And they have not uncovered thine iniquity, To bring back thy captivity; But have prophesied for thee bur- dens Of vanity and seduction. D "All that pass by clap Their hands at thee; They hiss and wag their head At the daughter of Jerusalem: 'Is this the city that men called The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth?' & 16A11 thine enemies have opened Their mouth wide against thee; They hiss and gnash the teeth; They say: 'We have swallowed her up; Certainly this is the day that we looked for; We have found, we have seen it.'
' 17The LOKD hath done that which He devised; He hath performed His word That He commanded in the days of old; He hath thrown down unsparingly; And He hath caused the enemy to rejoice over thee, He hath exalted the horn of thine adversaries.
18Their heart cried unto the Lord '0 wall of the daughter of Zion, Let tears run down like a river Day and night; Give thyself no respite; Let not the apple of thine eye cease.
p "Arise, cry out in the night, At the beginning of the watches; Pour out thy heart like water Before the face of the Lord; Lift up thy hands toward Him For the hf e of thy young children, That faint for hunger At the head of every street ' 2°'See, 0 LORD, and consider, To whom Thou hast done thus! Shall the women eat their fruit. The children that are dandled in the hands? Shall the priest and the prophet be slain In the sanctuary of the Lord? 10 21The youth and the old man lie On the ground in the streets; My virgins and my young men Are fallen by the sword; Thou hast slain them in the day of Thine anger; Thou hast slaughtered unsparingly. ti ^Thou hast called, as in the day of a My terrors on every side, And there was none in the day of the LORD'S anger That escaped or remained; LAMENTATIONS Those that I have dandled and brought up Hath mine enemy consumed.'
Q I am the man that hath seen u affliction By the rod of His wrath. 2He hath led me and caused me to walk In darkness and not in light. 3Surely against me He turneth His hand Again and again all the day.
n *My flesh and my skin hath He worn out; He hath broken my bones. 5He hath builded against me, and compassed me With gall and travail. 6He hath made me to dwell in dark places, As those that have been long dead.
7He hath hedged me about, that I cannot go forth; He hath made my chain heavy. 8Yea, when I cry and call for help, He shutteth out my prayer. 9He hath enclosed my ways with hewn stone, He hath made my paths crooked.
T 10He is unto me as a bear lying in wait, As a lion in secret places. llHe hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces; He hath made me desolate. 12He hath bent His bow, and set me As a mark for the arrow.
n 13He hath caused the arrows of His quiver To enter into my reins.
14I am become a derision to all my people, And their song all the day. 15He hath filled me with bitterness, He hath sated me with wormwood.
1 16He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, He hath made me to wallow in ashes. 17And my soul is removed far off from peace, I forgot prosperity. 18And I said: 'My strength is per- ished, And mine expectation from the LORD.'
Y 19Remember mine affliction and mine anguish, The wormwood and the gall. 20My soul hath them still in remem- brance, And is bowed down within mo. 21This I recall to my mind, Therefore have I hope.
n ^Surely the LORD'S mercies are not consumed, Surely His compassions fail not. ^They are new every morning; Great is Thy faithfulness. 244 The LORD is my portion', saith my soul; 'Therefore will I hope in Him/ tt 25The LORD is good unto them that wait for Him, To the soul that seeketh Him. 26It is good that a man should quietly wait For the salvation of the LORD. 27It is good for a man that ho bear The yoke in his youth.
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28Let him sit alone and keep silence, Because He liath laid it ujxm him.
29Let him put his mouth in the dust, LAMENTATIONS If so be there may be hope. 30Let him give his cheek to him that smiteth him, Let him be filled full with reproach.
D 31For the LOBD will not cast off For ever. ^For though He cause grief, yet will He have compassion According to the multitude of His mercies.
33For He doth not afflict willingly, Nor grieve the children of men.
34To crush under foot All the prisoners of the earth, 35To turn aside the right of a man 'Before the face of the Most High, ^To subvert a man in his cause, The Lord approveth not.
tt 37Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, When the Lord commandeth it not? 38Out of the mouth of the Most High prpceedeth not Evil and good?
