Kings are to be respected.

Before

about 977.

26 And I find more bitter than CHRIST death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.

x Prov. 5. 3,4. & 22. 14.

+ Heb. he that is good before God. y ch. 1. 1, 2 ¡Or. weighing one thing after anoth er, to find out the reaBOM.

Job 33. 23.
Po. 12. 1.

a Gen. 1. 27.

Behold, this have I found, saith the Preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account;

b Gen. 3.6, 7. tions.

Prov. 4.8.9.

& 17. 24.
Bee Acte 6.
15.

+ Heb. the
strength.
b Deut. 28.50.
el Chr. 29.24.
Es. 17. 18.
Rom. 13. 5.
d ch. 10. 4.

e Job 34. 18.

↑ Heb. shall know.

feh. 3. 1.

g Prov. 21.22. ch. . 12. & 9. 12. & 10. 14.

Or, how it shall be.

i Job 14. 5.

¡Or, casting of weapons.

CHAPTER VIII.

1 Kings are greatly to be respected. 6 The divine providence is to be observed. 12 It is better with the godly in adversity, than with the wicked in prosperity. 16 The work of God is unsearchable. WHO is as the wise man? and

who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? a man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, and fb the boldness of his face shall be changed. 2 I counsel thee to keep the king's commandment, and that in regard of the oath of God.

3 d Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him. 4 Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him. What doest thou?

Before

be- CHRIST

about 977.

a Pu. 73. 34. eh. 2. 14. & 7. 15. & 9. 1, 2,3

All things come alike to all. wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow cause he feareth not before God. 14 There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there be just men, unto whom it "happencth according to the work of the wicked; again, there be wicked men, to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous: I said that this also is vanity. 15 Then I commended mirth, be-ch 2.24 k 3. 12. 22. & 5. cause a man hath no better thing un18. & 9.7. der the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun.

16 When I applied mine heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth: (for also there is that neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes:)

eh. 3. 11. Rom. 11. 33.

17 Then I beheld all the work of God, that Pa man cannot find out pJob 5. 9. the work that is done under the sun: because though a man labour to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea further; though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to P. 73. 16. find it. CHAPTER IX.

1 Like things happen to good and bad. 4 There is a necessity of death unto men. 7 Comfort is all their portion in this life. 11 God's providence ruleth over all. 13 Wisdom is better than strength.

tI

man's heart discerneth both time and judgment.

6 Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him.

78 For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be?

8 h There is no man that hath power iover the spirit to retain the spirit: h Ps. 49. 6. 7. neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it. 9 All this have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is done under the sun; there is a time wherein one man ruleth over another to his own hurt.

10 And so I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of the holy, and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done: this is also vanity.

11 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.

12 Though a sinner do evil a hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him:

it

13 But it shall not be well with the

+ Hob./ pave. er, et to my heart. a ch. 8. 14.

that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them, 2b All things come alike to all: there Job21.7.&c. is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.

3 This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

4 T For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

Wisdom is better than strength.

Before heart; for God now accepteth thy CHRIST works. about 977.

+ Heb. See, or. Enjoy life.

fch. 2. 10. 21. 8. 13,22,&

5. 18.

g Jer, 9. 23. Amos 2. 14, 15.

h ch. 8. 7.

i Prov. 29. 6. Luke 12. 20, 39. & 17. 26, &c.

8 Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment. 9 Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: ffor that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun.

10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

11 TI returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all. 12 For h man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men i snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.

13 T This wisdom have I seen also 1 Thess. 5. 3. under the sun, and it seemed great unto me:

See 2 Sam. 20. 16-22.

14k There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it.

15 Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man. 16 Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and mMark 6.2.3. his words are not heard.

1 Prov. 21. 23. & 24. 5.

ch. 7. 19.
ver, 18.

n ver. 16.

17 The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.

18 Wisdom is better than weapons Josh.7.1,11, of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.

12.

+ Heb. Flies of death.

+ Heb, his heart. Prov. 13. 16, & 18. 2.

b ch. 8. 3.

el Bam. 25. 21, &c. Prov. 25. 15. + Heb. from before.

CHAPTER X.

1 Observations of wisdom and folly: 16 of riot, 18 slothfulness. 19 and money. 20 Men's thoughts of kings ought to be reverent.

the

+ DEAD flies caury to ointment a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.

2 A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left. 3 Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, this wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.

4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, bleave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences. 5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler:

Of wisdom and folly.

64 Folly is set † in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.

7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.

8 fHe that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh a hedge, a serpent shall bite him.

9 Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby. 10 If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.

Before CHRIST about 977.

d Esth. 3. 1. ↑ Heb. in great heights. • Prov. 19.10. & 30. 22. f Pa. 7. 15.

Prov, 26. 27.

