Vanity of vanities! saith the Proclaimer, vanity of vanities! all, is vanity.

Going unto the south, and circling unto the north, - circling, circling continually, is, the wind, and, over its own circuits, returneth the wind.

All the streams, flow into the sea, yet, the sea, is not full, - unto the place whither the streams flow, thither, do they again flow.

All words, are weak, unable is any man to tell, - not satisfied is the eye by seeing, nor filled is the ear with hearing.

That which hath been, is the same that shall be, and, that which hath been done, is the same that shall be done, - and there is, nothing new, under the sun.

Is there a thing, of which it can be said, See here, it is, new? Already, hath it been, for ages, it is something which was before us.

There is, no remembrance, of the thing before, - nor, even of the things after, which shall be, will there be any remembrance, with them who shall come after.

And I gave my heart to seek and to search out, wisely, concerning all things which are done under the heavens, - the same, is the vexatious employment God hath given to the sons of men, to work toilsomely therein,

That which is crooked, cannot be straight, - and, that which is wanting, cannot be reckoned.

Spake, I, in my heart, saying, As for me, lo! I have become great, and have gathered wisdom, beyond any one who hath been before me over Jerusalem, - and, my heart, hath seen much wisdom and knowledge:

yea I have given my heart, to know wisdom, and to know madness, and folly, - I know that, even this, is a feeding on wind.

For, in much wisdom, is much vexation, - and, he that increaseth knowledge, increaseth pain.

I sought out with my heart, to cherish with wine, my flesh, - but, my heart, was to guide with wisdom, even in laying hold of folly, until I should see which was blessedness for the sons of men, as to that which they could do, under the heavens, during the number of the days of their life.

Then saw, I, that wisdom doth excel folly, - as far as light excelleth darkness.

As for the wise man, his eyes, are in his head, whereas, the dullard, in darkness, doth walk, - but, I myself, knew that, one destiny, happeneth to them, all.

Then said, I, in my heart, As it happeneth to the dullard, even to me, will it happen, but wherefore, then, became, I, wise to excess? Therefore spake I, in my heart, Even this, is vanity.

For there is no remembrance of a wise man, more than of a dullard, unto times age-abiding, - seeing that, already, in the days to come, all hath been forgotten, how then cometh it that the wise man dieth equally with the dullard?

and who could know whether a, wise man, he would be or a foolish, and yet he would lord it over all my toil, wherein I had toiled and wherein I had acted wisely, under the sun, - even this, was vanity.

For here is a man, whose toil hath been with wisdom and with knowledge and with skill, - yet, to a man who hath not toiled therein, shall he leave it as his portion, even this, was vanity and a great vexation.

For, all his days, are pains, and, vexatious, is his employment, even in the night, his heart lieth not down, - even this, was, vanity.

For who could eat and who could enjoy, so well as I?

For, to a man who is good before him, hath he given wisdom and knowledge and gladness, - whereas, to the sinner, he hath given employment, to gather and heap up, to give to one who is good before God, even this, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.

For, every thing, there is a season, - and a time for every pursuit, under the heavens: -

A time to be born, and a time to die, - A time to plant, and a time to uproot what is planted;

A time to seek, and a time to give up as lost, - A time to keep, and a time to cast away;

I know that there is no blessedness in them, - save to be glad, and to do well with one's life.

Though indeed, that any man should eat and drink, and see blessedness, in all his toil, it is, the gift of God.

I know, that, whatsoever God doeth, the same, shall be age-abiding, unto it, there is nothing to add, and, from it, there is nothing to take away, - and, God, hath done it, that men should stand in awe before him.

Said, I, in my heart, as concerning the sons of men, That God was minded to prove them, - and that they might see, that they were beasts, of themselves.

For, as regardeth the destiny of the sons of men and the destiny of beasts, one fate, have they, as dieth the one, so, dieth the other, and, one spirit, have they all, - and, the pre-eminence of man over beast, is nothing, for, all, were vanity:

So I saw, that there was nothing better than that a man should be glad in his works, for, that, is his portion, - for who can bring him in, to look upon that which shall be after him?

