleam of the flashing of your spear.

⁹ "The storm wind comes from its chamber and cold from the north wind.

¹⁷ You whose garments are hot, when the earth is being still because of the south wind,

²⁵ For he spoke and raised up a stormy wind, and it whipped up its waves.

²⁹ He made the storm be still and their waves became calm.

⁵ Just as you do not know how the path of the wind* goes, nor how the bones of a fetus form in a mother's womb, so you do not know the work of God who makes everything.

⁴ And Yahweh hurled a great wind upon the sea, and it was a great storm on the sea, and the merchant ship _⌊was in danger of breaking up_⌋.*

²⁴ "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

²⁷ And the rain came down and the rivers came and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it collapsed, and its fall was great."

⁸ The wind blows wherever it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit."

¹³ And when* a southwest wind began to blow gently, because they* thought they could accomplish their purpose, they weighed anchor and* sailed close along Crete. ¹⁴ But not long afterward a wind like a hurricane, called the northeaster,* rushed down from it.* ¹⁵ And when* the ship was caught and was not able to head into the wind, we gave way and* were driven along.

¹⁰ and I prescribed my rule for it, and I set bars and doors, ¹¹ and I said, 'You shall come up to here, but* you shall not go further, and here it will set a boundary _⌊for your proud surging waves_⌋'?*

⁶ You covered it with the deep as with a garment. The waters stood above the mountains. ⁷ At your rebuke they fled; at the sound of your thunder they ran off. ⁸ They ascended the mountains and drained though the valleys to the place that you established* for them. ⁹ You set a boundary that they may not cross over, so that they would not return to cover the earth.

⁵ My soul will be satisfied as with the best and richest food, and with joyful lips my mouth will praise.

²⁰ Sheol* and Abaddon* will not be satisfied, and the eyes of a person will not be satisfied either.

¹⁵ For the leech, there are two daughters; "Give, give!" they cry. As for three of these, they are not satisfied; as for four, they do not say enough. ¹⁶ Sheol* and barrenness of womb, the land is not satisfied with water, and fire does not say "enough!"

¹ I looked again, and I saw all the oppression that occurs under the sun.
_⌊I saw the tears of the oppressed— no one comforts them! Those who oppress them are powerful— no one can comfort them_⌋!* ² So I deemed the dead who have already died more fortunate than the living who are still alive. ³ But better off than both of them is the one who has not yet been born and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun. ⁴ I also realized that all of the toil and all of the skillful work that is done—it is envy between one man and _⌊another_⌋.* This also is vanity and chasing wind!

¹⁰ Whoever loves money is not satisfied with money, and whoever loves wealth is not satisfied with profit. This also is vanity! ¹¹ When prosperity increases, those who consume it increase. _⌊So its owner gains nothing, except to see his wealth before it is spent_⌋.*

²⁴ _⌊Whatever is—it is far beyond comprehension_⌋.* Who can discover it? ²⁵ I set my mind to try to seek wisdom and the plan, and to know that wickedness is foolishness and that folly is delusion. ²⁶ I myself found that more bitter than death is the woman who is a trap, whose heart is a snare, and whose hands are bonds. The one who pleases God escapes from her, but the sinner is caught by her.

⁶ Blessed are the ones who hunger and thirst for righteousness, because they will be satisfied.

²⁸ Come to me, all of you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.

²² For we know that the whole creation groans together and suffers agony together until now. ²³ Not only this, but we ourselves also, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves while we* await eagerly our adoption, the redemption of our body.

¹⁶ They will not be hungry any longer or be thirsty any longer, nor will the sun ever beat down on them, nor any heat,* ¹⁷ because the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and will lead them to springs of living waters, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."*

¹² Next, I considered wisdom, as well as delusion and folly. What can anyone do who will come after the king that has not already been done?

¹⁵ What is—it already was, and what will be—it already is, for _⌊God will do what he has done._⌋*

¹⁰ Whatever is—it was already determined, _⌊what will be—it has already been decided_⌋.* As for man, he cannot argue against what is more powerful than him.

¹⁰ Do not say, "Why were the former days better than these?" For it is not from wisdom that you ask this.

¹⁹ Look! I am about to do a new thing! Now it sprouts! Do you not perceive* it? Indeed, I will _⌊make_⌋* a way in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.

²² _⌊How long_⌋* will you waver, O unfaithful daughter? For Yahweh has created a new thing on the earth, a woman, she shelters a man."

¹ But there were also false prophets among the people, as there will be false teachers among you also, who will bring in _⌊destructive heresies_⌋*, even denying the Master who bought them, thus* bringing on themselves swift destruction.

¹ And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea did not exist any longer.

⁵ And the one seated on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new!" And he said, "Write, because these words are faithful and true."

