La-Scoytish-Piper

What profit has a man from all his labor in which he toils under the sun? One generation passes away and another generation comes but the earth abides forever. Then sun also rises and the sun goes down and hastens to the place where it arose. The wind goes towards the south and turns around to the north. The wind whirls around continuously and comes again on its circuit. All the rivers run into the sea yet the sea is not full. To the place from which the rivers come there they return again. All things are full of labor. Man cannot express it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the ear filled with hearing. That which has been is what will be, that which is done is what will be done and there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which it may be said, “See, this is new”? It has already been in ancient times. There is no remembrance of former things, nor will there be any remembrance of things that are to come by those who will come after. What is crooked cannot be made straight and what is lacking cannot be numbered. For in much wisdom is grief and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow. Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure for my heart rejoiced in all my labor and this was my reward from all my labor. Then I looked on all the works my hands had done and on the labor in which I had toiled; and indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun. Then I turned myself to consider wisdom and madness and folly; for what can the man do who succeeds the king? Only what he has already done. Then I saw that wisdom excels folly as light excels darkness. The wise man’s eyes are in his head but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I myself perceived that the same event happens to them all. So I said in my heart, “As it happens to the fool, it also happens to me and why was I then more wise?” Then I said in my heart, “This is also vanity.” For there is no remembrance of the wise than of the fool forever since all that now is will be forgotten in the days to come. And how does a wise man die? As the fool. A time to be born and a time to die; A time to plant and a time to pluck what is planted; A time to kill and a time to heal; A time to break down and a time to build up; A time to weep and a time to laugh; A time to mourn and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to gain and a time to lose; A time to keep and a time to throw away; A time to tear and a time to sew; A time to keep silence and a time to speak, A time to love and a time to hate; A time of war and a time of peace. I said in my heart, “God shall judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time for every purpose and for every work.” I know that whatever God does it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it that men should fear before Him. For what happens to the sons of men also happens to animals; one thing befalls them: as one dies, so does the other. Surely they all have one breath; man has no advantage over animals for all in vanity. All go to one place; all are from the dust and all return to dust. Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall one will lift up his companion, but woe to him who is alone when he falls for he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together they will keep warm but how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken. Do not be rash with your mouth and let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven and you on earth therefore let your words be few. For a dream comes through much activity and a fools voice is known by his many words. When you make a vow to God do not delay it for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed. Better not to vow than to vow and not pay. Do not let your mouth to cause your flesh to sin nor say before the messenger of God that is was an error. Why should God be angry at your excuse and destroy the work of your hands? For in the multitude of dreams and many words there is also vanity. But fear God. Wisdom strengthens the wise more than ten rulers of the city. For there is not a just man on earth who does good and does not sin. Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the hearts of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. For the living know that they will die but the dead know nothing. And they have no more reward for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, their hatred, and their envy have now perished. Nevermore will they have a share in anything done under the sun. Go, eat your bread with joy and drink your wine with a merry heart for God has already accepted your works. Let your garments always be white and let your oil head lack no oil. Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life which He has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity, for that is all your portion in life and in the labor which you perform under the sun. For a man does not know his time. Like a fish taken in a cruel net, like birds caught in a snare, so the sons of men are snared in an evil time when it falls suddenly upon them. Cast your bread upon the water for you will find it after many days. If the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth and if a tree falls to the south or the north, in the place where the tree falls there it shall lay. He who observes the wind will not sow and he who regards the clouds will not reap. As you do not know what is the way of the wind or how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child so you do not know the works of God who makes everything. In the morning sow your seed and in the evening do not withhold your hand for you do not know which will prosper, either this or that or whether both alike will be good. Rejoice, oh young man in your youth, and let your heart cheer you 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 God will bring you into judgment. Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, before the difficult days come and the years draw near when you say, “I have no pleasure in them.” While the sun and the light, the moon and the stars are not darkened and the clouds do not return after the rain. In the day when the keepers of the house tremble and the strong men bow down; when the grinders cease because they are few and those that look through the windows grow dim; when the doors are shut in the streets and the sound of grinding is low; When one rises up at the sound of a bird and when all the daughters of music are brought low. Also they are afraid of height, of terrors in the way. When the almond tree blossoms the grasshopper is a burden and desire fails. For man goes to his eternal home and the mourners go about the streets. Remember your Creator before the silver cord is loosed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the well. Then the dust will return to the earth as it was and the spirit will return to God who gave it.
And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yes, he pondered and sought out and set in order many proverbs. The preacher sought out to find acceptable words and what was written was upright words of truth. The words of the wise are like goads and the words of scholars are like well-driven nails given by one Shepherd. And further, my son, be admonished by these. Of making many books there is no end and much study is wearisome to the flesh.
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:
Fear God and keep His commandments for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing whether good or evil.

Isn't that amazing???

Piczo