WeBible

1 - Words of a Gatherer, son of an obedient one, the declaration, an affirmation of the man: --I have wearied myself <FI>for<Fi> God, I have wearied myself <FI>for<Fi> God, and am consumed.

2 - For I am more brutish than any one, And have not the understanding of a man.

3 - Nor have I learned wisdom, Yet the knowledge of Holy Ones I know.

4 - Who went up to heaven, and cometh down? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound waters in a garment? Who established all ends of the earth? What <FI>is<Fi> His name? and what His son's name? Surely thou knowest!

5 - Every saying of God <FI>is<Fi> tried, A shield He <FI>is<Fi> to those trusting in Him.

6 - Add not to His words, lest He reason with thee, And thou hast been found false.

7 - Two things I have asked from Thee, Withhold not from me before I die.

8 - Vanity and a lying word put far from me, Poverty or wealth give not to me, Cause me to eat the bread of my portion,

9 - Lest I become satiated, and have denied, And have said, `Who <FI>is<Fi> Jehovah?' And lest I be poor, and have stolen, And have laid hold of the name of my God.

10 - Accuse not a servant unto his lord, Lest he disesteem thee, and thou be found guilty.

11 - A generation <FI>is<Fi> , that lightly esteemeth their father, And their mother doth not bless.

12 - A generation--pure in their own eyes, But from their own filth not washed.

13 - A generation--how high are their eyes, Yea, their eyelids are lifted up.

14 - A generation--swords <FI>are<Fi> their teeth, And knives--their jaw-teeth, To consume the poor from earth, And the needy from <FI>among<Fi> men.

15 - To the leech <FI>are<Fi> two daughters, `Give, give, Lo, three things are not satisfied, Four have not said `Sufficiency;'

16 - Sheol, and a restrained womb, Earth--it <FI>is<Fi> not satisfied <FI>with<Fi> water, And fire--it hath not said, `Sufficiency,'

17 - An eye that mocketh at a father, And despiseth to obey a mother, Dig it out do ravens of the valley, And eat it do young eagles.

18 - Three things have been too wonderful for me, Yea, four that I have not known:

19 - The way of the eagle in the heavens, The way of a serpent on a rock, The way of a ship in the heart of the sea, And the way of a man in youth.

20 - So--the way of an adulterous woman, She hath eaten and hath wiped her mouth, And hath said, `I have not done iniquity.'

21 - For three things hath earth been troubled, And for four--it is not able to bear:

22 - For a servant when he reigneth, And a fool when he is satisfied with bread,

23 - For a hated one when she ruleth, And a maid-servant when she succeedeth her mistress.

24 - Four <FI>are<Fi> little ones of earth, And they are made wiser than the wise:

25 - The ants <FI>are<Fi> a people not strong, And they prepare in summer their food,

26 - Conies <FI>are<Fi> a people not strong, And they place in a rock their house,

27 - A king there is not to the locust, And it goeth out--each one shouting,

28 - A spider with two hands taketh hold, And is in the palaces of a king.

29 - Three there are going well, Yea, four are good in going:

30 - An old lion--mighty among beasts, That turneth not back from the face of any,

31 - A girt one of the loins, or a he-goat, And a king--no rising up with him.

32 - If thou hast been foolish in lifting up thyself, And if thou hast devised evil--hand to mouth!

33 - For the churning of milk bringeth out butter, And the wringing of the nose bringeth out blood, And the forcing of anger bringeth out strife!