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A Collection of Wise Teachings

A good reputation is better than expensive pleasures.[a]
    The day someone dies is better than the day they were born.
It is better to go to a funeral than to a party,
    because everyone must die,
    and the living need to remember this.

Sorrow is even better than laughter,
    because when our face is sad, our heart becomes good.
A wise person thinks about death,
    but a fool thinks only about having a good time.
It is better to be criticized by the wise
    than praised by the foolish.
The laughter of fools is such a waste.
    It is like thorns burning under a pot.
The thorns burn so quickly
    that the pot does not get hot.[b]
Even the wise will forget their wisdom,
    if someone pays them enough.
    That money destroys their understanding.
It is better to finish something
    than to start it.
It is better to be gentle and patient
    than to be proud and impatient.
Don’t become angry quickly,
    because anger is foolish.
10 Don’t say, “Life was better in the ‘good old days.’
    What happened?”
    Wisdom does not lead us to ask that question.

11 Wisdom is better if you also have property. Wise people[c] will get more than enough wealth. 12 Wisdom and money can protect you. But knowledge gained through wisdom is even better—it can save your life.

13 Look at what God has made. You cannot change a thing, even if you think it is wrong. 14 When life is good, enjoy it. But when life is hard, remember that God gives us good times and hard times. And no one knows what will happen in the future.

People Cannot Really Be Good

15 In my short life, I have seen everything. I have seen good people die young, and I have seen evil people live long lives. 16-17 So why ruin your life? Don’t be too good or too bad, and don’t be too wise or too foolish. Why should you die before your time?

18 Try to be a little of this and a little of that.[d] Even God’s followers will do some good things and some bad things. 19-20 Surely there is no one on earth who always does good and never sins. But wisdom can make one person stronger than ten leaders in a city.

21 Don’t listen to everything people say. You might hear your own servant saying bad things about you. 22 And you know that many times you too have said bad things about other people.

23 I used my wisdom and thought about all these things. I wanted to be wise, but I couldn’t do it. 24 I cannot understand why things are as they are. It is too hard for anyone to understand. 25 I studied and I tried very hard to find true wisdom. I tried to find a reason for everything.

I did learn that it is foolish to be evil, and it is crazy to act like a fool. 26 I also found that some women are dangerous like traps. Their hearts are like nets, and their arms are like chains. It is worse than death to be caught by these women. God’s followers should run away from them. Let the sinners be caught by them.

27-28 The Teacher says, “I added all this together to see what answer I could find. I am still looking for answers, but I did find this: I found one good man in a thousand. But I did not find even one good woman.

29 “There is one other thing I have learned. God made people good, but they have found many ways to be bad.”

Wisdom and Power

No one can understand and explain things the way wise people can. Their wisdom makes them happy. It changes a sad face into a happy one.

I say you should always obey the king’s command. Do this because you made a promise to God. Don’t be afraid to give suggestions to the king, and don’t support something that is wrong. But remember, the king gives the commands that please him. He has the authority to give commands, and no one can tell him what to do. People will be safe if they obey his command. But wise people know the right time to do this, and they also know when to do the right thing.

There is a right time and a right way to do everything. You must decide what you should do, even when it might cause problems and you are not sure what will happen. No one can tell you what will happen in the future.

No one has the power to keep their spirit from leaving or to stop their death. During war, no soldier has the freedom to go wherever he wants. In the same way evil does not allow anyone who does wrong to go free.

I saw all this. I thought very hard about the things that happen in this world. I saw that people always struggle for the power to rule others, and this is bad for them.

10 I also saw great and beautiful funerals for evil people. While the people were going home after the funeral services, they said good things about the evil people who had died. This happened even in the same towns where the evil people had done many bad things. This is senseless.

Justice, Rewards, and Punishment

11 Sometimes people are not immediately punished for the bad things they do. Their punishment is slow to come, and that makes other people want to do bad things too.

12 A sinner might do a hundred evil things and still live a long time. But I know that it is still better to obey and respect God. 13 Evil people don’t respect God, so they will not get good things or live long lives. Their lives will not be like the shadows that become longer and longer as the sun goes down.

14 There is something else that happens on earth that does not seem fair. Bad things should happen to bad people, and good things should happen to good people. But sometimes bad things happen to good people, and good things happen to bad people. This is not fair. 15 So I decided it was more important to enjoy life because the best thing people can do in this life[e] is to eat, drink, and enjoy life. At least that will help people enjoy the hard work God gave them to do during their life on earth.

We Cannot Understand All God Does

16 I carefully studied the things people do in this life. I saw how busy people are. They work day and night, and they almost never sleep. 17 I also saw that no one can understand all that God does. People can try and try to understand the things that happen here on earth, but they cannot. There may be wise people who claim to understand the meaning of these things, but they are wrong. No one can understand it all.

Is Death Fair?

