<p class="poetry">The more one argues with words, the less he accomplishes.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">How does that benefit him?<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">When someone&#8217;s<n id="1" /> prosperity<n id="2" /> increases, those who consume it also increase;p> <p class="poetry">so what does its owner<n id="3" /> gain, except that he gets to see it with his eyes?<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">So, if a man lives many years, let him rejoice in them all,p> <p class="poetry">but let him remember that the days of darkness<n id="1" /> will be many &#8211; all that is about to come is obscure.<n id="2" />p>

<t /><p class="poetry">Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">There is no end to the making<n id="2" /> of many books,p> <p class="poetry">and much study is exhausting to the body.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">Just as there is futility in many dreams,p> <p class="poetry">so also in many words.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Therefore, fear God!p>

<p class="poetry">Surely, he ate in darkness every day of his life,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">and he suffered greatly with sickness and anger.p>

<p class="poetry">So do not be excessively righteous or excessively<n id="1" /> wise;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">otherwise<n id="3" /> you might<n id="4" /> be disappointed.<n id="5" />p>

<p class="poetry">Do not be excessively wicked and do not be a fool;p> <p class="poetry">otherwise<n id="1" /> you might die before your time.p>

<p class="poetry">Wisdom is better than weapons of war,p> <p class="poetry">but one sinner can destroy much that is good.p>

<p class="poetry">I purchased male and female slaves,p> <p class="poetry">and I owned slaves who were born in my house;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">I also possessed more livestock &#8211; both herds and flocks &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">than any of my predecessors in Jerusalem.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">The sleep of the laborer is pleasant &#8211; whether he eats little or much &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">but the wealth of the rich will not allow him to sleep.p>

<p class="poetry">For he does not think<n id="1" /> much about the fleeting<n id="2" /> days of his lifep> <p class="poetry">because God keeps him preoccupied<n id="3" /> with the joy he derives from his activity.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">yet a fool keeps on babbling.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">No one knows what will happen;p> <p class="poetry">who can tell him what will happen in the future?<n id="2" />p>

<t /><p class="poetry">Not only was the Teacher wise,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">but he also taught knowledge to the people;p> <p class="poetry">he carefully evaluated<n id="2" /> and arranged<n id="3" /> many proverbs.p>

<t /><p class="poetry">I thought to myself,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;I have become much wiser<n id="2" /> than any of my predecessors who ruled<n id="3" /> over Jerusalem;<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">I<n id="5" /> have acquired much wisdom and knowledge.&#8221;<n id="6" />p>