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Selected Verse: Ecclesiates 12:13 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Ec 12:13	Strong Concordance	Let us hear [08085] the conclusion [05490] of the whole matter [01697]: Fear [03372] God [0430], and keep [08104] his commandments [04687]: for this is the whole duty of man [0120].
	King James	Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
The grand inference of the whole book. Fear God--The antidote to following creature idols, and "vanities," whether self-righteousness (Ecc 7:16, Ecc 7:18), or wicked oppression and other evils (Ecc 8:12-13), or mad mirth (Ecc 2:2; Ecc 7:2-5), or self-mortifying avarice (Ecc 8:13, Ecc 8:17), or youth spent without God (Ecc 11:9; Ecc 12:1). this is the whole duty of man--literally, "this is the whole man," the full ideal of man, as originally contemplated, realized wholly by Jesus Christ alone; and, through Him, by saints now in part, hereafter perfectly (Jo1 3:22-24; Rev 22:14).

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

The grand inference of the whole book.

Fear God--The antidote to following creature idols, and "vanities," whether self-righteousness (Ecc 7:16, Ecc 7:18), or wicked oppression and other evils (Ecc 8:12-13), or mad mirth (Ecc 2:2; Ecc 7:2-5), or self-mortifying avarice (Ecc 8:13, Ecc 8:17), or youth spent without God (Ecc 11:9; Ecc 12:1).

this is the whole duty of man--literally, "this is the whole man," the full ideal of man, as originally contemplated, realized wholly by Jesus Christ alone; and, through Him, by saints now in part, hereafter perfectly (Jo1 3:22-24; Rev 22:14).

