I

I am on the brink of utter ruin in the midst of the whole assembly.”

For at the window of my house I looked through the lattice.

I saw among the simple, I noticed among the youths, a young man lacking judgment,

I saw among the simple, I noticed among the youths, a young man lacking judgment,

“I have made my peace offerings; today I have paid my vows.

“I have made my peace offerings; today I have paid my vows.

So I came out to meet you; I sought you, and I have found you.

So I came out to meet you; I sought you, and I have found you.

So I came out to meet you; I sought you, and I have found you.

I have decked my bed with coverings, with colored linen from Egypt.

I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, with aloes, and with cinnamon.

“To you, O men, I call out, and my cry is to the sons of men.

Listen, for I speak of noble things, and the opening of my lips will reveal right.

I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion.

I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion.

To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct, and perverse speech.

Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have insight and strength.

I love those who love me, and those who seek me early shall find me.

I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice,

From everlasting I was established, from the beginning, before the earth began.

When there were no watery depths, I was brought forth, when no springs were overflowing with water.

Before the mountains were settled, before the hills, I was brought forth,

I was there when He established the heavens, when He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep,

Then I was a skilled craftsman at His side, and His delight day by day, rejoicing always in His presence.

I was rejoicing in His whole world, delighting together in the sons of men.

“Come, eat my bread and drink the wine I have mixed.

Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure; I am cleansed from my sin”?

Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure; I am cleansed from my sin”?

Do not say, “I will avenge this evil!” Wait on the LORD, and He will save you.

The slacker says, “There is a lion outside! I will be slain in the streets!”

So that your trust may be in the LORD, I instruct you today—yes, you.

Have I not written for you thirty sayings about counsel and knowledge,

“They struck me, but I feel no pain! They beat me, but I did not know it! When can I wake up to search for another drink?”

“They struck me, but I feel no pain! They beat me, but I did not know it! When can I wake up to search for another drink?”

“They struck me, but I feel no pain! They beat me, but I did not know it! When can I wake up to search for another drink?”

Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will repay the man according to his work.”

Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will repay the man according to his work.”

I went past the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of a man lacking judgment.

I observed and took it to heart; I looked and received instruction:

I observed and took it to heart; I looked and received instruction:

…so is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I was only joking!”

Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart, so that I can answer him who taunts me.

These are the words of Agur son of Jakeh—the burden that this man declared to Ithiel: “I am weary, O God, and worn out.

Surely I am the most ignorant of men, and I lack the understanding of a man.

Surely I am the most ignorant of men, and I lack the understanding of a man.

I have not learned wisdom, and I have no knowledge of the Holy One.

I have not learned wisdom, and I have no knowledge of the Holy One.

Two things I ask of You—do not refuse me before I die:

Two things I ask of You—do not refuse me before I die:

Otherwise, I may have too much and deny You, saying, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or I may become poor and steal, profaning the name of my God.

Otherwise, I may have too much and deny You, saying, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or I may become poor and steal, profaning the name of my God.

There are three things too wonderful for me, four that I cannot understand:

This is the way of an adulteress: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, ‘I have done nothing wrong.’

What shall I say, O my son? What, O son of my womb? What, O son of my vows?

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

And I set my mind to seek and explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a miserable task God has laid upon the sons of men to occupy them!

I have seen all the things that are done under the sun, and have found them all to be futile, a pursuit of the wind.

I said to myself, “Behold, I have grown and increased in wisdom beyond all those before me who were over Jerusalem, and my mind has observed a wealth of wisdom and knowledge.”

I said to myself, “Behold, I have grown and increased in wisdom beyond all those before me who were over Jerusalem, and my mind has observed a wealth of wisdom and knowledge.”

So I set my mind to know wisdom and madness and folly; I learned that this, too, is a pursuit of the wind.

So I set my mind to know wisdom and madness and folly; I learned that this, too, is a pursuit of the wind.

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

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

I said of laughter, “It is folly,” and of pleasure, “What does it accomplish?”

I sought to cheer my body with wine and to embrace folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom—until I could see what was worthwhile for men to do under heaven during the few days of their lives.

I sought to cheer my body with wine and to embrace folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom—until I could see what was worthwhile for men to do under heaven during the few days of their lives.

I expanded my pursuits. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself.

I expanded my pursuits. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself.

I made gardens and parks for myself, where I planted all kinds of fruit trees.

I made gardens and parks for myself, where I planted all kinds of fruit trees.

I built reservoirs to water my groves of flourishing trees.

I acquired menservants and maidservants, and servants were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me,

I acquired menservants and maidservants, and servants were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me,

…and I accumulated for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I gathered to myself male and female singers, and the delights of the sons of men—many concubines.

…and I accumulated for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I gathered to myself male and female singers, and the delights of the sons of men—many concubines.

So I became great and surpassed all in Jerusalem who had preceded me; and my wisdom remained with me.

Anything my eyes desired, I did not deny myself. I refused my heart no pleasure. For my heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor.

Anything my eyes desired, I did not deny myself. I refused my heart no pleasure. For my heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor.

Yet when I considered all the works that my hands had accomplished and what I had toiled to achieve, I found everything to be futile, a pursuit of the wind; there was nothing to be gained under the sun.

Yet when I considered all the works that my hands had accomplished and what I had toiled to achieve, I found everything to be futile, a pursuit of the wind; there was nothing to be gained under the sun.

Yet when I considered all the works that my hands had accomplished and what I had toiled to achieve, I found everything to be futile, a pursuit of the wind; there was nothing to be gained under the sun.

Then I turned to consider wisdom and madness and folly; for what more can the king’s successor do than what has already been accomplished?

And I saw that wisdom exceeds folly, just as light exceeds darkness:

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.

So I said to myself, “The fate of the fool will also befall me. What then have I gained by being wise?” And I said to myself that this too is futile.

So I said to myself, “The fate of the fool will also befall me. What then have I gained by being wise?” And I said to myself that this too is futile.

So I said to myself, “The fate of the fool will also befall me. What then have I gained by being wise?” And I said to myself that this too is futile.

So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. For everything is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

I hated all for which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes after me.

I hated all for which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes after me.

I hated all for which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes after me.

And who knows whether that man will be wise or foolish? Yet he will take over all the labor at which I have worked skillfully under the sun. This too is futile.

So my heart began to despair over all the labor that I had done under the sun.

Nothing is better for a man than to eat and drink and enjoy his work. I have also seen that this is from the hand of God.

I have seen the burden that God has laid upon the sons of men to occupy them.

I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and do good while they live,

I know that everything God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God does it so that they should fear Him.

Furthermore, I saw under the sun that in the place of judgment there is wickedness, and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness.

I said in my heart, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked, since there is a time for every activity and every deed.”

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.”