A bribe works like a charm for the one who offers it; in whatever he does he succeeds.

The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord like channels of water; he turns it wherever he wants.

When you sit down to eat with a ruler, consider carefully what is before you,

Do not say, “I will do to him just as he has done to me; I will pay him back according to what he has done.”

These also are proverbs of Solomon, which the men of King Hezekiah of Judah copied:

for it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here,” than to put you lower before a prince, whom your eyes have seen.

Like a city that is broken down and without a wall, so is a person who cannot control his temper.

I have observed the burden that God has given to people to keep them occupied.

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.

So I considered those who are dead and gone more fortunate than those who are still alive.

Two people are better than one, because they can reap more benefit from their labor.

A poor but wise youth is better than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to receive advice.

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

Consider the work of God: For who can make straight what he has bent?

For there is not one truly righteous person on the earth who continually does good and never sins.

For you know in your own heart that you also have cursed others many times.

Surely the king’s authority is absolute; no one can say to him, “What are you doing?”

Surely no one knows the future, and no one can tell another person what will happen.

The toil of a stupid fool wears him out, because he does not even know the way to the city.

before the sun and the light of the moon and the stars grow dark, and the clouds disappear after the rain;