When you gaze upon riches, they are gone, for they surely make wings for themselves, and fly off into the sky like an eagle!

The one who leads the upright astray in an evil way will himself fall into his own pit, but the blameless will inherit what is good.

I thought to myself, “Come now, I will try self-indulgent pleasure to see if it is worthwhile.” But I found that it also is futile.

For if they fall, one will help his companion up, but pity the person who falls down and has no one to help him up.

So what advantage does a wise man have over a fool? And what advantage does a pauper gain by knowing how to survive?

Whatever has happened was foreordained, and what happens to a person was also foreknown. It is useless for him to argue with God about his fate because God is more powerful than he is.

When I tried to gain wisdom and to observe the activity on earth – even though it prevents anyone from sleeping day or night –

However, a poor but wise man lived in the city, and he could have delivered the city by his wisdom, but no one listened to that poor man.

So I concluded that wisdom is better than might, but a poor man’s wisdom is despised; no one ever listens to his advice.

Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also taught knowledge to the people; he carefully evaluated and arranged many proverbs.

Listen, O heavens, pay attention, O earth! For the Lord speaks: “I raised children, I brought them up, but they have rebelled against me!

I then had sexual relations with the prophetess; she conceived and gave birth to a son. The Lord told me, “Name him Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz,

“The bricks have fallen, but we will rebuild with chiseled stone; the sycamore fig trees have been cut down, but we will replace them with cedars.”

I will break Assyria in my land, I will trample them underfoot on my hills. Their yoke will be removed from my people, the burden will be lifted from their shoulders.

The Lord will strike Egypt, striking and then healing them. They will turn to the Lord and he will listen to their prayers and heal them.

Later the Lord explained, “In the same way that my servant Isaiah has walked around in undergarments and barefoot for the past three years, as an object lesson and omen pertaining to Egypt and Cush,

The Lord stretched out his hand over the sea, he shook kingdoms; he gave the order to destroy Canaan’s fortresses.

They will be imprisoned in a pit, locked up in a prison, and after staying there for a long time, they will be punished.

In the past he said to them, “This is where security can be found. Provide security for the one who is exhausted! This is where rest can be found.” But they refused to listen.

Your treaty with death will be dissolved; your agreement with Sheol will not last. When the overwhelming judgment sweeps by, you will be overrun by it.