But

A rod of correction imparts wisdom, but a child left to himself disgraces his mother.

When the wicked thrive, rebellion increases; but the righteous will see their downfall.

Where there is no vision, the people cast off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the Law.

A man’s pride will bring him low, but a humble spirit will obtain honor.

A partner to a thief hates his own soul; he receives the oath but does not testify.

The fear of man is a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is set securely on high.

Many seek the ruler’s favor, but a man receives justice from the LORD.

“Many daughters have done noble things, but you surpass them all!”

Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever.

I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy what is good!” But it proved to be futile.

The wise man has eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also came to realize that one fate overcomes them both.

To the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner He assigns the task of gathering and accumulating that which he will hand over to one who pleases God. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

I said to myself, “As for the sons of men, God tests them so that they may see for themselves that they are but beasts.”

But better than both is he who has not yet existed, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun.

For if one falls down, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to help him up!

Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone?

Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take a warning.

Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take a warning.

The sleep of the worker is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of the rich man permits him no sleep.

God gives a man riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacks nothing his heart desires; but God does not allow him to enjoy them. Instead, a stranger will enjoy them. This is futile and a grievous affliction.

…even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place?

Whatever exists was named long ago, and it is known what man is; but he cannot contend with one stronger than he.

The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.

In the day of prosperity, be joyful, but in the day of adversity, consider this: God has made one of these along with the other, so that a man cannot discover anything that will come after him.

All this I tested by wisdom, saying, “I resolve to be wise.” But it was beyond me.

And I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a net, and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is ensnared.

While my soul was still searching but not finding, among a thousand I have found one upright man, but among all these I have not found one such woman.

While my soul was still searching but not finding, among a thousand I have found one upright man, but among all these I have not found one such woman.

Only this have I found: I have discovered that God made mankind upright, but they have sought out many schemes.”

For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing. They have no further reward, because the memory of them is forgotten.

And I said, “Wisdom is better than strength, but the wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are not heeded.”

Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.

A wise man’s heart inclines to the right, but the heart of a fool to the left.

Folly is appointed to great heights, but the rich sit in lowly positions.

If the axe is dull and the blade unsharpened, more strength must be exerted, but skill produces success.

The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him.

A feast is prepared for laughter, and wine makes life merry, but money is the answer for everything.

So if a man lives many years, let him rejoice in them all. But let him remember the days of darkness, for they will be many. Everything to come is futile.

Rejoice, O young man, while you are young, and let your heart be glad in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and in the sight of your eyes, but know that for all these things God will bring you to judgment.

Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also taught the people knowledge; he pondered, searched out, and arranged many proverbs.

Do not stare because I am dark, for the sun has gazed upon me. My mother’s sons were angry with me; they made me a keeper of the vineyards, but my own vineyard I have neglected.

On my bed at night I sought the one I love; I sought him, but did not find him.

I will arise now and go about the city, through the streets and squares. I will seek the one I love. So I sought him but did not find him.

I sleep, but my heart is awake. A sound! My beloved is knocking: “Open to me, my sister, my darling, my dove, my flawless one. My head is drenched with dew, my hair with the dampness of the night.”

I opened for my beloved, but he had turned and gone. My heart sank at his departure. I sought him but did not find him. I called, but he did not answer.

I opened for my beloved, but he had turned and gone. My heart sank at his departure. I sought him but did not find him. I called, but he did not answer.

I opened for my beloved, but he had turned and gone. My heart sank at his departure. I sought him but did not find him. I called, but he did not answer.

…but my dove, my perfect one, is unique, the favorite of the mother who bore her. The maidens see her and call her blessed; the queens and concubines sing her praises.

But my own vineyard is mine to give; the thousand shekels are for you, O Solomon, and two hundred are for those who tend its fruit.

Listen, O heavens, and give ear, O earth, for the LORD has spoken: “I have raised children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against Me.

The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master’s manger, but Israel does not know; My people do not understand.”

But if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

See how the faithful city has become a harlot! She once was full of justice; righteousness resided within her, but now only murderers!

But rebels and sinners will together be shattered, and those who forsake the LORD will perish.

He dug it up and cleared the stones and planted the finest vines. He built a watchtower in the middle and dug out a winepress as well. He waited for the vineyard to yield good grapes, but the fruit it produced was sour!

For the vineyard of the LORD of Hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are the plant of His delight. He looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard a cry of distress.

For the vineyard of the LORD of Hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are the plant of His delight. He looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard a cry of distress.

