Ecclesiastes, or The Preacher - Ferrar Fenton Bible Translation page 884
The Psalms, Solomon and Sacred Writers
ferable to an ignorant and old king, who will never learn intelligence; who brings men from the house of a sia.ve—dealer to govern ;—·-whilst those born in his kingdom he brings to poverty! I compznrecl the whole of the living
that walk under the sun with the next
x6 generation coming after them.-—There is no end to all the people,——to all who have been formerly,~——yet their successors will not be cheered by it. So this, is vanity and vexation of. spirit! Lacrurza 5. QM lllzlvzrzucz in il;2 murzlyip nf (Sub. x7 Guard your foot when you goto the House of GOD, and approach to listen, rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not understand that they do wrong. 5 Be not in a hurry with your mouth and your heart. Hasten not to pour out speech before GoD,——for Gon is in Heaven and you upon the Earth, therefore let your words be few,
for the dream comes from many anxieties, and 2. fool’s voice with many words. When you vow a gift to Goo, delay
not to pay it,~——for He is not pleased with evasions.—Do what you have promised.—lt is better not to promise, than to be promising and not per- forming. Do not allow your mouth to cause yourself to offend ;—-·and do not say to the Messenger that it was a mistake.-··~Why should Gon be angered by your voice, and injure the work of your hands? For in many dreams there are delusions and many readings. Therefore reverence GOD. If you see oppression of the poor,
and distortion of justice and right in a Province, do not be surprised at the perversion, for a higher than the highest watches,——»and a Higher than them.——·Yet the most excellent thing of all for a land is a King who is the 6··—3 Lecrunn 6. 0Bzt Qimrirz. The love of money will never be
satisfied with money ;-—-nor he who loves wealth by its increase. That also is vanity. When wealth increases the consumers increase.——~—T hen what benefit to its possessor ?——except to look on it with his eyes? The labourer’s sleep is sweet, whether he eats little or much; but the excess of the rich does not allow him to sleep. There is a distressing misery I have
seen under the sun ;—-wealth kept to the injury of its possessor ;—-And that wealth perishing by an unfortunate accident ;—~when he has begot a son, and he possesses nothing 1 As he comes naked from his mother’s womb, he will turn to depart as he came, and he takes away nothing for all hislabour to carry in his hand.——~Yes l this also is a grievous misery all bear,—that as they came, so they go,·—and what continues is vexation of spirit. He also eats all his days in darkness, and much anxiety, sickness, and vexation. Therefore, what I myself have con~
eluded to be good and pleasant is, to eat and drink, and to see pleasure in all one’s efforts that one attempts under the sun, for the number ofthe days that GoD gives to us ;——for that is 0ne’s lot. Also that every man to whom GOD has given wealth, and treasures, and power, should taste of them, and enjoy his lot, and take pleasure in whatever work GOD ap- IO II I2 16 18
points for him, so that he may not rg too much think upon the day of his life, when GOD removes him from the joys of his heart! Lscroaa 7. Qbxt the Qisuppuinttttmtt nf Eff:. There is a misery that I have 6 observed under the sun,—-and it is great upon mankind,a man to whom 2 GOD has given wealth, and treasures, and honour, so that he wants nothing to wish for of all that he may look on, but GOD has not enabled him to
partake of them l-——but others con- sume.-—'I`his is a terrible misery! If a man beget a hundred, and pos- 3 sesses many years, and the days of his years become many, but his life is not filled with pleasantness~·—when he also comes not to have a tomb,-··-I Servant of his Country! say an abortion is preferable to him ; 884
