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.