39Wherefore doth a living man com- plain, A strong man because of his sins?
3 40Let us search and try our ways, And return to the LORD. 41 Let us lift up our heart with our hands Unto God in the heavens. 42We have transgressed and have rev belled; Thou hast not pardoned.
D ^Thou hast covered with anger and pursued UH; Thou haat slain unsparingly. •^Thou hast covered Thyself with a cloud, So that no prayer can pass through.
45Thou hast made us as the off- scouring and refuse In the midst of the peoples.
8 ^All our enemies have opened their mouth Wide against us. 47Terror and the pit are come upon us, Desolation and destruction. ^Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water, For the breach of the daughter of my people.
y 49Mme eye is poured out, and ceaseth not, Without any intermission, fi°Tiil the LORD look forth, And behold from heaven. slMine eye affected my soul, Because of all the daughters of my city.
* 52They have chased me sore like a bird, That are mine enemies without cause. r)3They have cut off my life in the dungeon, And* have cast stones upon me. ^Waters flowed over my head; I said: 'I am cut off.'
P b5I called upon Thy name, 0 LORD, Out of the lowest dungeon. ^Thou heardcst my voico; hide not Thine ear at my sighing, at my cry. 57Thou drewcst near in the clay that I called upon Thee; Thousaidst: 'Fear not.'
n 880 Lord, Thou hast pleaded tho causes of my soul * Thou hast redeemed my life. MO LORD, Thou hast Been zny wrong; Judge Thou my cause.
LAMENTATIONS 60Thou hast seen all their vengeance And all their > devices against me.
10 61Thou hast heard their taunt, 0 LORD, And all their devices against me; ^The lips of those that rose up against me, And their muttering against me all the day. ^Behold Thou their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their song.
n MThou wilt render unto them a rec- ompense, 0 LORD, According to the work of their hands, ^hou wilt give them hardness of heart, Thy curse unto them. ^Thou wilt pursue them in anger, and destroy them Prom under the heavens of the LORD.
A How is the gold become dim! How is the most fine gold changed!
The hallowed stones are poured out At the head of every street.* 2The precious sons of Zion, Comparable to fine gold, How are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, The work of the hands of the pot- ter! 3Even the jackals draw out the breast, They give suck to their young ones; The daughter of my people is be- ^come cruel, Like the ostriches in the wilder- ness. 4The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth To the roof of his mouth for thirst; i The young children ask bread, And none breaketh it unto them. «1 ''They that did feed on dainties Are desolate in the streets; They that were brought up in scarlet Embrace dunghills. 1 6For the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater Than the sin of Sodom, That was overthrown as in a mo- ment, And no hands fell upon her. T 7Her princes were purer than snow, They were whiter than milk, They were more ruddy in body than rubies, Their polishing was as of sapphire; n ^Their visage is blacker than coal; They are not known in the streets; Their skin is shrivelled upon their bones; It is 'withered, it is become like a stick.
tD ^They that are slain with the sword are better Than they that are slain with hunger; For these pine away, stricken through, For want of the fruits of the field. i 10The hands of women full of com- passion Have sodden their own children; They were their food In the destruction of the daughter of my people.
D nThe LORD hath accomplished His fury, He hath poured out His fierce anger; And He hath kindled a fire in Zion, Which hath devoured the founda- tions thereof.
^he kings of the earth believed not, Neither all the inhabitants of the world, LAMENTATIONS That the adversary and the enemy would enter Into the gates of Jerusalem. tt 13It is because of the sins of her prophets, And the iniquities of her priests, That have shed the blood of the just In the midst of her. S 14They wander as blind men in the streets, They are polluted with blood, So that men cannot Touch their garments. D 15' Depart ye! unclean!7 men cried unto them, 'Depart, depart, touch not'; Yea, they fled away and wandered; Men said among the nations: 'They shall no more sojourn -here,7 E> 16The anger of the LOUD hath di- vided them; He will no more regard them; They respected not the persons of the priests, They were not gracious unto the elders.
