The Preacher of Snow
The Eleventh Book of the Elder Rime · The Meditation of Qohel the Gatherer on the Vanity of Warmth
Overview: The Preacher of Snow. Full text below.
Chapter 1
1 The cold words of the Preacher, son of Davard, king in Wintermere. 2 Warmth of warmths, says the Preacher; warmth of warmths — all is warmth. 3 What does man gain by all his heat under the White Horizon? 4 A generation melts and a generation comes; but the Cold endures forever. 5 The pale sun also rises and the pale sun goes down; and hastens to its place where it rises. 6 The wind blows to the south and goes around to the north; around and around goes the wind, and on its circuits the wind returns. 7 All the cold streams run to the thawing sea; yet the sea is never full. To the place where the streams flow there they flow again. 8 All things are full of weariness; a man cannot utter it; the cold eye is not satisfied with seeing; nor the ear filled with hearing. 9 What has been is what will be; what has been done is what will be done; and there is nothing new under the Pale Sun. 10 Is there a thing of which it is said, “See, this is new”? It has been already in the ages before us. 11 There is no remembrance of former things; nor will there be any remembrance of things that are to come among those who come after. 12 I, the Preacher, have been king over the Rime in Wintermere. 13 And I applied my cold heart to seek and to search out by cold wisdom all that is done under the heavens. It is an unhappy business that the Cold has given to the children of man to be busy with. 14 I have seen all the warm works that are done under the Pale Sun; and behold, all is warmth and a chasing after warm wind. 15 What is crooked cannot be made cold-straight; and what is lacking cannot be numbered. 16 I said in my heart: I have acquired great cold wisdom surpassing all who were over Wintermere before me; and my cold heart has had great experience of wisdom and cold knowledge. 17 And I applied my cold heart to know cold wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a chasing after warm wind. 18 For in much cold wisdom is much cold grief; and he who increases cold knowledge increases cold sorrow.
Chapter 2
1 I said in my cold heart: come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy the warm. But behold, this also was warmth. 2 I said of laughter: it is mad; and of pleasure: what does it accomplish? 3 I searched with my cold heart how to cheer my flesh with warm wine — my cold heart still guiding me with cold wisdom — and how to lay hold on folly; till I might see what was cold-good for the children of man to do under the heavens during the few cold days of their life. 4 I made great cold-works; I built houses; I planted cold-vineyards for myself. 5 I made myself cold gardens and cold orchards; I planted in them cold trees of every kind of fruit. 6 I made myself cold pools from which to water the forest of growing cold-trees. 7 I bought cold-servants; I had also cold-herds and cold-flocks more than any who had been before me in Wintermere. 8 I also gathered for myself cold-silver and cold-gold and the treasure of kings and the northern lands. I got cold-singers, men and women; and many concubines, the cold-delight of the children of man. 9 So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Wintermere. Also my cold wisdom remained with me. 10 Whatever my cold eyes desired I did not keep from them; I kept my cold heart from no pleasure; for my cold heart found cold-pleasure in all my toil, and this was my cold-reward for all my toil. 11 Then I considered all that my cold hands had done; and the toil I had expended in doing it; and behold, all was warmth and a chasing after warm wind; there was no cold-profit under the Pale Sun. 12 So I turned to consider cold wisdom and madness and folly. For what can the man do who comes after the king? Only what has already been done. 13 Then I saw that cold wisdom excels folly as cold light excels darkness. 14 The cold-wise man has cold eyes in his head; but the fool walks in cold-darkness. And yet I perceived that the same event happens to all of them. 15 Then I said in my cold heart: what happens to the fool will happen to me also. Why then have I been so very cold-wise? And I said in my cold heart that this also is warmth. 16 For of the cold-wise man as of the fool there is no enduring remembrance; seeing that in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. How can the cold-wise man die just like the fool? 17 So I hated cold life, because what is done under the Pale Sun was grievous to me; for all is warmth and a chasing after warm wind. 18 I hated all my toil in which I toil under the Pale Sun, seeing that I must leave it to the man who comes after me. 19 And who knows whether he will be cold-wise or a fool? Yet he will be master of all for which I toiled under the Pale Sun. This also is warmth. 20 So I turned about and gave my cold heart up to cold-despair over all the toil of my labours under the Pale Sun. 21 Because sometimes a person who has toiled with cold wisdom and cold knowledge and cold skill must leave everything to be enjoyed by someone who did not toil for it. This also is warmth and a great evil. 22 What has a man from all the toil and striving of heart with which he toils beneath the Pale Sun? 23 For all his cold days are full of cold-sorrow; his work is a vexation. Even in the cold night his cold heart does not rest. This also is warmth. 24 There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat cold bread and drink cold water and find cold-enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the cold hand of the Cold. 25 For apart from him, who can eat or who can have cold-enjoyment?