I thought about all this very carefully. I saw that God controls what happens to the good and wise people and what they do. People don’t know if they will be loved or hated, and they don’t know what will happen in the future.

But, there is one thing that happens to everyone—we all die! Death comes to good people and bad people. Death comes to those who are pure and to those who are not pure. Death comes to those who give sacrifices and to those who don’t give sacrifices. Good people will die just as sinners do. Those who make promises to God will die just as those who are afraid to make those promises.

Of all the things that happen in this life, the worst thing is that all people end life the same way. But it is also very bad that people always think evil and foolish thoughts. And those thoughts lead to death. There is hope for those who are still alive—it does not matter who they are. But this saying is true:

A living dog is better than a dead lion.

The living know that they will die, but the dead don’t know anything. They have no more reward. People will soon forget them. After people are dead, their love, hate, and jealousy are all gone. And they will never again share in what happens on earth.

Enjoy Life While You Can

So go and eat your food now and enjoy it. Drink your wine and be happy. It is all right with God if you do these things. Wear nice clothes and make yourself look good. Enjoy life with the wife you love. Enjoy every day of your short life. God has given you this short life on earth—and it is all you have. So enjoy the work you have to do in this life. 10 Every time you find work to do, do it the best you can. In the grave there is no work. There is no thinking, no knowledge, and there is no wisdom. And we are all going to the place of death.

Life Is Not Fair

11 I also saw other things in this life that were not fair. The fastest runner does not always win the race; the strongest soldier does not always win the battle; wise people don’t always get the food; smart people don’t always get the wealth; educated people don’t always get the praise they deserve. When the time comes, bad things can happen to anyone!

12 You never know when hard times will come. Like fish in a net or birds in a snare, people are often trapped by some disaster that suddenly falls on them.

The Power of Wisdom

13 I also saw a person doing a wise thing in this life, and it seemed very important to me. 14 There was a small town with a few people in it. A great king fought against that town and put his armies all around it. 15 But there was a wise man in that town. He was poor, but he used his wisdom to save his town. After everything was finished, the people forgot about the poor man. 16 But I still say that wisdom is better than strength. They forgot about the poor man’s wisdom, and the people stopped listening to what he said. But I still believe that wisdom is better.

17 Words spoken by the wise are heard more clearly
    than those shouted by a leader among fools.
18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war,
    but one fool[f] can destroy much good.

10 A few dead flies will make even the best perfume stink. In the same way, a little foolishness can ruin much wisdom and honor.

The thoughts of the wise lead them the right way, but the thoughts of the foolish lead them the wrong way. Fools show how foolish they are, just walking down the road. Their minds are empty, and everyone knows it.

Don’t quit your job simply because the boss is angry with you. If you remain calm and helpful, you can correct even great mistakes.[g]

Here is something else that I have seen in this life[h] that isn’t fair. It is the kind of mistake that rulers make. Fools are given important positions, while the rich get jobs that are not important. I have seen servants riding on horses, while rulers were walking beside them like slaves.

Every Job Has Its Dangers

If you dig a hole, you might fall into it. If you break down a wall, you might be bitten by a snake. If you are moving large stones, you might be hurt by them. If you cut down a tree, you are in danger of it falling on you.

10 But wisdom will make any job easier. It is very hard to cut with a dull knife. But if you sharpen the knife, the job is easier.

11 Someone might know how to control snakes. But that skill is useless if a snake bites when that person is not around.

12 Words from the wise bring praise,
    but words from a fool bring destruction.

13 Fools begin by saying something foolish. But in the end, they speak nonsense. 14 Fools are always talking about what they will do, but you never know what will happen. People cannot tell what will happen in the future.

15 Fools aren’t smart enough to find their way home,
    so they must work hard all their lives.

The Value of Work

16 It is very bad for a country if the king is like a child. And it is very bad for a country if its rulers use all their time eating. 17 But it is very good for a country if the king comes from a good family.[i] And it is very good for a country if the rulers control their eating and drinking. They eat and drink to become strong, not to become drunk.

18 If someone is too lazy to work,
    their house will begin to leak, and the roof will fall in.

19 People enjoy eating, and wine makes life happier. But money solves a lot of problems.

Gossip

20 Don’t say bad things about the king. Don’t even think bad things about him. And don’t say bad things about rich people, even if you are alone in your home. A little bird might fly and tell them everything you said.

Boldly Face the Future

11 Do good wherever you go.[j] After a while, the good you do will come back to you.

Invest what you have in several different things.[k] You don’t know what bad things might happen on earth.

There are some things you can be sure of. If clouds are full of rain, they will pour water on the earth. If a tree falls—to the south or to the north—then it will stay where it falls.

But there are some things that you cannot be sure of. You must take a chance. If you wait for perfect weather, you will never plant your seeds. If you are afraid that every cloud will bring rain, you will never harvest your crops.