3? 17As for us, pur eyes do yet fail For our vain help; In our watching we have watched For a nation that could not save. £ I8They hunt our steps, That we cannot go in our broad places; Our end is near, our days are ful- filled; For our end is come. P I00ur pursuers were swifter Than the eagles of the heaven; They chased us upon the moun- tains, They lay in wait for us in the wil- derness, i *°The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the LORD, Was taken in their pits; Of whom we said: 'Under his shadow We shall live among the nations,7 E7 21Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, That dwellest in the land of Uz: The cup shall pass over unto thee also; Thou shalt be drunken, and shalt make thyself naked. n MThe punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, 0 daughter of Zion, He will no more carry thee away into captivity; He will punish thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom, He will uncover thy sins.
£ Remember, O LOBD, what is come upon us; Behold, and see our reproach. 20ur inheritance is turned unto Our houses unto aliens.
3We are become orphans and father- less, Our mothers are as widows.
4We have drunk our water for money: Our wood cometh to us for price.
6To our very necks we are pursued; We labour, and have no rest.
6We have given the hand to Egypt, And to Assyria, to have bread enough.
70ur fathers have sinned, and are not; And we have borne their iniquities.
8Servants rule over us; There is none to deliver us out of their hand, ^We get our bread with the peril of our lives Because of the sword of the wilder- ness. 100ur skin is hot like an oven LAMENTATIONS Because of the burning heat of famine. llThey have ravished the women in Zion, - The maidens in the cities of Judah.
"Princes are hanged up by their hand; The faces of elders are not honoured 13The young men have borne the mill, And the children have stumbled under the wood. 14The elders have ceased from the The young men from their music. 15The joy of our heart is ceased; Our dance is turned into mourning. 16The crown is fallen from our head; Woe unto us! for we have sinned.
17For this our heart is faint, For these things our eyes are dim; "For the mountain of Zion, which is desolate, The foxes walk upon it. 19Thou, O LORD, art enthroned for ever, Thy throne is from generation to generation. 20Wherefore dost Thou forget us for ever, And forsake us so long time? 21Turn Thou us unto Thee, 0 LORD, and we shall be turned; Renew our days as of old. ^Thou canst not have utterly re- jected us, And be exceeding wroth against us!
Turn Thou us unto Thee, O LORD, und we shall bo turned; Renew our days a« of old.
ECCLESIASTES 1 THE words of Koheleth, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2Vanity of vanities, saith Koheleth; Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.
3What profit hath man of all his labour Wherein he laboureth under the sun? 40ne generation passeth away, and another generation cometh; And the earth abideth for ever. ^The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, And hasteth to his place where he ariseth 6The wind goeth toward the south, And turneth about unto the north; It turneth about continually in its circuit, And the wind returncth again to its circuits.
7A11 the rivers run into the sea, Yet the sea is not full; Unto the place whither the rivers go, Thither they go again. 8A11 things toil to weariness; Man cannot utter it, The eye is not satisfied with seeing, Nor the ear filled with hearing. That which hath been is that which shall be, And that which hath been done is that which shall be done; And there is nothing new under tho sun.
JOIs there a thing whereof it is saidr 'See, this is new'? — it hath been al- ready, in the ages which were before us. "There is no remembrance of them of former times; neither shall there be any remembrance of them of latter times that are to come, among those that shall come after.
12I Koheleth have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven; it is a sore task that God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith. 14I have seen all the works that arc done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind. l8That which is crooked cannot be made straight; And that which is wanting cannot be numbered.
10I spoke with my own heart, saying* 'Lo, I have gotten great wisdom, more also than all that wore before me over Jerusalem'; yea, my heart hath had great experience of wisdom and knowl- edge. "And I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly—I perceived that this also wan a striving after wind. "For in much wisdom is much vexa- tion; And he that increaseth knowledge mcreaweth sorrow.