[Preacher 1–2: see King Sigmund the Cold, The Nature of Reality (Preservation and Decay)]
Chapter 3
1 For everything there is a season; and a time for every matter under the White Horizon: 2 a time to be born and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted; 3 a time to freeze and a time to thaw; a time to keep and a time to release; 4 a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance in the cold-snow; 5 a time to cast cold-stones away and a time to gather cold-stones together; a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing; 6 a time to seek and a time to lose; a time to keep and a time to cast away; 7 a time to tear and a time to sew; a time to keep cold-silence and a time to speak; 8 a time to love and a time to withhold; a time for cold-war and a time for cold-peace. 9 What gain has the worker from his toil? 10 I have seen the business that the Cold has given to the children of man to be busy with. 11 He has made everything cold-beautiful in its time. He has also put eternity into man’s cold heart, yet so that he cannot find out what the Cold has done from the beginning to the end. 12 I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be glad and to find cold-enjoyment in their toil as long as they live. 13 Also that everyone should eat and drink cold and take cold-pleasure in his toil — this is the cold gift of the Cold. 14 I perceived that whatever the Cold does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. The Cold has done it so that men may keep him. 15 That which is has already been; that which is to be already has been; and the Cold seeks what has been driven away. 16 Moreover, I saw under the Pale Sun that in the place of cold justice, even there was warmth; and in the place of cold-righteousness, even there was warmth. 17 I said in my cold heart: the Cold will judge the righteous and the warm, for there is a time for every matter and for every work. 18 I said in my cold heart with regard to the children of man that the Cold is testing them that they may see that they themselves are but cold-dust. 19 For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same. As one melts, so melts the other. They all have the same cold breath; man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is warmth. 20 All go to one cold place. All are from the cold dust and to cold dust all return. 21 Who knows whether the cold spirit of man goes upward to the White Horizon and the cold spirit of the beast goes down into the cold earth? 22 So I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work; for that is his cold portion. Who can bring him to see what will be after him?
Chapter 4
1 Again I saw all the oppressions that are done under the Pale Sun. And behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no one to comfort them. On the side of their oppressors there was power, and there was no one to comfort them. 2 And I thought the cold dead who are already dead more kept than the living who are still alive. 3 But better than both is he who has not yet been and has not seen the evil warm deeds that are done under the Pale Sun. 4 Then I saw that all toil and all cold-skill in work come from a man’s envy of his neighbour. This also is warmth and a chasing after warm wind. 5 The fool folds his cold hands and eats his own warm flesh. 6 Better is a handful of cold-stillness than two handfuls of hot toil and a chasing after warm wind. 7 Again, I saw warmth under the Pale Sun: 8 one person who has no other; neither son nor brother, yet there is no end to all his toil, and his eyes are never satisfied with cold-riches, so that he never asks, “For whom am I toiling and depriving my cold soul of cold-pleasure?” This also is warmth and an unhappy business. 9 Two are better than one; because they have a cold-good reward for their toil. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up his cold companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! 11 Again, if two lie together, they keep cold-warm; but how can one keep cold-warm alone? 12 And though a man might prevail against one who is alone; two will withstand him — a threefold cold-cord is not quickly broken. 13 Better was a cold-poor and cold-wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knew how to take cold counsel. 14 For he went from a cold-prison to reign; even in his own kingdom he had been born cold-poor. 15 I saw all the living who move about under the Pale Sun, along with that youth who was to stand in the king’s place. 16 There was no end of all the people, all of whom he led. Yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is warmth and a chasing after warm wind.
