That which hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which will be done: and there is nothing new under the sun.

Is there a thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? It hath been already in the ages which were before us.

There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be remembrance of things that are to come with those who shall live afterwards.

Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that it had cost me to do them; and behold, all was vanity and pursuit of the wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

For there shall be no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; because everything is already forgotten in the days which come. And how dieth the wise even as the fool?

For there is a man whose labour hath been with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skill, and who leaveth it to a man that hath not laboured therein, to be his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.

There is nothing good for man, but that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heavens:

I know that there is nothing good for them but to rejoice and to do well in their life;

I know that whatever God doeth, it shall be for ever; there is nothing to be added to it, nor anything to be taken from it; and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.

And moreover I saw under the sun, that in the place of judgment, wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, wickedness was there.

I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.

And I have seen that there is nothing better than that man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion; for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?

There is one alone and without a second; also he hath neither son nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour, neither is his eye satisfied with riches, and he saith not, For whom then am I labouring, and depriving my soul of good? This also is vanity and a grievous occupation.

There is no end of all the people, of all that stood before them; those however that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after the wind.

If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter; for a higher than the high is watching, and there are higher than they.

When goods increase, they are increased that eat them; and what profit is there to the owner thereof, except the beholding of them with his eyes?

There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt;

or those riches perish by some evil circumstance, and if he have begotten a son, there is nothing in his hand.

There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it is frequent among men:

For there are many things that increase vanity: what is man advantaged?

All this have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a righteous man that perisheth by his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his days by his wickedness.

Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doeth good and sinneth not.

For to every purpose there is time and manner. For the misery of man is great upon him;

There is no man who hath control over the spirit to retain the spirit; and no one hath control over the day of death; and there is no discharge in that war, neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.

All this have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is done under the sun: there is a time when man ruleth man to his hurt.

There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there are righteous men unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; and there are wicked men to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity.

And I commended mirth, because there is nothing better for man under the sun than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry; for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God hath given him under the sun.

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

For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

Whatever thy hand findeth to do, do with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, whither thou goest.

There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and encompassed it, and built great bulwarks against it:

and there was found in it a poor wise man, who by his wisdom delivered the city; but no man remembered that poor man.

There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as an error that proceedeth from the ruler:

If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth; and if a tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be.

And besides, my son, be warned by them: of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.