For ten acres of vineyard will yield but a bath of wine, and a homer of seed only an ephah of grain.”

But the LORD of Hosts will be exalted by His justice, and the holy God will show Himself holy in righteousness.

And He replied: “Go and tell this people, ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’

And He replied: “Go and tell this people, ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’

Now in the days that Ahaz son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, was king of Judah, Rezin king of Aram marched up to wage war against Jerusalem. He was accompanied by Pekah son of Remaliah the king of Israel, but he could not overpower the city.

But this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘It will not arise; it will not happen.

But Ahaz replied, “I will not ask; I will not test the LORD.”

Devise a plan, but it will be thwarted; state a proposal, but it will not happen. For God is with us.”

Devise a plan, but it will be thwarted; state a proposal, but it will not happen. For God is with us.”

And He will be a sanctuary—but to both houses of Israel a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, to the dwellers of Jerusalem a trap and a snare.

Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those in distress. In the past He humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future He will honor the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations:

“The bricks have fallen, but we will rebuild with finished stone; the sycamores have been felled, but we will replace them with cedars.”

“The bricks have fallen, but we will rebuild with finished stone; the sycamores have been felled, but we will replace them with cedars.”

But the people did not return to Him who struck them; they did not seek the LORD of Hosts.

They carve out what is on the right, but they are still hungry; they eat what is on the left, but they are still not satisfied. Each one devours the flesh of his own offspring.

They carve out what is on the right, but they are still hungry; they eat what is on the left, but they are still not satisfied. Each one devours the flesh of his own offspring.

Nothing will remain but to crouch among the captives or fall among the slain. Despite all this, His anger is not turned away; His hand is still upraised.

But this is not his intention; this is not his plan. For it is in his heart to destroy and cut off many nations.

On that day the remnant of Israel and the survivors of the house of Jacob will no longer depend on him who struck them, but they will truly rely on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel.

…but with righteousness He will judge the poor, and with equity He will decide for the lowly of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth and slay the wicked with the breath of His lips.

But desert creatures will lie down there, and howling creatures will fill her houses. Ostriches will dwell there, and wild goats will leap about.

But you will be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit.

But you are cast out of your grave like a rejected branch, covered by those slain with the sword, and dumped into a rocky pit like a carcass trampled underfoot.

Then the firstborn of the poor will find pasture, and the needy will lie down in safety, but I will kill your root by famine, and your remnant will be slain.

The waters of Dimon are full of blood, but I will bring more upon Dimon—a lion upon the fugitives of Moab and upon the remnant of the land.

We have heard of Moab’s pomposity, his exceeding pride and conceit, his overflowing arrogance. But his boasting is empty.

And the LORD will strike Egypt with a plague; He will strike them but heal them. They will turn to the LORD, and He will hear their prayers and heal them.

The watchman replies, “Morning has come, but also the night. If you would inquire, then inquire. Come back yet again.”

You built a reservoir between the walls for the waters of the ancient pool, but you did not look to the One who made it, or consider Him who planned it long ago.

But look, there is joy and gladness, butchering of cattle and slaughtering of sheep, eating of meat and drinking of wine: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!”

At that time Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years—the span of a king’s life. But at the end of seventy years, it will happen to Tyre as in the song of the harlot:

From the ends of the earth we hear singing: “Glory to the Righteous One.” But I said, “I am wasting away! I am wasting away! Woe is me.” The treacherous betray; the treacherous deal in treachery.

For the hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain. But Moab will be trampled in his place as straw is trodden into the dung pile.

O LORD, Your hand is upraised, but they do not see it. They will see Your zeal for Your people and be put to shame. The fire set for Your enemies will consume them!

O LORD our God, other lords besides You have ruled over us, but Your name alone do we confess.

We were with child; we writhed in pain; but we gave birth to wind. We have given no salvation to the earth, nor brought any life into the world.

…to whom He has said: “This is the place of rest, let the weary rest; this is the place of repose.” But they would not listen.

Surely caraway is not threshed with a sledge, and the wheel of a cart is not rolled over the cumin. But caraway is beaten out with a stick, and cumin with a rod.

Grain for bread must be ground, but it is not endlessly threshed. Though the wheels of the cart roll over it, the horses do not crush it.

But your many foes will be like fine dust, the multitude of the ruthless like blowing chaff. Then suddenly, in an instant,

Stop and be astonished; blind yourselves and be sightless; be drunk, but not with wine; stagger, but not from strong drink.

Stop and be astonished; blind yourselves and be sightless; be drunk, but not with wine; stagger, but not from strong drink.