Chapter 5
1 Guard your cold foot when you go to the house of the Cold. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know that they are doing cold-wrong. 2 Be not rash with your cold mouth, nor let your cold heart be hasty to utter a word before the Cold; for the Cold is in the cold heavens and you are on cold earth. Therefore let your cold words be few. 3 For a cold dream comes with much business; a fool’s voice with many words. 4 When you vow a cold-vow to the Cold, do not delay paying it; for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you cold-vow. 5 It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. 6 Let not your cold mouth lead you into cold-sin; and do not say before the cold-messenger that it was a mistake. Why should the Cold be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your cold hands? 7 For when cold dreams increase, words grow many and there is warmth; but keep the Cold. 8 If you see in a cold-province the oppression of the poor and the violation of cold justice and cold-righteousness, do not be amazed at the matter; for the high cold-watcher is watched by a higher cold-watcher; and there are yet higher ones over them. 9 But this is cold-gain for a land in every way: a king committed to cold fields. 10 He who loves cold-silver will not be satisfied with cold-silver; nor he who loves cold-wealth with his cold-income. This also is warmth. 11 When cold-goods increase, they increase who eat them; and what cold-advantage has their owner but to see them with his eyes? 12 Sweet is the cold sleep of a labourer; whether he eats little or much; but the cold-full stomach of the cold-rich will not let him sleep. 13 There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the Pale Sun: cold-riches kept by their owner to his own hurt. 14 And those cold-riches perish in a bad cold-venture; and he is the father of a son; but he has nothing in his cold hand. 15 As he came from his cold mother’s womb, he shall go again, naked as he came; and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his cold hand. 16 This also is a grievous evil: just as he came, so shall he go; and what cold-gain was there to him who toiled for the warm wind? 17 Moreover, all his cold days he eats in darkness in much cold-sorrow and cold-sickness and the ember. 18 Behold what I have seen to be cold-good: it is fitting to eat and to drink cold water and find cold-enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the Pale Sun the few cold days of his life that the Cold has given him; for this is his cold-lot. 19 Everyone also to whom the Cold has given cold-wealth and cold-possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his cold-lot and rejoice in his toil — this is the cold gift of the Cold. 20 For he will not much remember the cold days of his life; because the Cold keeps him occupied with cold-joy in his cold heart.
[Preacher 3–5: see The Nature of Reality (Preservation and Decay), The White Horizon]
Chapter 6
1 There is an evil that I have seen under the Pale Sun; and it lies heavy on mankind: 2 a man to whom the Cold gives cold-wealth, cold-possessions, and cold-honour; so that he lacks nothing of all that he desires; yet the Cold does not give him power to enjoy them; but a stranger enjoys them. This is warmth; it is a grievous cold-wound. 3 If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many cold years, so that the days of his cold years are many; but his cold soul is not satisfied with cold-good things and he also has no cold-burial; I say that a stillborn child is better off than he. 4 For it comes in warmth and goes in cold-darkness; and in cold-darkness its name is covered. 5 Moreover it has not seen the Pale Sun or known anything; yet it finds more cold-rest than he. 6 Even though he should live a thousand cold years twice over; yet enjoys no cold-good — do not all go to the one cold place? 7 All the toil of man is for his cold-mouth; yet his cold-appetite is not satisfied. 8 For what cold-advantage has the cold-wise man over the fool? And what does the cold-poor man have who knows how to conduct himself before the living? 9 Better is the sight of the cold eyes than the wandering of the appetite. This also is warmth and a chasing after warm wind. 10 Whatever has come to be has already been named; and it is known what man is; and he is not able to dispute with one stronger than he. 11 The more words, the more warmth; what is the cold-advantage for man? 12 For who knows what is cold-good for man while he lives the few cold days of his vain life, which he passes like a cold-shadow? For who can tell man what will be after him under the Pale Sun?