¹² Rejoice and be glad, because your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.

³⁰ and you say, 'If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in the blood of the prophets!' ³¹ Thus you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets! ³² And you—fill up the measure of your fathers!

²⁶ And just as it was in the days of Noah, so also it will be in the days of the Son of Man— ²⁷ they were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage, until the day Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. ²⁸ Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot—they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building. ²⁹ But on the day that Lot went out from Sodom, it rained fire and sulphur from heaven and destroyed them all. ³⁰ It will be _⌊just the same_⌋* on the day that the Son of Man is revealed.

⁵¹ "You stiff-necked people and uncircumcised in hearts and in your* ears! You constantly resist the Holy Spirit! As your fathers did, so also do you!

¹⁴ For you became imitators, brothers, of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus, because you also suffered the same things at the hands of your own people, just as they themselves did also at the hands of the Jews, ¹⁵ who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and who persecuted us, and who are not pleasing to God and are opposed to all people, ¹⁶ hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles in order that they may be saved, so that they always fill up their sins. But wrath has come upon them to the end.*

⁸ And _⌊just as_⌋* Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these oppose the truth, people corrupted in mind, disqualified concerning the faith.

⁶ The enemies are destroyed in ruins forever, and you have uprooted their cities; their very memory has perished.

¹⁶ Certainly no one will remember the wise man or the fool in _⌊future generations_⌋.* When future days come, both will have been forgotten already. How is it that the wise man dies the same as the fool?

⁵ For the living know that they will die, but the dead do not know anything. They no longer have a reward, and even the memory of them is forgotten.

²² Let them bring them, and let them tell us what will happen. Tell us what the former things are _⌊so that_⌋* we may take them to our heart and know their outcome.* Declare to us the things to come; ²³ tell us the things coming _⌊hereafter_⌋,* that* we may know that you are gods. Indeed, do good or* do evil, that* we may be afraid and see* together. ²⁴ Look! you are nothing, and your work is something worthless; whoever chooses you is an abomination. ²⁵ I stirred up one from the north, and he has come from the rising of the sun.
He shall call on my name,
and he shall come on officials as on mortar, and as the _⌊potter_⌋* treads clay. ²⁶ Who declared it from the _⌊beginning_⌋* _⌊so that_⌋* we might know, and _⌊beforehand_⌋* _⌊so that_⌋* we might say, "He is _⌊right_⌋!"* Indeed, there was no one who declared it; Indeed, there was no one who proclaimed it. Indeed there was no one who heard your words.

⁹ Look! the former things have come, and I declare new things. I _⌊announce_⌋* them to you before they sprout up."

¹ King Solomon was king over all Israel. ² Now these are the officials who were his: Azariah the son of Zadok was the priest. ³ Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, were the secretaries; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder. ⁴ Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the army, and Zadok and Abiathar were priests. ⁵ Azariah the son of Nathan was over the governors, and Zabud the son of Nathan was a priest, an advisor to the king. ⁶ Ahishar was over the palace, and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the forced labor. ⁷ Solomon had twelve governors over all Israel, and they sustained the king and his palace, _⌊each one was to sustain for each month of the year_⌋.* ⁸ These are their names: Ben-Hur was in the hill country of Ephraim. ⁹ Ben-Deker was in Makaz and in Shaalbim and in Beth-Shemesh and Elon of Beth-Hanan. ¹⁰ Ben-Hesed was in the Arubbot; Socoh and all the land of Hepher were his. ¹¹ Ben-Abinadab was in all of Naphat of Dor; Taphath the daughter of Solomon was his wife. ¹² Baanah the son of Ahilud was in Taanach and Megiddo and all Beth-Shean which is beside Zarethan below Jezreel, of Beth-Shean up to Abel-Meholah up to the other side of Jokmeam. ¹³ Ben-Geber was in Ramoth-Gilead; the villages of Jair, the son of Manasseh which are in the Gilead were his, and the region of Argob which is in the Bashan, sixty great cities, with walls having crossbars of bronze, were his. ¹⁴ Ahinadab the son of Iddo was in Mahanaim. ¹⁵ Ahimaaz was in Naphtali; he moreover also had taken Basemath the daughter of Solomon as wife. ¹⁶ Baanah the son of Hushai was in Asher and Bealoth. ¹⁷ Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah was in Issachar. ¹⁸ Shimei the son of Ela was in Benjamin. ¹⁹ Geber the son of Uri was in the land of Gilead, the land of Sihon, the king of the Amorites, and of Og, the king of Bashan; one governor which was over the land.

¹ The words of the Teacher,* the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

¹⁹ By the sweat of your brow* you shall eat bread, until your return to the ground. For from it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return."

² The works of Yahweh are great, studied* by all who delight in them.

