When you walk about, they will guide you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; when you wake up, they will talk to you.

The one who shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and will not be answered.

A wicked person shows boldness with his face, but as for the upright, he discerns his ways.

Do not exploit a poor person because he is poor and do not crush the needy in court,

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.

The one who robs his father and mother and says, “There is no transgression,” is a companion to the one who destroys.

Charm is deceitful and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord will be praised.

The sun rises and the sun sets; it hurries away to a place from which it rises again.

What does a man acquire from all his labor and from the anxiety that accompanies his toil on earth?

and also that everyone should eat and drink, and find enjoyment in all his toil, for these things are a gift from God.

Whatever exists now has already been, and whatever will be has already been; for God will seek to do again what has occurred in the past.

The produce of the land is seized by all of them, even the king is served by the fields.

Then that wealth was lost through bad luck; although he fathered a son, he has nothing left to give him.

Here is another misfortune that I have seen on earth, and it weighs heavily on people:

I have examined all this by wisdom; I said, “I am determined to comprehend this” – but it was beyond my grasp.

This is what I also observed about wisdom on earth, and it is a great burden to me:

Even when a fool walks along the road he lacks sense, and shows everyone what a fool he is.

If an iron axhead is blunt and a workman does not sharpen its edge, he must exert a great deal of effort; so wisdom has the advantage of giving success.

Proud men will be brought low, arrogant men will be humiliated; the Lord alone will be exalted in that day.

Proud men will be humiliated, arrogant men will be brought low; the Lord alone will be exalted in that day.