11 Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and ta bab- Ps. 58. 4, 5. bler is no better.

12 h The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but i the lips of a fool will swallow up himself. 13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of this talk is mischievous madness.

14 kA fool also fis full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and I what shall be after him, who can tell him?

15 The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city. 16 T Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!"

17 Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and "thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness! 18 TBy much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.

19 TA feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.

20 TP Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.

2 Give a portion d to seven, and also to eight for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.

3 If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be.

4 He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.

5 As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones

+ Heb. upon the face of the waters. Deut. 15. 10. Prov. 19. 17. Matt. 10. 42. 2 Cor. 9. 8. Gal. 6 9 10. Heb. 6, 10,

© Pa. 112.9. Lake 6. 30. 1 Tim. 6. 18 19.

d Mie. 5. &

Eph. 5, 16.

John 3. 8.
P. 139 14

15.

Before

about 977.

The Preacher's care to edify.

about 977.

↑ Heb. shall be right.

heh. 7. 11.

6 In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether I shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.

7 Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun:

8 But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity.

9 Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee iNum. 15. 39. in the days of thy youth, i and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things & God will bring thee into judgment.

keh. 12. 14. Rom. 2.6

11.

| Or, anger.

10 Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and Iput away evil from 2 Tim. 2. 22 thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.

12 Cor. 7. 1.

m Ps. 39. 5.

Prov. 22. 6.

CHAPTER XII.

1 The Creator is to be remembered in due time. 8 The Preacher's care to edify. 13 The fear of God is the chief antidote of vanity.

Tam. 3. 27. RE

b See 2 Sam. 19. 35.

Or, the grinders fail, because they grind little.

EMEMBER now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, bwhen thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;

2 While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain: 3 In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened,

5 Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to d his long home, and the mourners go about the streets:

6 Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.

7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

8 T Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; all is vanity.

€ 2 Sam. 19.

Job 17. 13. Jer. 9. 17.

fGen. 3. 19. Job 24. 15. Ps. 90. 3. gch. 3. 21. Num. 16.22. & 27. 16. Job 34. 14. Is. 67. 16. Zeeb. 12. 1.

9 And moreover, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave P. 2. 9. good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.

10 The Preacher sought to find out facceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.

11 The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.

12 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and Imuch study is a weariness of the flesh.

13 T Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: m Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

ch. 1. 2. 1 Or, the more wise the Preacher was, &c.

ki Kin. 4. 32.

↑ Heb. words of delight.

1 ch. 1. 18. Or, reading. I Or, The end of the matter. even all that hath been heard, is. m Deut. 6. 2. 10. 12. nch. 11. 9. Matt. 12, 36. Acta 17. 30, 31.

Rom. 2. 16. & 14. 10, 12. 1 Cor. 4. 5.

2 Cor. 5. 10.

The mutual love of

Christ and his church.

Or, as one that is vail

ed.

fch. 5. 9. & 6. 1.

13.

1Or, galleries,

d ver. 17.

own vineyard have I not kept. 7 Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions?

8 If thou know not, fO thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds' tents. 9 I have compared thee, 50 my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh's chariots.

10 i Thy cheeks are comely with rows of jewels, thy neck with chains of gold.

11 We will make thee borders of gold with studs of silver.

12 T While the King sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof.

13 A bundle of myrrh is my well beloved unto me; he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts.

10 My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.

Before CHRIST about 1014.

+ Heb. Rourishing.

11 For, lo, the winter is past, the over. 13. rain is over and gone;

12 The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;

13 The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. f Arise, my love, my fair one, and fver. 10. come away.

14 TO my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, 5 let me hear thy voice; for sweet is sch. 8. 13. thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.

15 Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.

h Ps. 80. 13.

Es. 13. 4.
Luke 13. 32

ich. 6. 3. & 7. 10.

15 Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves' eyes.

16 Behold, thou art fair, my belov

CHAPTER III.

1 The church's fight and victory in temptation. 6 The church glorieth in Christ.

1ver. 9. ch. 8. 14.

sion.

green.

AM the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.

2 As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.

3 As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, "and his fruit was sweet to my taste.

4 He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.

5 Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples: for I am sick of love.

6b His left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth embrace

me.

7I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please.

8 The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills. 9 d My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh forth at

2 I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.

3 b The watchmen that go about the beh. 6. 7. city found me: to whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?

4 It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother's house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me.

5I charge you, O ye daughters of ech.2.7.& 8.4 Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please.

6 Td Who is this that cometh out of deh, 8, 5, the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant?

7 Behold his bed, which is Solomon's: threescore valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Israel. 8 They all hold swords, being expert in war: every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night.

9 King Solomon made himself a Or, a bed, chariot of the wood of Lebanon. 10 He made the pillars thereof of silver, the bottom thereof of gold, the