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
"The final result, after all is learned, (is this): Fear God and keep His commandments; for this is the end of every man." Many expositors, as Jerome, the Venet., and Luther, render נשׁמע as fut.: The conclusion of the discourse we would all hear (Salomon); or: The conclusion of the whole discourse or matter let us hear (Panzer, 1773, de Wette-Augusti); Hitzig also takes together soph davar hakol = soph davar kol-haddavar: The end of the whole discourse let us hear. But הכּל for כּלּנוּ is contrary to the style of the book; and as a general rule, the author uses הכל for the most part of things, seldom of persons. And also soph davar hakol, which it would be better to explain ("the final word of the whole"), with Ewald, 291a, after yemē-olam mosheh, Isa 63:11, than it is explained by Hitzig, although, in spite of Philippi's (Sta. const. p. 17) doubt, possible in point of style, and also exemplified in the later period of the language (Ch1 9:13), is yet a stylistic crudeness which the author could have avoided either by writing soph devar hakol, or better, soph kol-haddavar. נשׁמע, Ewald, 168b, renders as a particip. by audiendum; but that also does not commend itself, for נשמע signifies nothing else than auditum, and acquires the meaning of audiendum when from the empirical matter of fact that which is inwardly necessary is concluded; the translation: The final word of the whole is to be heard, audiendum est, would only be admissible of also the translation auditum est were possible, which is not the case. Is נשׁמע thus possibly the pausal form of the finite נשׁמע? We might explain: The end of the matter (summa summarum), all is heard, when, viz., that which follows is heard, which comprehends all that is to be known. Or as Hoelem.: Enough, all is heard, since, viz., that which is given in the book to be learned contains the essence of all true knowledge, viz., the following two fundamental doctrines. This retrospective reference of hakol nishm'a is more natural than the prospective reference; but, on the other hand, it is also more probable that soph davar denotes the final resultat than that it denotes the conclusion of the discourse. The right explanation will be that which combines the retrospective reference of nakol nishm'a and the resultative reference of soph davar. Accordingly, Mendelss. appears to us to be correct when he explains: After thou hast heard all the words of the wise ... this is the final result, etc. Finis (summa) reî omnia audita is = omnibus auditis, for the sentence denoting the conditions remains externally undesignated, in the same way as at Ecc 10:14; Deu 21:1; Ezr 10:6 (Ewald, 341b). After the clause, soph ... nishm'a, Athnach stands where we put a colon: the mediating hocce est is omitted just as at Ecc 7:12 (where translate: yet the preference of knowledge is this, that, etc.). The sentence, eth-naeolohim yera ("fear God"), repeating itself from Ecc 5:6, is the kernel and the star of the whole book, the highest moral demand which mitigates its pessimism and hallows its eudaemonism. The admonition proceeding therefrom, "and keep His commandments," is included in lishmo'a, Ecc 5:1, which places the hearing of the divine word, viz., a hearing for the purpose of observing, as the very soul of the worship of God above all the opus operatum of ceremonial services. The connection of the clause, ki-zeh kol-haadam, Hitzig mediates in an unnecessary, roundabout way: "but not thou alone, but this ought every man." But why this negative here introduced to stamp כי as an immo establishing it? It is also certainly suitable as the immediate confirmation of the rectitude of the double admonition finally expressing all. The clause has the form of a simple judgment, it is a substantival clause, the briefest expression for the thought which is intended. What is that thought? The lxx renders: ὃτι τοῦτο πᾶς ὁ ἄνθρωπος; also Symm. and the Venet. render kol haadam by πᾶς ὁ ἄνθρ., and an unnamed translator has ὃλος ὁ ἄνθρ., according to which also the translation of Jerome is to be understood, hoc est enim omnis homo. Thus among the moderns, Herzf., Ewald, Elst., and Heiligst.: for that is the whole man, viz., as to his destiny, the end of his existence (cf. as to the subject-matter, Job 28:28); and v. Hofmann (Schriftbew. II 2, p. 456): this is the whole of man, viz., as Grotius explains: totum hominis bonum; or as Dale and Bullock: "the whole duty of man;" or as Tyler: "the universal law (כל, like the Mishnic כּלל) of man;" or as Hoelem.: that which gives to man for the first time his true and full worth. Knobel also suggests for consideration this rendering: this is the all of man, i.e., on this all with man rests. But against this there is the one fact, that kol-haadam never signifies the whole man, and as little anywhere the whole (the all) of a man. It signifies either "all men" (πάντες οἱ ἄνθρωποι, οἱ πά ἄνθρ οἱ ἄνθρ πά), as at Ecc 7:2, hu soph kol-haadam, or, of the same meaning as kol-haadam, "every man" (πᾶς ἄντηρωπος), as at Ecc 3:13; Ecc 5:18 (lxx, also Ecc 7:2 : τοῦτο τέλος παντὸς ἀντηρώπου); and it is yet more than improbable that the common expression, instead of which haadam kullo was available, should here have been used in a sense elsewhere unexampled. Continuing in the track of the usus loq., and particularly of the style of the author, we shall thus have to translate: "for this is every man." If we use for it: "for this is every man's," the clause becomes at once distinct; Zirkel renders kol-haadam as genit., and reckons the expression among the Graecisms of the book: παντὸς ἀντηρώπου, Ϛιζ., πρᾶγμα. Or if, with Knobel, Hitz., Bttch., and Ginsburg, we might borrow a verb to supplement the preceding imperat.: "for this ought every man to do," we should also in this way gain the meaning to be expected; but the clause lying before us is certainly a substantival clause, like meh haadam, Ecc 2:12, not an elliptical verbal clause, like Isa 23:5; Isa 26:9, where the verb to be supplied easily unfolds itself from the ל of the end of the movement. We have here a case which is frequent in the Semitic languages, in which subj. and pred. are connected in the form of a simple judgment, and it is left for the hearer to find out the relation sustained by the pred. to the subj. - e.g., Psa 110:3; Psa 109:4, "I am prayer;" and in the Book of Koheleth, Ecc 3:19, "the children of men are a chance." (Note: Vid., Fleischer's Abh. . einige Arten der Nominalapposition, 1862, and Philippi's St. const. p. 90ff.) In the same way we have here to explain: for that is every man, viz., according to his destiny and duty; excellently, Luther: for that belongs to all men. With right, Hahn, like Bauer (1732), regards the pronoun as pred. (not subj. as at Ecc 7:2): "this, i.e., this constituted, that they must do this, are all men," or rather: this = under obligation thereto, is every man. (Note: Hitz. thus renders היא, Jer 45:4, predicat.: "And it is such, all the world.") It is a great thought that is thereby expressed, viz., the reduction of the Israelitish law to its common human essence. This has not escaped the old Jewish teachers. What can this mean: zeh kol-haadam? it is asked, Berachoth 6b; and R. Elazar answers: "The whole world is comprehended therein;" and R. Abba bar-Cahana: "This fundamental law is of the same importance to the universe;" and R. Simeon b. Azzai: "The universe has been created only for the purpose of being commanded this." (Note: Cf. Jer. Nedarim ix. 3: "Thou oughtest to love thy neighbour as thyself," says R. Akiba, is a principal sentence in the Law. Ben-Azzai says: "The words zěh ... adam (Gen 5:1) are it in a yet higher degree," because therein the oneness of the origin and the destiny of all men is contained. Aben Ezra alludes to the same thing, when at the close of his Comm. he remarks: "The secret of the non-use of the divine name יהוה in Gen 1:1-2:3 is the secret of the Book of Koheleth.")

