The sun rises, the sun sets, then rushes back to where it arose.

All the rivers flow toward the sea, but the sea is never full; then rivers return to the headwaters where they began.

Everything is wearisome, more than man is able to express. The eye is never satisfied by seeing, nor the ear by hearing.

I dedicated myself to using wisdom for study and discovery of everything that is done under heaven. God uses terrible things so human beings will struggle with life.

So I dedicated myself to learn about wisdom and knowledge, and about insanity and foolishness. And I discovered that this is also like chasing after the wind.

For with much wisdom there is much sorrow; the more someone adds to knowledge, the more someone adds to grief.

I decided to indulge in wine, while still remaining committed to wisdom. I also tried to indulge in foolishness, just enough to determine whether it was good for human beings under heaven given the short time of their lives.

With respect to my extravagant works, I built houses for myself; I planted vineyards for myself.

I built for myself water reservoirs to irrigate forests that produce trees.

Then I examined all of my accomplishments that I had brought about by my own efforts, including the work that I had labored so hard to complete and it was all pointless, like chasing after the wind, and there was nothing to be gained on earth.

Next I turned to examine wisdom, insanity, and foolishness, because what can a person do who succeeds the king except what has already been accomplished?

Then I told myself, "Whatever happens to the fool will happen also to me. Therefore what's the point in being so wise?" And I told myself that this also is pointless.

For neither the wise nor the fool will be long remembered, since in days to come everything will be forgotten. The wise man dies the same way as the fool, does he not?

Then I despised everything I had worked for on earth, that is, the things that I will leave to the person who will succeed me.

So I came to be in despair about everything I had accomplished on earth.

For sometimes people who strive to obtain wisdom, knowledge, and equity leave everything as an inheritance to a person who never worked for it. This, too, is pointless and greatly troublesome.

Indeed, all of his days are filled with sorrow, and his struggles bring grief. In fact, his mind remains restless throughout the night. This is pointless, too!

The only worthwhile thing for a human being is to eat, drink, and enjoy life's goodness that he finds in what he accomplishes. This, I observed, is also from the hand of God himself,

After all, to the person who is good in God's sight, he gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy, but to the sinner he gives the troublesome task of acquiring and accumulating in order to leave it to someone who is good in the sight of God. This also is pointless and chasing after the wind.

a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot what was planted;

a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to tear down, and a time to build up;

a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

a time to scatter stones, and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

a time to search, and a time to give up searching; a time to keep, and a time to discard;

a time to tear, and a time to mend; a time to be silent, and a time to speak;

a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

I have observed the burdens placed by God on human beings in order to perfect them.

He made everything appropriate in its time. He also placed eternity within them yet, no person can fully comprehend what God is doing from beginning to end.

I have concluded that the only worthwhile thing for them is to take pleasure in doing good in life;

I have concluded that everything that God undertakes will last for eternity nothing can be added to it nor taken away from it and that God acts this way so that people will fear him.

I also examined on earth: where the halls of justice were supposed to be, there was lawlessness; and where the righteous were supposed to be, there was lawlessness. 17I told myself, "God will judge both the righteous and the wicked, because there is a time set to judge every event and every work."

"As for human beings," I told myself, "God puts them to the test, that they might see themselves as mere animals."

For what happens to people also happens to animals a single event happens to them: just as someone dies, so does the other. In fact, they all breathe the same way, so that a human being has no superiority over an animal. All of this is pointless.

All of them go to one place: all of them originate from dust, and all of them return to dust.

Who knows whether the spirit of human beings ascends, and whether the spirit of animals descends to the earth?

I concluded that it is worthwhile for people to find joy in their accomplishments, because that is their inheritance, since who can see what will exist after them?

Next I turned to consider all kinds of oppression that exists on earth. Look at the tears of the oppressed there is no one to comfort them. Power is on the side of their oppressors; so they have no comforters.

Better than both of them is someone who has not yet been born, because he hasn't experienced evil on earth.

It's better to have one handful of tranquility than to have two handfuls of trouble and to chase after the wind.

Then I turned to re-examine something else that is pointless on earth:

Consider someone who is alone, having neither son nor brother. There is no end to all of his work, and he is never satisfied with wealth. "So for whom do I work," he asks, "and deprive myself of pleasure?" This, too, is pointless and a terrible tragedy.

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.

If they stumble, the first will lift up his friend but woe to anyone who is alone when he falls and there is no one to help him get up.

Again, if two lie close together, they will keep warm, but how can only one stay warm?

If someone attacks one of them, the two of them together will resist. Furthermore, the tri-braided cord is not soon broken.

The former can come out of prison to reign, while the latter, even if born to kingship, may become poor.

There was no end to all of his subjects or to all of the people who had come before them. But those who come along afterward will not be happy with him. This is also pointless and a chasing after wind.

Watch your step whenever you visit God's house, and come more ready to listen than to offer a fool's sacrifice, since fools never think they're doing evil.

Don't be impulsive with your mouth nor be in a hurry to talk in God's presence. Since God is in heaven and you're on earth, keep your speech short.

Too many worries lead to nightmares, and a fool is known from talking too much.

When you make a promise to God, don't fail to keep it, since he isn't pleased with fools. Keep what you promise

it's better that you don't promise than that you do promise and not follow through.