You don’t know where the wind blows. And you don’t know how a baby grows in its mother’s womb. In the same way, you don’t know what God will do—and he makes everything happen.

So begin planting early in the morning, and don’t stop working until evening. You don’t know what might make you rich. Maybe everything you do will be successful.

It is good to be alive. It is nice to see the light from the sun. You should enjoy every day of your life, no matter how long you live. But remember that you will die, and you will be dead much longer than you were alive. And after you are dead, you cannot do anything.

Serve God While You Are Young

So young people, enjoy yourselves while you are young. Be happy. Do whatever your heart leads you to do. Do whatever you want, but remember that God will judge you for everything you do. 10 Don’t let your anger control you, and don’t let your body lead you to sin.[l] People do foolish things in the dawn of life while they are young.

The Problems of Old Age

12 Remember your Creator while you are young, before the bad times come—before the years come when you say, “I have wasted my life.”[m]

Remember your Creator while you are young, before the time comes when the sun and the moon and the stars become dark to you—before problems come again and again like one storm after another.

At that time your arms will lose their strength. Your legs will become weak and bent. Your teeth will fall out, and you will not be able to chew your food. Your eyes will not see clearly. You will become hard of hearing. You will not hear the noise in the streets. Even the stone grinding your grain will seem quiet to you. You will not be able to hear the women singing. But even the sound of a bird singing will wake you early in the morning because you will not be able to sleep.

You will be afraid of high places. You will be afraid of tripping over every small thing in your path. Your hair will become white like the flowers on an almond tree. You will drag yourself along like a grasshopper when you walk. You will lose your desire,[n] and then you will go to your eternal home. The mourners will gather in the streets as they carry your body to the grave.

Death

Remember your Creator while you are young,
    before the silver rope snaps and the golden bowl is crushed
like a jar broken at the well,
    like a stone cover on a well that breaks and falls in.
Your body came from the earth.
    And when you die, it will return to the earth.
But your spirit came from God,
    and when you die, it will return to him.

Everything is so meaningless. The Teacher says that it is all a waste of time![o]

Final Words of Advice

The Teacher was very wise. He used his wisdom to teach the people. He very carefully studied and arranged[p] many wise teachings. 10 The Teacher tried very hard to find the right words, and he wrote the teachings that are true and dependable.

11 Words from the wise are like sharp goads. When these sayings are written down and saved, they can be used to guide people, just as a shepherd uses a sharp stick to make his sheep go the right way. 12 So, son, study these sayings, but be careful about other teachings. People are always writing books, and too much study will make you very tired.

13-14 Now, what should we learn from everything that is written in this book?[q] The most important thing a person can do is to respect God and obey his commands, because he knows about everything people do—even the secret things. He knows about all the good and all the bad, and he will judge people for everything they do.

Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 7:1 A good reputation … pleasures Literally, “better a name than good perfume.” This is a wordplay in Hebrew. The word for “name” and the word for “perfume” sound alike.
  2. Ecclesiastes 7:6 Or “The cackling of fools, like the crackling of thorns under a pot, is senseless.”
  3. Ecclesiastes 7:11 Wise people Literally, “People who see the sun.” This means wise people can see and plan what they should do.
  4. Ecclesiastes 7:18 Try … of that Or “Hold onto this, but don’t let go of that.”
  5. Ecclesiastes 8:15 in this life Literally, “under the sun.” Also in verse 16 and 9:3, 9, 11, 13.
  6. Ecclesiastes 9:18 fool Literally, “sinner.”
  7. Ecclesiastes 10:4 If you … great mistakes Literally, “A healer can put to rest great sins.” The word “healer” means a person who is forgiving and tries to help other people.
  8. Ecclesiastes 10:5 in this life Literally, “under the sun.”
  9. Ecclesiastes 10:17 comes from a good family Literally, “is a son of freedmen.” This is a person who was never a slave and whose parents were not slaves.
  10. Ecclesiastes 11:1 Do good … go Or “Throw your bread on the water.”
  11. Ecclesiastes 11:2 Invest … different things Or “Give a part to seven, or even eight.”
  12. Ecclesiastes 11:10 Don’t let … sin Or “Don’t worry about things. Protect yourself from troubles.”
  13. Ecclesiastes 12:1 I have wasted my life Literally, “I take no pleasure in them.” This might mean “I don’t like the things I did when I was young” or “I don’t enjoy life now that I am old.”
  14. Ecclesiastes 12:5 desire Or “appetite” or “sexual desire.” The Hebrew text here is hard to understand.
  15. Ecclesiastes 12:8 meaningless … a waste of time The Hebrew word means “vapor,” “breath,” or “something that is useless, meaningless, empty, wrong, or a waste of time.”
  16. Ecclesiastes 12:9 arranged This Hebrew word means “to make straight,” “arrange,” “correct,” or “edit.”
  17. Ecclesiastes 12:13 Now … book Literally, “The sum of the matter, when all is heard, is ….”

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