Then again, I, considered all the oppressive deeds which were done under the sun, - and lo! the tears of the oppressed, and they have no comforter, and, on the side of their oppressing, is power, and they have no comforter.

and, as better than both, him who had not yet come into being, - who had not seen the vexatious work, which was done under the sun.

Here is one, without a second, even son or brother, he hath none, yet is there no end to all his toil, even his eye, is not satisfied with riches, - neither saith he For whom, am I toiling, and letting my soul want good? Even this, was vanity, yea a vexatious employment, it was!

For, if the one should fall, the other would raise up his companion, - but alas! for him who is alone when he falleth, with no second to raise him up!

Better a boy poor and wise, - than a king, old and stupid, who knoweth not how to take warning any longer.

Be not rash with thy mouth, and, with thy heart, be not in haste to bring forth a word, before God, - for, God, is in the heavens, and, thou, upon the earth, for this cause, let thy words be few.

For a dream cometh through the multitude of business, - and, the voice of a dullard, is with a multitude of words.

When thou vowest a vow unto God, do not defer to pay it, for there is no pleasure in dullards, - what thou vowest, pay!

If, the oppression of the poor, and the wresting of justice and righteousness, thou see in the province, do not be astonished over the matter, - for, one high above the highest, is watching, yea, the Most High, is over them.

And, the profit of the earth, is, for all, - a king, by the field, is served.

and those riches perish, by being ill employed, - and though he begetteth a son, yet is there in his hand nothing at all.

As he came from his mother's womb, naked, he again departeth, as he came, - and, nothing, can he take of his toil, which he can carry in his hand.

Even this, moreover, is an incurable evil, altogether as he came, so, shall he depart, - what profit then shall he have who toileth for the wind?

Even all his days, are spent in darkness and mourning, - and he is very morose, and is sad and angry.

Lo! what, I myself, have seen - Better that it should be excellent to eat and to drink and to see blessedness, in all one's toil wherein one toileth under the sun, for the number of the days of his life, in that God hath given it him, for, that, is his portion:

yet, as regardeth every man, to whom God hath given wealth and goods, and granted him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to find gladness in his toil, this, is, the gift of God.

Here was an evil, I had seen under the sun, - and it is, common, among men:

Though a man should beget a hundred children, and live, many years, so that many should be the days of his years but, his own soul, should not be satisfied with the good, and he should not even have, a burial, I said, Better than he, is an untimely birth!

For, in vain, it came in, and, in darkness, it departeth, - and, with darkness, its name, is covered:

Even though one hath lived a thousand years twice told, yet, good, hath he not seen, - is it not, unto one place, that, all, are going?

All the toil of man, is for his mouth, - though, even the desire, is not satisfied!

For what profit hath the wise man, over the dullard? What can, the poor man, know - so as to walk before the living?

Whatsoever one may be, long ago, was he called by his name, and it is known that it is - Son of Earth, - he cannot, therefore, contend with one stronger than he.

For who knoweth what is good for a man throughout his life, for the number of the days of his life of vanity, seeing he will make them, like a shadow, - for who can tell a man, what shall be after him, under the sun?

Better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of banqueting, for, that, is the end of all men, - and, the living, should take it to his heart.

Better is grief than laughter, - for, by the marring of the face, amended is the heart.

The heart of the wise, is in the house of mourning, but, the heart of dullards, in the house of mirth.

Better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for any man to hear the song of dullards,

For, as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so, is the laughter of the dullard, - even this, then, was vanity.

For, oppression, maddeneth the wise, - and a bribe, destroyeth the understanding.

Good is wisdom, with an inheritance, - and a profit, to such as see the sun.

For, a protection, is wisdom, and, a protection, is silver, - but, the advantage of knowledge, is, that, wisdom, giveth life to the possessors thereof.

Do not become so very righteous, neither count thyself wise beyond measure, - wherefore shouldst thou destroy thyself?

It is well that thou shouldst lay fast hold of this, but, even from the other, do not withdraw thy hand, - for, he that revereth God, shall come forth out of them all.

Wisdom, bringeth more strength to a wise man, than ten heroes, that are in the city.

