The beginning of the words of his mouth {is} foolishness: and the end of his talk {is} mischievous madness. {his talk: Heb. his mouth}

Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow: for thus saith the LORD God of Israel, {There is} an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.

Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun.

Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,

And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, {that} wickedness {was} there; and the place of righteousness, {that} iniquity {was} there.

Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, {counting} one by one, to find out the account: {counting...: or, weighing one thing after another, to find out the reason}

Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also {is} vanity. {happeneth even...: Heb. happeneth to me, even to me}

And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also {is} vanity.

Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly.

And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what {can} the man {do} that cometh after the king? {even} that which hath been already done. {even...: or, in those things which have been already done}

And she answered him, Nay, my brother, do not force me; for no such thing ought to be done in Israel: do not thou this folly. {force...: Heb. humble me} {no such...: Heb. it ought not so to be done}

Righteous {art} thou, O LORD, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk with thee of {thy} judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? {wherefore} are all they happy that deal very treacherously? {talk...: or, reason the case with thee}

And the sons of Jacob came out of the field when they heard {it}: and the men were grieved, and they were very wroth, because he had wrought folly in Israel in lying with Jacob's daughter; which thing ought not to be done.

And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all {things} that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith. {to be...: or, to afflict them}

For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, 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. {I considered...: Heb. I gave, or, set to my heart}

As a dog returneth to his vomit, {so} a fool returneth to his folly. {returneth to his folly: Heb. iterateth his folly}

So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, {and} apply thine heart to understanding;

And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what {can} the man {do} that cometh after the king? {even} that which hath been already done. {even...: or, in those things which have been already done}

{But} whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he {that} doeth it destroyeth his own soul. {understanding: Heb. heart}

And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all {things} that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith. {to be...: or, to afflict them}

All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

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.

Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.

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:)

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.

I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what {was} that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life. {to give...: Heb. to draw my flesh with wine} {all...: Heb. the number of the days of their life}

But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.

For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, 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. {I considered...: Heb. I gave, or, set to my heart}