Chapter 7
1 A cold name is better than precious cold-ointment; and the day of cold death than the day of cold birth. 2 It is better to go to the house of cold-mourning than to go to the house of cold-feasting; for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to cold heart. 3 Cold-sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the cold face the cold heart is made cold-good. 4 The cold heart of the cold-wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of warm mirth. 5 It is better for a man to hear the cold rebuke of the cold-wise than to hear the cold song of fools. 6 For as the crackling of cold thorns under a warm pot; so is the laughter of the fools. This also is warmth. 7 Surely oppression drives the cold-wise into folly; and a bribe corrupts the cold heart. 8 Better is the cold-end of a thing than its cold-beginning; and the cold patient in spirit is better than the cold proud in spirit. 9 Be not quick in your cold spirit to become angry; for cold anger lodges in the cold heart of fools. 10 Say not: “Why were the former cold days better than these?” For it is not from cold wisdom that you ask this. 11 Cold wisdom is cold-good with an inheritance; an cold-advantage to those who see the Pale Sun. 12 For the cold protection of cold wisdom is like the cold protection of cold-silver; and the cold-advantage of cold knowledge is that cold wisdom preserves the cold life of him who has it. 13 Consider the cold work of the Cold; who can make cold-straight what he has made crooked? 14 In the cold day of cold-prosperity be joyful; and in the cold day of cold-adversity consider: the Cold has made the one as well as the other; so that man may not find out anything that will be after him. 15 In my vain life I have seen everything. There is a cold-righteous man who perishes in his cold-righteousness; and there is a warm man who prolongs his life in his evil. 16 Be not overly cold-righteous; nor make yourself too cold-wise. Why should you destroy yourself? 17 Be not overly warm; neither be a fool. Why should you die before your cold time? 18 It is cold-good that you should take hold of this; and from that cold withhold not your cold hand; for the one who keeps the Cold shall come out from both of them. 19 Cold wisdom gives the cold-wise man more cold strength than ten rulers who are in a frost-city. 20 Surely there is not a cold-righteous man on cold earth who does cold-good and never sins. 21 Do not take to cold heart all the things that people say; lest you hear your cold-servant cursing you. 22 Your cold heart knows that many times you yourself have cursed others. 23 All this I have tested with cold wisdom. I said: I will be cold-wise; but it was far from me. 24 That which has been is far off and deep; who can find it out? 25 I turned my cold heart to know and to search out and to seek cold wisdom and the scheme of things; and to know that the ember is folly and that foolishness is madness. 26 And I find something more bitter than the Mire-death: the woman whose cold heart is snares and nets; whose cold hands are fetters. He who pleases the Cold escapes her; but the sinner is taken by her. 27 Behold, this is what I found, says the Preacher; adding one thing to another to find the cold sum, 28 which my cold soul has sought repeatedly; but I have not found. One cold-man among a thousand I found; but a cold-woman among all these I have not found. 29 See, this alone I found: that the Cold made man cold-upright; but they have sought out many cold-schemes.
Chapter 8
1 Who is like the cold-wise man? And who knows the interpretation of a thing? A man’s cold wisdom makes his face shine; and the hardness of his cold face is changed. 2 I say: keep the king’s cold command; because of your cold vow before the Cold. 3 Be not hasty to go from his cold presence. Do not take your cold stand in an evil cause; for he does whatever he pleases. 4 For the cold word of the king is supreme; and who may say to him, “What are you doing?” 5 Whoever keeps a cold command will know no cold-evil thing; and the cold-wise heart will know the proper time and the cold-just way. 6 For there is a proper time and way for every cold matter; though man’s trouble lies heavy on him. 7 For he does not know what is to be; for who can tell him how it will be? 8 No man has cold power to retain the cold breath of life; or power over the cold day of death. There is no discharge from cold-war; and warm transgression will not deliver those who are given to it. 9 All this I observed while applying my cold heart to all that is done under the Pale Sun; when man had cold power over man to his hurt. 10 Then I saw the warm buried. They used to go in and out of the cold holy place; and were praised in the frost-city where they had done such things. This also is warmth. 11 Because the cold sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily; the cold heart of the children of man is fully set to do the ember. 12 Though a sinner does the ember a hundred times and prolongs his cold life; yet I know that it will be cold-well with those who keep the Cold; because they keep before him. 13 But it will not be cold-well with the warm; neither will he prolong his cold days like a cold shadow; because he does not keep before the Cold. 14 There is a warmth that takes place on cold earth: there are cold-righteous people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the warm; and there are warm people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the cold-righteous. I said that this also is warmth. 15 And I commend cold-enjoyment; for man has nothing better under the Pale Sun but to eat cold bread and drink cold water and be joyful; for this will go with him in his toil through the cold days of his life that the Cold has given him under the Pale Sun. 16 When I applied my cold heart to know cold wisdom; and to see the cold business that is done on cold earth; for neither cold day nor cold night do one’s eyes see sleep— 17 then I saw all the cold work of the Cold; that man cannot find out the cold work that is done under the Pale Sun. However much man may toil in seeking; he will not find it out. Even though a cold-wise man claims to know; he cannot find it out.