For, as for men, there is none righteous in the earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

All this, have I proved by wisdom, - I said, I will be wise, but, that, was far from me.

Far away, is that which hath been, - and deep, deep, who can find it out?

I, could indeed find, to be, more bitter than death, the woman, whose heart is, snares and nets, and her hands, bonds, - whoso is pleasing before God, shall escape from her, but, he that sinneth, shall be captured by her.

Who is really a wise man, and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? The wisdom of a man, lighteth up his countenance, but, by defiance of countenance, one is disfigured.

Where the word of a king is, there is power, - who then may say to him, What wouldst thou do?

He that observeth the commandment, will not notice a vexatious thing, - and, of time and manner, will the heart of the wise take note.

For, to every pursuit, there is a time and a manner, - when, the vexation of man, is great concerning it.

For there is no one who knoweth what shall be, for, when it shall be, who will tell him?

No man, hath power over the spirit, to retain the spirit, and, none, hath power over the day of death, and there is no furlough in war, - neither shall lawlessness deliver them who are given thereto.

All this, had I seen, and tried to apply my heart to every work which was done under the sun, - at such time as one man had power over another man, to his hurt.

Because sentence against a wicked work is not executed speedily - on this account, the heart of the sons of men is fully set within them, to commit wickedness.

Then I considered all the work of God, that man could not find out the work that was done under the sun, inasmuch as man toileth in seeking and yet cannot find, - yea, even though the wise man should say he knoweth, yet can he not find it out.

For, unto all this, I applied my heart, and, my heart, considered all this, that, the righteous and the wise and their servants, were in the hand of God, - neither love nor hatred, could any man know, every one, was before Him.

Every one, was like every one else, one destiny, had the righteous and the lawless, the good and the pure and the impure, and he that sacrificed, and he that did not sacrifice, - as the good man, so, the sinner, he that took an oath, as he who, of an oath, stood in fear.

For, whosoever was united to all the living, for him, there was hope, - -inasmuch as, a living dog, fared better than a dead lion.

Go thy way - eat, with gladness, thy food, and drink, with a happy heart, thy wine, - when already God is well pleased with thy works.

Enjoy life, with thy wife whom thou lovest, all the days of thy life of vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all thy days of vanity, - for, that, is thy portion in life, and in thy toil wherewith, thou, art toiling under the sun.

Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, with thy might, do, - for there is no work nor calculation nor knowledge nor wisdom, in hades, whither, thou, art going.

I again saw under the sun, that not, to the swift, was the race, nor, to the strong, the battle, nay! nor, to the wise, food, nor yet, to the intelligent, riches, nor, even to the well-informed, comeliness, - for, time and accident, happened to them all.

but there was found therein, a man, poor but wise, and, he, delivered the city by his wisdom, - yet, no one, remembered that poor man.

Then said, I, Better is wisdom than strength, - although, the wisdom of the poor man, be despised, and, his words, not heard.

The words of the wise, in quietness, are heard, - beyond the outcry of one who ruleth over dullards.

Better is wisdom, than weapons of war, - but, one sinner, may destroy much good.

Dead flies, cause to stink and ferment, the oil of the perfumer, - More costly than wisdom or honour, is a little folly.

The sense of the wise, is on his right hand, - But, the sense of the dullard, on his left:

Yea, even by the way, as the foolish man walketh along, his sense faileth him - and he telleth everyone that, foolish, is he!

If, the spirit of a ruler, riseth up against thee, thy place, do not leave, for gentleness, pacifieth such as have greatly erred.

If, blunt, be the iron, and, himself, hath not sharpened, the edge, then, much force, must he apply, - but, an advantage for giving success, is wisdom.

If a serpent will bite, unless he is charmed, then there is nothing better for him that owneth a tongue.

The words of a wise man's mouth, are pleasant, - but, the lips of a dullard, will swallow him up:

The beginning of the words of his mouth, is folly, - but, the latter end of his speech, is mischievous madness.

Alas! for thee, O land, when thy king is a boy, - and, thy rulers, in the morning, do eat:

How happy art thou, O land, when thy king is a son of nobles, - and, thy rulers, in season, do eat, for strength, and not for debauchery.