O I said in my heart: 'Come now, I u will try thee with mirth, and en- joy pleasure'; and, behold, this also was vanity. *I said -of laughter: 'It is mad'; and of mirth: 'What doth it accomplish??. 3I searched in my heart ECCLESIASTES how to pamper my flesh with wine, and, my heart conducting itself with wisdom, how yet to lay hold on folly, till I might see which it was best for the sons of men that they should do under the heaven the few days of their life. 4I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards: 5I made me gardens and parks, and I planted trees in them of all kinds of fruit; 6I made me pools of water, to water therefrom the wood springing up with trees; 7I acquired men-Servants and maid- servants, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all that were before me hi Jerusalem; 8I gath- ered me also silver and gold, and treas- ure such as kings and the provinces have as their own; I got me men-singers and women-singers, and the delights of the sons of men, women very many. 9So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jeru- salem; also my wisdom stood me in stead. 10And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them; I with- held not my heart from any joy, for my heart had joy of all my labour; and this was my portion from all my labour. uThen I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do; and, behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.
12And I turned myself to behold wis- dom, and madness and folly; for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done. 13Then I saw that wis- dom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness. 14The wise man, his eyes are in his head; But the fool walketh in darkness.
And I also perceived that one event happeneth to them all. 15Then said I in my heart: ' As it happeneth to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise?' Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity. 16For of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no remembrance for ever; seeing that in the days to come all will long ago have been for- gotten. And how must the wise man die even as the fool! 17So I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun was grievous unto me; for all is vanity and a striving after wind.
18And I hated all my labour wherein I laboured under the sun, seeing that I must leave it unto the man that shall be after me. 19And who knoweth whether he will be a wise man or a fool? yet will he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity. 20Therefore I turned about to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labour wherein I had laboured under the sun. 21For there is a man whose labour is with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skill; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil. ^For what hath a man of all his labour, and of the striving of his heart, wherein he laboureth under the sun? MFor all his days are pains, and his occupation vexation; yea, even in the night his heart taketh no rest* This also is vanity.
24There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy pleasure for Ids labour. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God. wFor who will eat, or who will enjoy, if not I?
ECCLESIASTES 26 For to the man that js good in His sight He giveth wisdom, and knowl- edge, and joy; but to the sinner He giveth the task, to gather and to heap up, that he may leave to him that is good in the sight of God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind. Q To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: 2A time to be born, and a time to die; A time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; 3A time to kill, and a time to heal; A time to break down, and a time to build up; 4A time to weep, and a time to laugh; A time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6A time to seek, and a time to lose; A time to keep, and a time to cast away; 7A time to rend, and a time to sew; A time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8A time to love, and a time to hate; A time for war, and a time for peace. 9What profit hath he that worketh in that he laboureth? 10I have seen the task which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith. uHe hath made every thing beautiful in its time; also He hath set the world in their heart, yet so that man cannot find out the work that God hath done from the beginning even to the end. ial know that there is nothing better for them, than to rejoice, and to get pleasure so long as they live. 13But also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy pleasure for all his labour, is the gift of God. 14I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever; nothing can be added to it, nor any thing taken from it; and God hath so made it, that men should fear before Him. 15That which is hath been long and that which is to be hat ago, already been; and God seeketh that which is pursued.
1 6And moreover I saw under the sun, in the place of justice, that wicked- ness was there; and in the place of righteousness, that wickedness was there. 17I said in my heart: 'The righteous and the wicked God will judge; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.' 18I said in my heart: ' It is because of the sons of men, that God may sift them, and that they may see that they themselves are but as beasts.' "For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing be- falleth them; as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that man hath no pre- eminence above a beast; for all is vanity. 20A11 go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all return to dust. aWho knoweth the spirit of man whether it goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast whether it goeth downward to the earth? ^Where- f ore I perceived that there is nothmg better, than that a man should rejoice in his works; for that is his portion; for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?
A But I returned and considered **• all the oppressions that are done under the sun; and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power, but they had no comforter. 2Wherefore I praised the dead that are already dead nlore than the living that are yet alive; 8but better than they ECCLESIASTES both is lie that hath not yet been, wh< hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
4Again, I considered all labour anc all excelling in work, that it is a man's rivalry -with his neighbour. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
^he fool f oldeth his hands together, And eateth his own flesh.