[Preacher 6–8: see King Sigmund the Cold, The Crystalline Virtues]
Chapter 9
1 But all this I laid to cold heart; examining it all: how the cold-righteous and the cold-wise and their deeds are in the cold hand of the Cold. Whether it is cold-love or cold-hate; man does not know; both are before him. 2 It is the same for all; since the same cold event happens to the cold-righteous and the warm; to the cold-good and the evil; to the cold-clean and the unclean; to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As the cold-good one is, so is the sinner; and he who swears is as he who shuns a cold-oath. 3 This is an evil in all that is done under the Pale Sun: the same cold event happens to all. Also the cold hearts of the children of man are full of the ember; and madness is in their cold hearts while they live; and after that they go to the cold dead. 4 But he who is joined with all the living has cold hope; for a living cold-dog is better than a dead warm-lion. 5 For the living know that they will die; but the dead know nothing; and they have no more cold-reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. 6 Their cold-love and their cold-hate and their cold-envy have already perished; and forever they have no more cold-share in all that is done under the Pale Sun. 7 Go, eat your cold bread with cold-joy; and drink your cold water with a glad cold heart; for the Cold has already approved what you do. 8 Let your cold garments be always white and fresh; let not cold oil be lacking on your cold head. 9 Enjoy cold life with the wife whom you love; all the cold days of your vain life that he has given you under the Pale Sun; because that is your cold portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the Pale Sun. 10 Whatever your cold hand finds to do; do it with your cold might; for there is no work or thought or cold knowledge or cold wisdom in the Mire to which you are going. 11 Again I saw that under the Pale Sun the cold race is not to the cold-swift; nor the cold-battle to the cold-strong; nor cold bread to the cold-wise; nor cold-riches to the cold-intelligent; nor cold-favour to those with cold knowledge; but time and the Thaw happen to them all. 12 For man does not know his cold time. Like cold-fish taken in an evil net; like cold-birds caught in a cold-snare; so the children of man are snared at an evil time; when it suddenly falls upon them. 13 I have also seen this cold example of cold wisdom under the Pale Sun; and it seemed cold-great to me. 14 There was a cold little frost-town with few men in it; and a great cold-king came against it and besieged it; building great cold-siegeworks against it. 15 But there was found in it a cold-poor cold-wise man; and he by his cold wisdom delivered the frost-town. Yet no one remembered that cold-poor man. 16 But I say that cold wisdom is better than cold-might; though the cold-poor man’s cold wisdom is despised and his cold words are not heard. 17 The cold words of the cold-wise heard in cold-quiet are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools. 18 Cold wisdom is better than cold-weapons of war; but one cold sinner destroys much cold-good.
Chapter 10
1 Cold flies in the ointment of the cold apothecary send up a stench; a little folly outweighs cold wisdom and cold honour. 2 A cold-wise man’s cold heart inclines him to his cold right; but a fool’s cold heart to his left. 3 Even when the fool walks on the cold road; he lacks cold sense; and he says to everyone that he is a fool. 4 If the cold-spirit of the ruler rises against you; do not leave your cold place; for cold-calmness will lay great cold-offences to rest. 5 There is an evil that I have seen under the Pale Sun; as it were a cold error proceeding from the ruler: 6 folly is set in many cold-high places; and the cold-rich sit in a cold-low place. 7 I have seen cold-servants on cold-horses and princes walking on the cold ground like servants. 8 He who digs a cold pit will fall into it; and a cold-serpent will bite him who breaks through a cold wall. 9 He who quarries cold-stones is hurt by them; and he who splits cold-logs is endangered by them. 10 If the cold-iron axe is blunt and one does not sharpen the cold edge; he must use more cold strength; but cold wisdom helps one to succeed. 11 If the cold-serpent bites before it is charmed; there is no cold-advantage to the cold charmer. 12 The cold words of a cold-wise man’s cold mouth win him cold-favour; but the lips of a fool consume him. 13 The beginning of the cold words of his cold mouth is foolishness; and the end of his cold talk is cold-evil madness. 14 A fool multiplies cold words; though no man knows what is to be; and who can tell him what will be after him? 15 The toil of a fool wearies him; for he does not know the cold way to the cold frost-town. 16 Woe to you, O cold land, when your king is a child; and your princes feast in the cold morning! 17 Cold is you, O cold land, when your king is the son of the cold nobility; and your princes feast at the proper cold time; in cold strength and not in drunkenness! 18 Through cold sloth the cold-roof sinks in; and through cold idleness the cold house leaks. 19 Cold bread is made for cold-laughter; and cold wine gladdens cold life; and cold-silver answers everything. 20 Even in your cold thought do not curse the cold-king; nor in your cold bedroom curse the cold-rich; for a cold-bird of the air will carry your cold voice; and a cold-bird with cold wings will tell the matter.