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]

"The final result, after all is learned, (is this): Fear God and keep His commandments; for this is the end of every man." Many expositors, as Jerome, the Venet., and Luther, render נשׁמע as fut.: The conclusion of the discourse we would all hear (Salomon); or: The conclusion of the whole discourse or matter let us hear (Panzer, 1773, de Wette-Augusti); Hitzig also takes together soph davar hakol = soph davar kol-haddavar: The end of the whole discourse let us hear. But הכּל for כּלּנוּ is contrary to the style of the book; and as a general rule, the author uses הכל for the most part of things, seldom of persons. And also soph davar hakol, which it would be better to explain ("the final word of the whole"), with Ewald, 291a, after yemē-olam mosheh, Isa 63:11, than it is explained by Hitzig, although, in spite of Philippi's (Sta. const. p. 17) doubt, possible in point of style, and also exemplified in the later period of the language (Ch1 9:13), is yet a stylistic crudeness which the author could have avoided either by writing soph devar hakol, or better, soph kol-haddavar. נשׁמע, Ewald, 168b, renders as a particip. by audiendum; but that also does not commend itself, for נשמע signifies nothing else than auditum, and acquires the meaning of audiendum when from the empirical matter of fact that which is inwardly necessary is concluded; the translation: The final word of the whole is to be heard, audiendum est, would only be admissible of also the translation auditum est were possible, which is not the case. Is נשׁמע thus possibly the pausal form of the finite נשׁמע? We might explain: The end of the matter (summa summarum), all is heard, when, viz., that which follows is heard, which comprehends all that is to be known. Or as Hoelem.: Enough, all is heard, since, viz., that which is given in the book to be learned contains the essence of all true knowledge, viz., the following two fundamental doctrines. This retrospective reference of hakol nishm'a is more natural than the prospective reference; but, on the other hand, it is also more probable that soph davar denotes the final resultat than that it denotes the conclusion of the discourse. The right explanation will be that which combines the retrospective reference of nakol nishm'a and the resultative reference of soph davar. Accordingly, Mendelss. appears to us to be correct when he explains: After thou hast heard all the words of the wise ... this is the final result, etc. Finis (summa) reî omnia audita is = omnibus auditis, for the sentence denoting the conditions remains externally undesignated, in the same way as at Ecc 10:14; Deu 21:1; Ezr 10:6 (Ewald, 341b). After the clause, soph ... nishm'a, Athnach stands where we put a colon: the mediating hocce est is omitted just as at Ecc 7:12 (where translate: yet the preference of knowledge is this, that, etc.).

