Then I saw that wisdom is better than foolish ways--as the light is better than the dark.

Then said I in my heart: As it comes to the foolish man, so will it come to me; so why have I been wise overmuch? Then I said in my heart: This again is to no purpose.

Of the wise man, as of the foolish man, there is no memory for ever, seeing that those who now are will have gone from memory in the days to come. See how death comes to the wise as to the foolish!

I said in my heart, It is because of the sons of men, so that God may put them to the test and that they may see themselves as beasts.

Because the fate of the sons of men and the fate of the beasts is the same. As is the death of one so is the death of the other, and all have one spirit. Man is not higher than the beasts; because all is to no purpose.

As a dream comes from much business, so the voice of a foolish man comes with words in great number.

As he came from his mother at birth, so does he go again; he gets from his work no reward which he may take away in his hand.

And this again is a great evil, that in all points as he came so will he go; and what profit has he in working for the wind?

Wisdom keeps a man from danger even as money does; but the value of knowledge is that wisdom gives life to its owner.

And I saw a thing more bitter than death, even the woman whose heart is full of tricks and nets, and whose hands are as bands. He with whom God is pleased will get free from her, but the sinner will be taken by her.

There is a thing which is to no purpose done on the earth: that there are good men to whom is given the same punishment as those who are evil, and there are evil men who get the reward of the good. I say that this again is to no purpose.

Because to all there is one event, to the upright man and to the evil, to the clean and to the unclean, to him who makes an offering and to him who makes no offering; as is the good so is the sinner; he who takes an oath is as he who has fear of it.

This again I have seen under the sun as wisdom and it seemed great to me.

I have seen servants on horses, and rulers walking on the earth as servants.

As you have no knowledge of the way of the wind, or of the growth of the bones in the body of her who is with child, even so you have no knowledge of the works of God who has made all.

And the dust goes back to the earth as it was, and the spirit goes back to God who gave it.