² in order to incline your ear toward wisdom, then you shall apply your heart to understanding. ³ For if you cry out for understanding,* if you lift* your voice for insight, ⁴ if you seek her like silver and search her out _⌊like treasure_⌋,*

⁷ The beginning of wisdom: Get wisdom! With all that is in your possession, gain insight.

¹ He who is selfish seeks a craving;* against all sound judgment he shows contempt.

¹⁵ An intelligent _⌊mind_⌋* will acquire knowledge, and the ear of the wise will seek knowledge.

²⁶ My child, may you give your heart* to me, and may your eyes delight in my ways.

¹⁷ So _⌊I dedicated myself_⌋* to learn about wisdom and to learn about delusion and folly. However, I discovered* that this also is chasing wind.

¹⁰ I have seen the busyness God gives to _⌊humans_⌋* to preoccupy* them.

²⁵ I set my mind to try to seek wisdom and the plan, and to know that wickedness is foolishness and that folly is delusion.

⁹ I saw all this as I applied my heart to all the deeds done under the sun: _⌊sometimes those in authority harm others_⌋.*

¹² My son, be careful _⌊about anything beyond these things_⌋.* For the writing of books is endless, and too much study _⌊is wearisome_⌋.*

¹⁵ Practice these things. Be diligent* in these things, in order that your progress may be evident to everyone.

³⁰ The wisdom of Solomon was greater than the wisdom of all the people* of the east and more than all the wisdom of Egypt. ³¹ He was wiser than all the men: Ethan the Ezrahite; Heman, Calcol, and Darda the children of Mahol; and _⌊he was very well known_⌋.* ³² He spoke three thousand proverbs, and his songs were one thousand and five.

¹⁷ So _⌊I dedicated myself_⌋* to learn about wisdom and to learn about delusion and folly. However, I discovered* that this also is chasing wind. ¹⁸ For in much wisdom is much frustration,* and whoever increases knowledge increases sorrow.

⁹ _⌊Better to be content with what your eyes see than for your soul to constantly crave more_⌋.* This also is vanity and chasing wind!

⁶ and that he would tell you the secrets of wisdom, for _⌊insight has many sides_⌋.* And know that God _⌊on your behalf_⌋* has forgotten _⌊some of_⌋* your guilt.

²⁹ but he remains quiet, and who can condemn? And he hides his face, and who can behold him? Yet* he is over a nation and over a person alike,

¹⁴ I know everything God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, and nothing can be taken from it, for God so acts that humans* might stand in awe before him.

¹² _⌊For wisdom offers protection like money offers protection_⌋.* But knowledge has an advantage—wisdom restores life to its possessor. ¹³ Consider the work of God. For who is able to make straight what he made crooked?

⁴ Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill shall become low, And the rough ground shall be like a plain, and the rugged ground like a valley-plain.

³⁷ _⌊Who can speak_⌋* and it will happen if the Lord has not commanded it?

³⁵ And all the dwellers of the earth are regarded as nothing, and he does _⌊according to_⌋* his desire in the host of heaven and among the dwellers of earth, and there is not one who can hold back his hand, or _⌊ask him_⌋,* 'What are you doing?'

²⁷ And who among you, by* being anxious, is able to add one hour* to his life span?

¹² behold, I do hereby do according to your word. I hereby give you a wise and discerning heart; there was no one like you before you, nor afterwards will one like you arise. ¹³ Too, what you have not asked I give to you: both riches and honor, so that no man among the kings will be like you all of your days.

³⁰ The wisdom of Solomon was greater than the wisdom of all the people* of the east and more than all the wisdom of Egypt.

⁷ I had not believed the report to be true until I came and my eyes had seen, and behold! The half had not been told to me. _⌊Your wisdom and prosperity surpass_⌋* the report that I had heard.

²³ King Solomon was greater than all the kings of the earth with respect to wealth and wisdom. ²⁴ All of the earth was seeking the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom which God had put in his heart.

²⁰ But Gehazi the servant of Elisha, the man of God, thought, "Look, my master has refrained from taking what this Aramean Naaman brought from his hand. _⌊As Yahweh lives_⌋,* I will certainly run after him, and I will accept something from him."

¹⁰ Now, give to me wisdom and knowledge that I may go out and come in before this people, for who can judge this, your great people?" ¹¹ Then God said to Solomon, "Because this was with your heart and you did not ask for wealth, possessions, honor, and the lives of your enemies, and also did not ask for _⌊long life_⌋,* but have asked for wisdom and knowledge that you might judge my people over whom I have made you king, ¹² wisdom and knowledge is given to you. And I will also give to you wealth, possessions, and honor, the like of which was not had by the kings who were before you, nor will there be the like after you."