Never let your mouth cause you to sin and don't proclaim in the presence of the angel, "My promise was a mistake," for why should God be angry at your excuse and destroy what you've undertaken?

In spite of many daydreams, pointless actions, and empty words, it is more important to fear God.

Don't be surprised when you see the poor oppressed and the violent perverting both justice and verdicts in a province, for one high official watches another, and there are ones higher still over them.

Also, the increase of the land belongs to everyone; the king himself is served by his field.

When possessions increase, so does the number of consumers; therefore what good are they to their owners, except to look at them?

Sweet is the sleep of a working man, whether he eats a little or a lot, but the excess wealth of the rich will not allow him to rest.

Look! I observed that it is good and prudent to eat, drink, and enjoy all that is good of a person's work that he does on earth during the limited days of his life, which God gives him, for this is his allotment.

Furthermore, for every person to whom God has given wealth, riches, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept this allotment, and to rejoice in his work this is a gift from God.

a man to whom God gives wealth, riches, and honor, so that he lacks none of his heart's desires but God does not give him the capability to enjoy them. Instead, a stranger consumes them. This is pointless and a grievous affliction.

A man might father a hundred children, and live for many years, so that the length of his life is long but if his life does not overflow with goodness, and he doesn't receive a proper burial, I maintain that stillborn children are better off than he is,

Even if he lives a thousand years twice over without experiencing the best aren't all of them going to the same place?

For what advantage has the wise person over the fool? What advantage does the poor man have in knowing how to face life?

It is better to focus on what you can see than to meander after your self-interest; this also is pointless and a chasing after wind.

Whatever exists has been named already; people know what it means to be human and a person cannot defeat one who is more powerful than he.

Because many words lead to pointlessness, how do people benefit from this? 12Who knows what is best for people in this life, every day of their pointless lives that they pass through like a shadow? Who informs people on earth what will come along after them?

A good name exceeds the value of fine perfume, and the day of someone's death exceeds the value of the day of his birth.

It's better to attend a funeral than to attend a banquet, for everyone dies eventually, and the living will take this to heart.

It is better to listen to a wise person's rebuke than to listen to the praise of fools.

For as thorns burn to heat a pot, so also is the laughter of the fool even this is pointless.

Never be in a hurry to become internally angry, since anger settles down in the lap of fools.

Wise use of possessions is good; it brings benefit to the living.

Indeed, wisdom gives protection, just like money does, but it's better to know that wisdom gives life, to those who have mastered it.

Consider the work of God: Who is able to straighten what he has bent?

When times are good, be joyful; when times are bad, consider this: God made the one as well as the other, so people won't seek anything outside of his best.

I have seen it all during my pointless life: both a righteous person who dies while he is righteous, and a wicked person who lives to an old age, while remaining wicked.

Do not be overly righteous, nor be overly wise. Why be self-destructive?

Do not excel at wickedness, nor be a fool. Why die before your time?

It is good for you to grab hold of this and not let go, because whoever fears God will escape all of these extremes.

Wisdom given as strength to a wise person is better than having ten powerful men in the city.

Don't listen to everything that is spoken you may hear your servant cursing you,

I used my wisdom to test all of this. I said, "I want to be wise," but it was beyond me.

I committed myself to understand, to learn, to search for wisdom and explanations, and to understand both the evil that is foolishness and the stupidity that is delusion.

"Look at this," says the Teacher. "Linking one thing to another, I reached this conclusion:

Among the things I seek but have not found: one man among a thousand I did find, but I have not found one woman to be wise among all these.

Who is really wise? Who knows how to interpret this saying: "A person's wisdom improves his appearance, softening a harsh countenance."

I advise doing what the king says, especially regarding an oath to God.

Don't be in a hurry to leave him, and don't persist in evil, for he does whatever he pleases.

Since a king's command is powerful, who is able to challenge him, asking, "What are you doing?"

For he has absolutely no knowledge what will happen, since who can declare to him when it will come about?

Just as no human being has control over the wind to restrain it, so also no human being has control over the day of his death. Just as no one is discharged during war, so wickedness will not release those who practice it.

I observed all this, and carefully considered everything that is undertaken on earth, especially the time when someone dominates another to his detriment.

So I watched the wicked being entombed. They used to come in and out of the Holy Place, but now they are forgotten in the city, where they used to work. This, too, is pointless.

Whenever a sentence for a crime is not carried out swiftly, the human mind becomes determined to commit evil.

Here is a pointless thing that happens on earth: A righteous man receives what happens to the wicked, and a wicked man receives what happens to the righteous. I concluded that this, too, is pointless.

So then I recommended enjoyment of life, because it is better on earth for a man to eat, drink, and be happy, since this will stay with him throughout his struggle all the days of his life, which God grants him on earth.

When I dedicated myself to experience wisdom and to observe what is undertaken on earth even going without sleep day and night

I saw all of it as the activity of God. Frankly, a human being cannot understand what happens on earth, because however hard a man works to discover it, he will not find out. Despite what he thinks he knows, he will not be able to figure it out.

In light of all of this, I committed myself to explain it this way: the righteous and the wise, along with everything they do, are in the hands of God. Furthermore, as to love and hate, no human being knows everything concerning them.