I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.

And I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also was a striving after wind.

I said in my heart, Come now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure. And, behold, this also was vanity.

I searched in my heart how to cheer my flesh with wine (my heart yet guiding [me] with wisdom), and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what it was good for the sons of men that they should do under heaven all the days of th

So I was great, and increased more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me.

And whatever my eyes desired I kept not from them. I did not withhold my heart from any joy. For my heart rejoiced because of all my labor, and this was my portion from all my labor.

Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labor that I had labored to do, and, behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

Then said I in my heart, As it happens to the fool, so it will happen even to me, and why then was I more wise? Then said I in my heart that this also is vanity.

So I hated life, because the work that is wrought under the sun was grievous to me. For all is vanity and a striving after wind.

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

Do not allow thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin, nor say thou before the [heavenly] agent, that is was an error. Why should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thy hands?

Whatever has been, the name of it was given long ago, and it is know what man is. Neither can he contend with him who is mightier than he.

All this I have proved in wisdom. I said, I will be wise, but it was far from me.

I turned about, and my heart [was set] to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason [of things], and to know that wickedness is folly, and that foolishness is madness.

There was a little city, and few men within it. And there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it.

Now there was found in it a poor wise man. And he by his wisdom delivered the city, yet no man remembered that same poor man.

and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

And further, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge. Yea, he pondered, and sought out, [and] set in order many proverbs.

The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and that which was written uprightly--words of truth.