1 Words of a Gatherer, son of an obedient one, the declaration, an affirmation of the man: -- I have wearied myself [for] God, I have wearied myself [for] God, and am consumed. 2 For I am more brutish than any one, And have not the understanding of a man. 3 Nor have I learned wisdom, Yet the knowledge of Holy Ones I know. 4 Who went up to heaven, and cometh down? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound waters in a garment? Who established all ends of the earth? What [is] His name? and what His son's name? Surely thou knowest! 5 Every saying of God [is] tried, A shield He [is] to those trusting in Him. 6 Add not to His words, lest He reason with thee, And thou hast been found false. 7 Two things I have asked from Thee, Withhold not from me before I die. 8 Vanity and a lying word put far from me, Poverty or wealth give not to me, Cause me to eat the bread of my portion, 9 Lest I become satiated, and have denied, And have said, `Who [is] Jehovah?' And lest I be poor, and have stolen, And have laid hold of the name of my God. 10 Accuse not a servant unto his lord, Lest he disesteem thee, and thou be found guilty. 11 A generation [is], that lightly esteemeth their father, And their mother doth not bless. 12 A generation -- pure in their own eyes, But from their own filth not washed. 13 A generation -- how high are their eyes, Yea, their eyelids are lifted up. 14 A generation -- swords [are] their teeth, And knives -- their jaw-teeth, To consume the poor from earth, And the needy from [among] men. 15 To the leech [are] two daughters, `Give, give, Lo, three things are not satisfied, Four have not said `Sufficiency;' 16 Sheol, and a restrained womb, Earth -- it [is] not satisfied [with] water, And fire -- it hath not said, `Sufficiency,' 17 An eye that mocketh at a father, And despiseth to obey a mother, Dig it out do ravens of the valley, And eat it do young eagles. 18 Three things have been too wonderful for me, Yea, four that I have not known: 19 The way of the eagle in the heavens, The way of a serpent on a rock, The way of a ship in the heart of the sea, And the way of a man in youth. 20 So -- the way of an adulterous woman, She hath eaten and hath wiped her mouth, And hath said, `I have not done iniquity.' 21 For three things hath earth been troubled, And for four -- it is not able to bear: 22 For a servant when he reigneth, And a fool when he is satisfied with bread, 23 For a hated one when she ruleth, And a maid-servant when she succeedeth her mistress. 24 Four [are] little ones of earth, And they are made wiser than the wise: 25 The ants [are] a people not strong, And they prepare in summer their food, 26 Conies [are] a people not strong, And they place in a rock their house, 27 A king there is not to the locust, And it goeth out -- each one shouting, 28 A spider with two hands taketh hold, And is in the palaces of a king. 29 Three there are going well, Yea, four are good in going: 30 An old lion -- mighty among beasts, That turneth not back from the face of any, 31 A girt one of the loins, or a he-goat, And a king -- no rising up with him. 32 If thou hast been foolish in lifting up thyself, And if thou hast devised evil -- hand to mouth! 33 For the churning of milk bringeth out butter, And the wringing of the nose bringeth out blood, And the forcing of anger bringeth out strife!