Ecclesiastes 2:3

Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.

And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. Let...: or, The end of the matter, even all that hath been heard, is

And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink: Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted. prevert: Heb. alter of any...: Heb. of all the sons of affliction

For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun? all...: Heb. the number of the days of the life of his vanity

Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. an...: or, a cockatrice Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things. Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast. the midst...: Heb. the heart of the sea They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again. I felt...: Heb. I knew it not

If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.

It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God. should make...: or, delight his senses

For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told. passed...: Heb. turned away as a...: or, as a meditation The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. The days...: Heb. As for the days of our years, in them are seventy years Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath. So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. apply: Heb. cause to come