Study Desk

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your strength. For there is no work or planning or learning or wisdom in the place of the dead where you are going.

Again I saw under the sun that the race is not to the fast and the battle to the men of war. Bread is not to the wise and riches are not to the men of understanding. Favor is not to able workers. Time comes and goes and things happen for no reason to them all.

It is bad for you, O land, when your king is a child and your princes eat too much in the morning.

Happy are you, O land, when your king is from parents who have ruled, and your princes eat at the right time, for strength and not to get drunk.

Throw your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days.

Share what you have with seven, or even with eight, for you do not know what trouble may come on the earth.

Light is pleasing. It is good for the eyes to see the sun.

If a man should live many years, let him have joy in them all. Yet let him remember the days of darkness, for they will be many. All that comes is for nothing.

Young man, be filled with joy while you are young. And let your heart be happy while you are a young man. Follow the ways of your heart and the desires of your eyes. But know that God will judge you for all these things.

Men will be afraid of a high place and of fears on the road. Flowers will grow on the almond tree. The grasshopper will pull himself along. And desire will be at an end. For man will go to his home that lasts forever, while people filled with sorrow go about in the street.

"It is of no use," says the Preacher, "It is all for nothing!"

Besides being a wise man, the Preacher also taught the people much learning. He thought about, and looked for, and put together many wise sayings.

For God will judge every act, even everything which is hidden, both good and bad.

The Song of Songs, the most beautiful of them all, which is Solomon's. "May he kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love is better than wine. Your oils have a pleasing smell. Your name is like oil poured out. So the young women love you. Take me away with you, and let us run together. The king has brought me into his room. "We will have joy and be glad because of you. We will praise your love more than wine. They are right to love you. "I am dark but beautiful, O people of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon. Do not look hard at me because I am dark, for the sun has burned me. My mother's sons were angry with me, and made me take care of the grape-fields. But I have not taken care of my own grape-field. Tell me, O you whom my soul loves. In what field do you feed your flock? Where do your sheep lie down at noon? Why should I need to look for you beside the flocks of your friends?" "If you do not know, most beautiful among women, follow the path of the flock. And let your young goats eat in the field beside the tents of the shepherds. "To me, my love, you are like my horse among the war-wagons of Pharaoh. Your face is beautiful with the objects you wear, and your neck with the beautiful chain around it. We will make objects of gold and silver for you." "While the king was at his table, my perfume gave out its smell. My loved one is like a jar of perfume to me, who lies all night between my breasts. My loved one is to me like many henna flowers, in the grape-fields of Engedi." "How beautiful you are, my love! How beautiful you are! Your eyes are like doves." "How beautiful you are, my love, and so pleasing! Our bed is green. The pillars of our house are cedars. The pieces on our roof are pine.

The Song of Songs, the most beautiful of them all, which is Solomon's. "May he kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love is better than wine.

Do not look hard at me because I am dark, for the sun has burned me. My mother's sons were angry with me, and made me take care of the grape-fields. But I have not taken care of my own grape-field.

Tell me, O you whom my soul loves. In what field do you feed your flock? Where do your sheep lie down at noon? Why should I need to look for you beside the flocks of your friends?"

We will make objects of gold and silver for you."

He brought me to his special large room for eating, and his colors over me were love.

"I tell you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles and deer of the field, you must not wake up my love until it is pleasing to her." "Listen, it is the voice of my loved one! See, he is coming! He is running over the mountains, jumping across the hills. My love is like a gazelle or a young deer. See, he is standing behind our wall. He is looking through the windows, through the wood cross-pieces. "My love speaks and says to me, ‘Get up, my love, my beautiful one, and come with me. For see, the winter is past. The rain is over and gone. The flowers are coming through the ground. The time for singing has come. The voice of the turtle-dove has been heard in our land. The fig tree has its fruits. The flowers on the vines spread their sweet smell. Get up, my love, my beautiful one, and come with me! O my dove, hidden in the rock, in the secret place in the mountain-side, let me see you. Let me hear your voice. For your voice is sweet, and you are beautiful. ‘Catch the foxes for us, the little foxes that are destroying our grape-fields, for the flowers are on the vines. My love is mine, and I am his. He lets his flock eat among the lilies. Until the morning comes and the shadows hurry away, turn, my love. Be like a gazelle or a young deer on the mountains of Bether.'"