I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under the sky. It is a heavy burden that God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.

I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and behold, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.

I searched in my heart how to cheer my flesh with wine, my heart yet guiding me with wisdom, and how to lay hold of folly, until I might see what it was good for the sons of men that they should do under heaven all the days of their lives.

a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

I have seen the burden which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.

I said in my heart, "As for the sons of men, God tests them, so that they may see that they themselves are like animals.

Therefore I saw that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his works; for that is his portion: for who can bring him to see what will be after him?

Yes, better than them both is him who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent taking away of justice and righteousness in a district, don't marvel at the matter: for one official is eyed by a higher one; and there are officials over them.

There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: wealth kept by its owner to his harm.

Behold, that which I have seen to be good and proper is for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labor, in which he labors under the sun, all the days of his life which God has given him; for this is his portion.

There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is heavy on men:

Moreover it has not seen the sun nor known it. This has rest rather than the other.

Wisdom is as good as an inheritance. Yes, it is more excellent for those who see the sun.

All this have I seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who lives long in his evildoing.

I turned around, and my heart sought to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know that wickedness is stupidity, and that foolishness is madness.

All this have I seen, and applied my mind to every work that is done under the sun. There is a time in which one man has power over another to his hurt.

When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done on the earth (for also there is that neither day nor night sees sleep with his eyes),

then I saw all the work of God, that man can't find out the work that is done under the sun, because however much a man labors to seek it out, yet he won't find it. Yes even though a wise man thinks he can comprehend it, he won't be able to find it.

I have also seen wisdom under the sun in this way, and it seemed great to me.

There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, the sort of error which proceeds from the ruler.

I have seen servants on horses, and princes walking like servants on the earth.

In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening don't withhold your hand; for you don't know which will prosper, whether this or that, or whether they both will be equally good.

Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to see the sun.