¹² Then Huram* said, "Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, who has made the heavens and the earth, who has given to King David a wise son knowing discretion and understanding, who will build for Yahweh a house and a royal palace for himself.

²² Thus King Solomon was greater than all the kings of the earth in wealth and wisdom. ²³ And all the kings of the earth sought the face of Solomon to hear his wisdom that God put in his heart.

⁴ Be disturbed but do not sin. Commune in your heart* on your bed and be silent. Selah

⁶ I remember my song in the night. With my heart I meditate, and my spirit searches to understand.

⁹ Thus, _⌊I accomplished far more_⌋* than anyone who was before me in Jerusalem—indeed, my wisdom stood by me.

⁷ But he does not think this,* and his heart does not plan this. For it is in his heart to destroy and to cut off not a few nations. ⁸ For he says, "Are not my commanders altogether kings? ⁹ Is not Calno like Carchemish? Is not Hamath like Arpad? Is not Samaria like Damascus? ¹⁰ As my hand has reached to the kingdoms of the idols* —and their images were _⌊greater than those of_⌋* Jerusalem and Samaria— ¹¹ shall I not do to Jerusalem and its idols what I have done to Samaria and her idols?" ¹² And this shall happen: when the Lord has finished all his work against _⌊Mount Zion_⌋* and Jerusalem, "I will punish the _⌊arrogance_⌋* of the king of Assyria and _⌊his haughtiness_⌋."* ¹³ For he says,
"I have done it by the strength of my hand and by my wisdom, for I have understanding, and I have removed the boundaries of peoples, and I have plundered their stores, and like a bull I have brought down _⌊the inhabitants_⌋.* ¹⁴ And my hand has found, like a nest, the wealth of the peoples, and like the gathering of forsaken eggs, I myself have gathered all the earth. And there was no fluttering wing or open mouth or chirp."

¹⁴ Who says 'I will build for myself a spacious house with large upper rooms,' and he cuts windows for it, and it is* paneled with cedar, and he paints it* with vermilion.

¹⁰ " 'Thus says the Lord Yahweh: "_⌊And then_⌋* on that day, things* will come up on* your mind, and you will devise evil plans. ¹¹ And you will say, 'I will go up against a land of open country; I will come* to the people being at rest _⌊in safety_⌋,* all of them dwelling without a wall* and crossbars* and _⌊without doors_⌋,*

³⁰ And the king answered and said, "Is this not the great Babylon which I have built as a royal palace by the strength of my own power, and for the glory of my own majesty?"

¹⁴ But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have trained their faculties for the distinguishing of both good and evil.

¹³ I applied my mind to seek and to search by wisdom all that is done under the heavens.* It is a grievous task God has given to _⌊humans_⌋.* ¹⁴ I saw all the works that are done under the sun. Look! Everything is vanity and chasing wind.

³ I also _⌊explored_⌋* _⌊the effects of indulging my flesh_⌋* with wine. My mind guiding me with wisdom, _⌊I investigated_⌋* folly so that I might discover what is good under heaven* for _⌊humans_⌋* to do _⌊during the days of their lives_⌋.*

¹⁰ I neither withheld anything from my eyes that they desired, nor did I deprive any pleasure from my heart. My heart rejoiced in all my toil, for this was my reward from all my toil. ¹¹ Yet when I considered* all the effort which I expended and the toil with which I toiled to do, then behold, "Everything is vanity and chasing wind! There is nothing profitable under the sun!" ¹² Next, I considered wisdom, as well as delusion and folly. What can anyone do who will come after the king that has not already been done?

²³ All this I have tested with wisdom. I said, "I will be wise!" but _⌊it was beyond my grasp_⌋.* ²⁴ _⌊Whatever is—it is far beyond comprehension_⌋.* Who can discover it? ²⁵ I set my mind to try to seek wisdom and the plan, and to know that wickedness is foolishness and that folly is delusion.

²¹ but examine all things; hold fast to what is good.

²⁸ And to the human beings he said, 'Look, the fear of the Lord is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding.'"

¹⁶ Do not be excessively* righteous, and do not act excessively wise, lest you destroy yourself.

¹² My son, be careful _⌊about anything beyond these things_⌋.* For the writing of books is endless, and too much study _⌊is wearisome_⌋.* ¹³ Now that all has been heard, here is the final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.

¹⁸ Let no one deceive himself. If anyone thinks himself to be wise among you in this age, let him become a fool, in order that he may become wise. ¹⁹ For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God, for it is written, "The one who catches the wise in their craftiness,"* ²⁰ and again, "The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile."*

¹³ Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by his* good behavior his works, with the humility of wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and tell lies against the truth. ¹⁵ This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. ¹⁶ For where there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there is disorder and every evil practice. ¹⁷ But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, obedient, full of mercy and good fruits, nonjudgmental, without hypocrisy,