The sentence, eth-naeolohim yera ("fear God"), repeating itself from Ecc 5:6, is the kernel and the star of the whole book, the highest moral demand which mitigates its pessimism and hallows its eudaemonism. The admonition proceeding therefrom, "and keep His commandments," is included in lishmo'a, Ecc 5:1, which places the hearing of the divine word, viz., a hearing for the purpose of observing, as the very soul of the worship of God above all the opus operatum of ceremonial services.

The connection of the clause, ki-zeh kol-haadam, Hitzig mediates in an unnecessary, roundabout way: "but not thou alone, but this ought every man." But why this negative here introduced to stamp כי as an immo establishing it? It is also certainly suitable as the immediate confirmation of the rectitude of the double admonition finally expressing all. The clause has the form of a simple judgment, it is a substantival clause, the briefest expression for the thought which is intended. What is that thought? The lxx renders: ὃτι τοῦτο πᾶς ὁ ἄνθρωπος; also Symm. and the Venet. render kol haadam by πᾶς ὁ ἄνθρ., and an unnamed translator has ὃλος ὁ ἄνθρ., according to which also the translation of Jerome is to be understood, hoc est enim omnis homo. Thus among the moderns, Herzf., Ewald, Elst., and Heiligst.: for that is the whole man, viz., as to his destiny, the end of his existence (cf. as to the subject-matter, Job 28:28); and v. Hofmann (Schriftbew. II 2, p. 456): this is the whole of man, viz., as Grotius explains: totum hominis bonum; or as Dale and Bullock: "the whole duty of man;" or as Tyler: "the universal law (כל, like the Mishnic כּלל) of man;" or as Hoelem.: that which gives to man for the first time his true and full worth. Knobel also suggests for consideration this rendering: this is the all of man, i.e., on this all with man rests. But against this there is the one fact, that kol-haadam never signifies the whole man, and as little anywhere the whole (the all) of a man. It signifies either "all men" (πάντες οἱ ἄνθρωποι, οἱ πά ἄνθρ οἱ ἄνθρ πά), as at Ecc 7:2, hu soph kol-haadam, or, of the same meaning as kol-haadam, "every man" (πᾶς ἄντηρωπος), as at Ecc 3:13; Ecc 5:18 (lxx, also Ecc 7:2 : τοῦτο τέλος παντὸς ἀντηρώπου); and it is yet more than improbable that the common expression, instead of which haadam kullo was available, should here have been used in a sense elsewhere unexampled. Continuing in the track of the usus loq., and particularly of the style of the author, we shall thus have to translate: "for this is every man." If we use for it: "for this is every man's," the clause becomes at once distinct; Zirkel renders kol-haadam as genit., and reckons the expression among the Graecisms of the book: παντὸς ἀντηρώπου, Ϛιζ., πρᾶγμα. Or if, with Knobel, Hitz., Bttch., and Ginsburg, we might borrow a verb to supplement the preceding imperat.: "for this ought every man to do," we should also in this way gain the meaning to be expected; but the clause lying before us is certainly a substantival clause, like meh haadam, Ecc 2:12, not an elliptical verbal clause, like Isa 23:5; Isa 26:9, where the verb to be supplied easily unfolds itself from the ל of the end of the movement.

We have here a case which is frequent in the Semitic languages, in which subj. and pred. are connected in the form of a simple judgment, and it is left for the hearer to find out the relation sustained by the pred. to the subj. - e.g., Psa 110:3; Psa 109:4, "I am prayer;" and in the Book of Koheleth, Ecc 3:19, "the children of men are a chance."

(Note: Vid., Fleischer's Abh. . einige Arten der Nominalapposition, 1862, and Philippi's St. const. p. 90ff.)

In the same way we have here to explain: for that is every man, viz., according to his destiny and duty; excellently, Luther: for that belongs to all men. With right, Hahn, like Bauer (1732), regards the pronoun as pred. (not subj. as at Ecc 7:2): "this, i.e., this constituted, that they must do this, are all men," or rather: this = under obligation thereto, is every man.

(Note: Hitz. thus renders היא, Jer 45:4, predicat.: "And it is such, all the world.")

