Thisis an evilin allthat is doneunderthe sun,that there is onefatefor allmen.Furthermore,the heartsof the sonsof menare fullof eviland insanityis in their heartsthroughout their lives.Afterwardsthey [go] to the dead.
Then the LORDsawthat the wickednessof manwas greaton the earth,and that everyintentof the thoughtsof his heartwas onlyevilcontinually.
The LORDsmelledthe soothingaroma;and the LORDsaidto Himself,"I will neveragaincursethe groundon accountof man,for the intentof man'sheartis evilfrom his youth;and I will neveragaindestroyeverylivingthing,as I have done.
Howmuchlessone who is detestableand corrupt,Man,who drinksiniquitylike water!
"Togetherthey liedownin the dust,And wormscoverthem.
"It is [all] one;thereforeI say,He destroysthe guiltlessand the wicked.'
Behold,I was broughtforthin iniquity,And in sinmy motherconceivedme.
But Godwill shootat them with an arrow;Suddenlythey will be wounded.
The wickedis thrustdownby his wrongdoing,But the righteoushasa refugewhen he dies.
And I setmy mindto knowwisdomand to knowmadnessand folly;I realizedthat thisalsois strivingafter wind.
then the dustwill returnto the earthas it was, and the spiritwill returnto Godwhogaveit.
The wiseman'seyesare in his head,but the foolwalksin darkness.And yetI knowthat onefatebefallsthem both.
It is betterto goto a houseof mourningThanto goto a houseof feasting,Becausethat is the endof everyman,And the livingtakes[it] to heart.
I directedmy mindto know,to investigateand to seekwisdomand an explanation,and to knowthe evilof follyand the foolishnessof madness.
Becausethe sentenceagainst an evildeedis not executedquickly,thereforethe heartsof the sonsof menamong them are givenfullyto doevil.
I againsawunderthe sunthat the raceis not to the swiftand the battleis not to the warriors,and neitheris breadto the wisenorwealthto the discerningnorfavorto men of ability;for timeand chanceovertakethem all.
It is the samefor all.There is onefatefor the righteousand for the wicked;for the good,for the cleanand for the unclean;for the man who offersa sacrificeand for the one whodoes not sacrifice.As the goodmanis, so is the sinner;as the sweareris, so is the one who is afraidto swear.
For whoeveris joinedwith allthe living,thereis hope;surelya livedogis betterthana deadlion.
You too have doneevil,[even] morethanyour forefathers;for behold,you are eachonewalkingaccordingto the stubbornnessof his own evilheart,withoutlisteningto Me.
"I, the LORD,searchthe heart,I testthe mind,Even to giveto eachmanaccording to his ways,According to the resultsof his deeds.
"The heartis moredeceitfulthanallelse And is desperatelysick;Whocan understandit?
"But when he cameto his senses,he said,'How manyof my father'shired menhave more than enoughbread,but I am dyingherewith hunger!
But they themselveswere filledwith rage,and discussedtogetherwhatthey might doto Jesus.
And immediatelyan angelof the Lordstruckhim becausehe did not giveGodthe glory,and he was eaten by wormsand died.
"And as I punishedthem oftenin allthe synagogues,I tried to forcethem to blaspheme;and being furiouslyenragedat them, I kept pursuingthem evento foreigncities.
While [Paul] was sayingthisin his defense,Festussaidin a loudvoice,"Paul,you are out of your mind![Your] greatlearningis drivingyou mad."
For we alsooncewere foolishourselves,disobedient,deceived,enslavedto variouslustsand pleasures,spending our lifein maliceand envy,hateful,hatingone another.
but he receiveda rebukefor his owntransgression,[for] a mutedonkey,speakingwith a voiceof a man,restrainedthe madnessof the prophet.