6Better is a handful of quietness, Than both the hands full of labour and striving after wind.
7Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun. 8There is one that is alone, and he hath not a second; yea he hath neither son nor brother; ye1 is there no end of all his labour, neither is his eye satisfied with riches 'for whom then do I labour, and bereave my soul of pleasure?' ^ This also is vanity, yea, it is a grievous business. 9Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. 10For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him that is alone when he falleth, and hath not another to lift him up. nAgain, if two he together, then they have warmth; but how can one be warm alone? 12And if a man prevail against him that is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
"Better is a poor and wise child than an old and foolish king, who knoweth not how to receive admonition any more. 14For out of prison he came forth to be king, although in his king- dom he was born poor. 15I saw nil the living that walk under the sun, that they wore with the child, the second, that was to stand up in his stead. 16There was no end of all the people, even of all them whom he did lead, yet they that come after shall not re- joice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind.
17Guard thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be ready to hearken: it is better than when fools give sacrifices; for they know not that they do evil.
JX Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter a word before God; for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth, there- fore let thy words be few.
2For a dream cometh through a multitude of business; And a fool's voice through a multi- tude of words.
3When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for He hath no pleasure in fools; pay that which thou vowest. 4Better is it that thou should- est not vow, than that thou should- est vow and not pay. 5Suffer 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 de- stroy the work of thy hands? 6For through the multitude of dreams and vanities there are also many words; but fear thou God.
7If 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. 8But the profit of a land every way is a king that maketh himself servant to the field.
9He that loyeth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that lovcth abundance, with increase; this also i» vanity. 10When 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?
1JSweet is the sleep of a labouring man, whether he eat little or much; ECCLESIASTES but the satiety of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.
12There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept by the owner thereof to his hurt; 13and those riches perish by evil adventure, and if he hath begot- ten a son, there is nothing in his hand. 14As 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. 18And 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? 16A11 his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much vexation and sick- ness and wrath.
17Behold 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. 18Every 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. 19For let him remem- ber the days of his life that they arc not many; for God answereth him in the joy of his heart. 11 There is an evil which I have seen ^ under the sun, and it is heavy upon men: 2a man to whom God giveth riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God givoth him not power to eat thereof, but a stran- ger eateth it; this is vanity, and it is an evil disease. 3If a man beget a hundred children, and live noiany 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; ^or 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; ^ea, though he live a thousand years twice told, and enjoy no good; do not all go to one place?
7A11 the labour of man is for his mouth, And yet the appetite is not filled. 8For what advantage hath the wise more than the fool? or the poor man that hath understanding, in walking before the living? 9Better is the seeing of the eyes than the wandering of the desire; this also is vanity anxi a striv- ing 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? 12For 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 bo after him under the sun?
good name is better than pre- cious oil; And the day of death than the day of one's birth.
2It 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 sadnesa of the counte- nance the heart may be glad- dened.
ECCLESIASTES 4The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; But the heart of fools is in the house of mirth, 5It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, Than for a man to hear the song of fools. 6For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, So is the laughter of the fool; This also is vanity. 7Surely oppression turneth a wise man into a fool, And a gift destroyeth the understanding. 8Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof; And the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. 9Be not hasty in thy spirit to be For anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
l°Say not thou: 'How was it that the former days were better than these?3 for it is not out of wisdom that thou inquirest concerning this.
11Wisdom is good with an inheritance, Yea, a profit to them that see the sun.
I2For wisdom is a defence, even as money is a defence; but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom pre- serveth 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 noth- ing after him.
16A11 things have I seen in the days of my vanity; there is a righteous man that pensheth in his righteous- ness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his evil-doing. 16Be not righteous overmuch; neither make thyself overwise; why shouldest thou destroy thyself? 17Be not over- much wicked, neither be thou foolish; why shouldest thou die before thy time? 18It 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.