It is a great thought that is thereby expressed, viz., the reduction of the Israelitish law to its common human essence. This has not escaped the old Jewish teachers. What can this mean: zeh kol-haadam? it is asked, Berachoth 6b; and R. Elazar answers: "The whole world is comprehended therein;" and R. Abba bar-Cahana: "This fundamental law is of the same importance to the universe;" and R. Simeon b. Azzai: "The universe has been created only for the purpose of being commanded this."

(Note: Cf. Jer. Nedarim ix. 3: "Thou oughtest to love thy neighbour as thyself," says R. Akiba, is a principal sentence in the Law. Ben-Azzai says: "The words zěh ... adam (Gen 5:1) are it in a yet higher degree," because therein the oneness of the origin and the destiny of all men is contained. Aben Ezra alludes to the same thing, when at the close of his Comm. he remarks: "The secret of the non-use of the divine name יהוה in Gen 1:1-2:3 is the secret of the Book of Koheleth.")

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
The conclusion - The sum of all that hath been said or written by wise men. Fear God - Which is put here, for all the inward worship of God, reverence, and love, and trust, and a devotedness of heart to serve and please him. The whole - It is his whole work and business, his whole perfection and happiness; it is the sum of what he need either know, or do, or enjoy.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
After all, the sum of the great business of human life is comprised in this short sentence, on which some millions of books have been already written! Fear God, and Keep His Commandments 1. Know that He Is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. 2. Reverence him; pay him adoration. 3. Love him, that you may be happy. Keep his commandments - They are contained in two words: 1. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart;" 2. "And thy neighbor as thyself." Blessed be God, much reading and much study are not necessary to accomplish this, which is called כל האדם col haadam, the whole of Adam; the whole that God required of the first man and of all his posterity. But the gospel of Jesus Christ must be understood to comprehend the full force of this short saying. The word duty, added here by our translators, spoils, if not Perverts, the sense. The whole passage is rendered with great simplicity by Coverdale: - "The same preacher was not wyse alone: but taught the people knowledge also. He gave good hede, sought out the grounde, and set forth many parables. His diligence was to fynde out acceptable wordes, right scripture, and the wordes of trueth. For the wordes of the wyse are like prickes and nales that go thorow, wherewith men are kepte together: for they are geven of one Shepherd onely. Therefore be warre (my sonne) that above these thou make thee not many and innumerable bookes, nor take dyverse doctrynes in hande, to weery thy body withall. "Let us heare the conclusion of all thinges; Feare God, and kepe his comaundementes, for that toucheth all men; for God shall judge all workes and secrete thinges, whether they be good or evell." I shall give the same from my old MS. Bible: - And wan Ecclesiastes was most wiis he taght the peple, and told out what he had don, and enserchinge maade many parablis. He soght profitable wordis, and wrote most right sermons, and ful of trewth, The wordis of wismen as prickis and as nailis into herte pigt: that bi the counseyle of maisteris ben geven of oon scheperd. More thann thes sone myn, ne seche thou; of making many bokes is noon eend, and oft bethinking is tormenting of the flesche. Eend of spekinge alle togydir heere mee. Drede God, and his hestis kepe; that is eche man. Alle thingis that ben maad schal bringen into dome, for eche erid thinge, whithir good or evyl it be.

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¹⁴ Blessed [3107] are they that do [4160] his [846] commandments [1785], that [2443] they [846] may have [2071] right [1849] to [1909] the tree [3586] of life [2222], and [2532] may enter [1525] in through the gates [4440] into [1519] the city [4172].