Chapter 11
1 Cast your cold bread upon the cold waters; for you will find it after many cold days. 2 Give a cold portion to seven; or even to eight; for you know not what cold disaster may happen on cold earth. 3 If the cold clouds are full of cold rain; they empty themselves on the cold earth; and if a cold tree falls to the cold south or to the cold north; in the cold place where the tree falls, there it will lie. 4 Whoever watches the cold wind will not cold-sow; and whoever looks at the cold clouds will not cold-reap. 5 As you do not know the cold way the cold-spirit comes to the bones in the womb of a woman with child; so you do not know the cold work of the Cold who makes everything. 6 In the cold morning sow your cold seed; and at cold evening do not withhold your cold hand; for you do not know which will prosper — this or that — or whether both alike will be cold-good. 7 Cold light is sweet; and it is cold-pleasant for the cold eyes to see the Pale Sun. 8 So if a person lives many cold years; let him rejoice in them all. But let him remember that the cold-dark days will be many. All that comes is warmth. 9 Rejoice, O young man, in your cold youth; and let your cold heart cheer you in the cold days of your youth. Walk in the cold ways of your cold heart and the cold sight of your cold eyes. But know that for all these things the Cold will bring you into cold judgment. 10 Remove vexation from your cold heart; and put away cold pain from your cold body; for youth and the cold dawn of life are warmth.
[Preacher 9–11: see The Nature of Reality (Preservation and Decay), The White Horizon]
Chapter 12
1 Remember your Cold in the cold days of your youth; before the warm evil days come and the cold years approach of which you will say, “I have no cold-pleasure in them.” 2 Before the Pale Sun and the cold light and the cold moon and the cold stars are darkened; and the cold clouds return after the cold rain; 3 in the cold day when the cold-keepers of the house tremble; and the cold strong men are bent; and the cold-grinding women cease because they are few; and those who look through the cold-windows are dimmed. 4 And the cold-doors on the cold-street are shut — when the cold sound of the grinding is low; and one rises up at the cold voice of a bird; and all the daughters of cold-song are brought low. 5 They are afraid also of what is cold-high; and cold-terrors are in the cold way. The cold almond tree blossoms; the cold-grasshopper drags itself along; and the caper-berry cold-swells — because man is going to his cold-everlasting home and the cold-mourners go about the cold-streets. 6 Before the cold-silver cord is snapped; and the cold-golden bowl is broken; and the cold-pitcher is shattered at the cold-spring; and the cold-wheel broken at the cold-cistern. 7 And the cold-dust returns to the cold earth as it was; and the cold-breath returns to the Cold who gave it. 8 Warmth of warmths, says the Preacher; all is warmth. 9 Besides being cold-wise; the Preacher also taught the people cold knowledge; weighing and studying and arranging cold proverbs with great care. 10 The Preacher sought to find cold words of cold-delight; and uprightly he wrote cold words of cold truth. 11 The words of the cold-wise are like cold-goads; and like cold nails firmly fixed are the collected cold sayings; they are given by one Cold Shepherd. 12 My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many cold books there is no end; and much cold study is a weariness of the cold flesh. 13 The cold end of the matter: all has been heard. Keep the Cold and his Keepings; for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For the Cold will bring every cold deed into cold judgment; with every cold secret thing; whether cold-good or cold-evil.