²² And [2532] whatsoever [3739] [1437] we ask [154], we receive [2983] of [3844] him [846], because [3754] we keep [5083] his [846] commandments [1785], and [2532] do [4160] those things that are pleasing [701] in his [846] sight [1799].
²³ And [2532] this [3778] is [2076] his [846] commandment [1785], That [2443] we should believe [4100] on the name [3686] of his [846] Son [5207] Jesus [2424] Christ [5547], and [2532] love [25] one another [240], as [2531] he gave [1325] us [2254] commandment [1785].
²⁴ And [2532] he that keepeth [5083] his [846] commandments [1785] dwelleth [3306] in [1722] him [846], and [2532] he [846] in [1722] him [846]. And [2532] hereby [1722] [5129] we know [1097] that [3754] he abideth [3306] in [1722] us [2254], by [1537] the Spirit [4151] which [3739] he hath given [1325] us [2254].

¹ Remember [02142] now thy Creator [01254] in the days [03117] of thy youth [0979], while the evil [07451] days [03117] come [0935] not, nor the years [08141] draw nigh [05060], when thou shalt say [0559], I have no pleasure [02656] in them;

⁹ Rejoice [08055], O young man [0970], in thy youth [03208]; and let thy heart [03820] cheer [02895] thee in the days [03117] of thy youth [0979], and walk [01980] in the ways [01870] of thine heart [03820], and in the sight [04758] of thine eyes [05869]: but know [03045] thou, that for all these things God [0430] will bring [0935] thee into judgment [04941].

¹⁷ Then I beheld [07200] all the work [04639] of God [0430], that a man [0120] cannot [03201] find out [04672] the work [04639] that is done [06213] under the sun [08121]: because [0834] though [07945] a man [0120] labour [05998] to seek it out [01245], yet he shall not find [04672] it; yea further; though a wise [02450] man think [0559] to know [03045] it, yet shall he not be able [03201] to find [04672] it.

¹³ But it shall not be well [02896] with the wicked [07563], neither shall he prolong [0748] his days [03117], which are as a shadow [06738]; because he feareth [03373] not before [06440] God [0430].

² It is better [02896] to go [03212] to the house [01004] of mourning [060], than to go [03212] to the house [01004] of feasting [04960]: for [0834] that is the end [05490] of all men [0120]; and the living [02416] will lay [05414] it to his heart [03820].
³ Sorrow [03708] is better [02896] than laughter [07814]: for by the sadness [07455] of the countenance [06440] the heart [03820] is made better [03190].
⁴ The heart [03820] of the wise [02450] is in the house [01004] of mourning [060]; but the heart [03820] of fools [03684] is in the house [01004] of mirth [08057].
⁵ It is better [02896] to hear [08085] the rebuke [01606] of the wise [02450], than for a man [0376] to hear [08085] the song [07892] of fools [03684].

² I said [0559] of laughter [07814], It is mad [01984]: and of mirth [08057], What [02090] doeth [06213] it?

¹² Though a sinner [02398] do [06213] evil [07451] an hundred times [03967], and his days be prolonged [0748], yet surely I know [03045] that it shall be well [02896] with them that fear [03373] God [0430], which fear [03372] before [06440] him:
¹³ But it shall not be well [02896] with the wicked [07563], neither shall he prolong [0748] his days [03117], which are as a shadow [06738]; because he feareth [03373] not before [06440] God [0430].

¹⁸ It is good [02896] that thou shouldest take hold [0270] of this; yea, also from this [02088] withdraw [03240] not thine hand [03027]: for he that feareth [03373] God [0430] shall come forth [03318] of them all.

¹⁶ Be not righteous [06662] over much [07235]; neither make thyself over [03148] wise [02449]: why shouldest thou destroy [08074] thyself?

¹ This [02088] is the book [05612] of the generations [08435] of Adam [0121]. In the day [03117] that God [0430] created [01254] man [0120], in the likeness [01823] of God [0430] made [06213] he him;

⁴ Thus shalt thou say [0559] unto him, The LORD [03068] saith [0559] thus; Behold, that which I have built [01129] will I break down [02040], and that which I have planted [05193] I will pluck up [05428], even this whole land [0776].

¹⁹ For that which befalleth [04745] the sons [01121] of men [0120] befalleth [04745] beasts [0929]; even one thing [0259] befalleth [04745] them: as the one dieth [04194], so dieth [04194] the other [02088]; yea, they have all one [0259] breath [07307]; so that a man [0120] hath no preeminence [04195] above a beast [0929]: for all is vanity [01892].

⁴ For my love [0160] they are my adversaries [07853]: but I give myself unto prayer [08605].

³ Thy people [05971] shall be willing [05071] in the day [03117] of thy power [02428], in the beauties [01926] of holiness [06944] from the womb [07358] of the morning [04891]: thou hast the dew [02919] of thy youth [03208].

⁹ With my soul [05315] have I desired [0183] thee in the night [03915]; yea, with my spirit [07307] within [07130] me will I seek thee early [07836]: for when thy judgments [04941] are in the earth [0776], the inhabitants [03427] of the world [08398] will learn [03925] righteousness [06664].

⁵ As at the report [08088] concerning Egypt [04714], so shall they be sorely pained [02342] at the report [08088] of Tyre [06865].

¹² And I turned [06437] myself to behold [07200] wisdom [02451], and madness [01947], and folly [05531]: for what can the man [0120] do that cometh [0935] after [0310] the king [04428]? even that which hath been already [03528] done [06213].

¹⁸ Behold that which I have seen [07200]: it is good [02896] and comely [03303] for one to eat [0398] and to drink [08354], and to enjoy [07200] the good [02896] of all his labour [05999] that he taketh [05998] under the sun [08121] all [04557] the days [03117] of his life [02416], which God [0430] giveth [05414] him: for it is his portion [02506].

¹³ And also that every man [0120] should eat [0398] and drink [08354], and enjoy [07200] the good [02896] of all his labour [05999], it is the gift [04991] of God [0430].

²⁸ And unto man [0120] he said [0559], Behold, the fear [03374] of the Lord [0136], that is wisdom [02451]; and to depart [05493] from evil [07451] is understanding [0998].

¹ Keep [08104] thy foot [07272] when thou goest [03212] to the house [01004] of God [0430], and be more ready [07138] to hear [08085], than to give [05414] the sacrifice [02077] of fools [03684]: for they consider [03045] not that they do [06213] evil [07451].

⁶ Suffer [05414] not thy mouth [06310] to cause thy flesh [01320] to sin [02398]; neither say [0559] thou before [06440] the angel [04397], that it was an error [07684]: wherefore should God [0430] be angry [07107] at thy voice [06963], and destroy [02254] the work [04639] of thine hands [03027]?

¹² For wisdom [02451] is a defence [06738], and money [03701] is a defence [06738]: but the excellency [03504] of knowledge [01847] is, that wisdom [02451] giveth life [02421] to them that have [01167] it.

⁶ Then Ezra [05830] rose up [06965] from before [06440] the house [01004] of God [0430], and went [03212] into the chamber [03957] of Johanan [03076] the son [01121] of Eliashib [0475]: and when he came [03212] thither, he did eat [0398] no bread [03899], nor drink [08354] water [04325]: for he mourned [056] because of the transgression [04604] of them that had been carried away [01473].

¹ If one be found [04672] slain [02491] in the land [0127] which the LORD [03068] thy God [0430] giveth [05414] thee to possess [03423] it, lying [05307] in the field [07704], and it be not known [03045] who hath slain [05221] him:

¹⁴ A fool [05530] also is full [07235] of words [01697]: a man [0120] cannot tell [03045] what shall be; and what shall be after [0310] him, who can tell [05046] him?

¹³ And their brethren [0251], heads [07218] of the house [01004] of their fathers [01], a thousand [0505] and seven [07651] hundred [03967] and threescore [08346]; very able [02428] men [01368] for the work [04399] of the service [05656] of the house [01004] of God [0430].

¹¹ Then he remembered [02142] the days [03117] of old [05769], Moses [04872], and his people [05971], saying, Where is he that brought them up [05927] out of the sea [03220] with the shepherd [07462] of his flock [06629]? where is he that put [07760] his holy [06944] Spirit [07307] within [07130] him?