What has been--it is what will be; what has been done--it is what will be done; there is nothing new under the sun.

There is neither remembrance of former generations, nor will there be remembrance of future generations.

I applied my mind to seek and to search by wisdom all that is done under the heavens. It [is] a grievous task God has given to {humans}.

What is twisted cannot be straightened, and what is lacking cannot be counted.

Thus, {I accomplished far more} than anyone who [was] before me in Jerusalem--indeed, my wisdom stood by me.

So I hated all my toil with which I have toiled under the sun, for I must leave it behind to someone who will be after me.

And who knows [whether] he will be wise or foolish? Yet he will exercise control of all [the fruit of] my toil with which I toiled wisely under the sun. This also [is] vanity!

a time to tear and a time to sew; a time to be silent and a time to speak;

I know everything God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, and nothing can be taken from it, for God so acts that humans might stand in awe before him.

What is--it already was, and what will be--it already is, for {God will do what he has done.}

Also if two lie together, {they can keep each other warm}. But how can one person be warm?

Do not be rash with your mouth, and do not let your heart be quick to utter a word before God. For God is in heaven, and you [are] on earth; therefore, let your words be few.

Do not be surprised if you see the poor being oppressed with violence or [do not see] justice and righteousness in the province. For one official is watched by a higher official, and [there are] even higher officials over them!

The produce of the land is exploited by everyone; {even the king profits from the field [of the poor]}!

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

So do the wise [really] have an advantage over fools? {Can the poor [really] gain anything by knowing how to act in front of others}?

{Better to be content with what your eyes see than for your soul to constantly crave more}. This also [is] vanity and chasing wind!

Whatever is--it was already determined, {what will be--it has already been decided}. As for man, he cannot argue against what is more powerful than him.

Sorrow [is] better than laughter, for by sadness of countenance the heart is made good.

The end of a matter [is] better than its beginning; {better to be slow to anger than hot-headed}.

Do not be quick in your spirit to anger, for anger lodges in the bosom of fools.

Do not be excessively righteous, and do not act excessively wise, lest you destroy yourself.

Do not act excessively wicked, and do not be a fool, lest you die before your time.

Do not pay attention to everything people say, lest you hear your own servant curse you.

All this I have tested with wisdom. I said, "I will be wise!" but {it was beyond my grasp}.

I myself found [that] more bitter than death [is] the woman who [is] a trap, whose heart [is] a snare, and whose hands [are] bonds. The one who pleases God escapes from her, but the sinner is caught by her.

Do not be terrified of his presence! Go at once and do not delay when a matter [is] unpleasant, for he can do anything that he desires.

Surely no one knows what will be, so who can tell anyone what will happen?

Although the sinner does evil a hundred times and prolongs his life, yet I also know that it will be good for those who fear God--because they fear {his presence}.

So all this I laid to my heart, and I concluded that the righteous and the wise, as well as their deeds, [are] in the hand of God. So no one knows anything that will [come] to them, whether [it will be] love or hatred.

Always be clothed in white garments, and never let your head lack oil!

Now, a poor wise man was found in it, and he delivered the city by his wisdom.

Whoever {quarries} stones will be wounded by them. Whoever splits logs will be endangered by them.

The wise man [wins] favor by the words of his mouth, but the fool is devoured by his own lips.

He begins by saying what is foolish and ends by uttering what is wicked delusion.

The fool {talks too much}, for no one knows what will be. Who can tell anyone what will happen {in the future}?

The fool is so worn out by a hard day's work {he cannot even find his way home at night}.

When the clouds are full, they empty rain on the earth. Whether a tree falls to the south or whether it falls to the north, the place where the tree falls--there it will be.

For if a man lives many years, let him rejoice in all of them! Let him remember that the days of the darkness will be many-- all that is coming [is] vanity!

The words of the wise [are] like cattle goads; the collections of the sages [are] like pricks inflicted by one shepherd.

My son, be careful {about anything beyond these things}. For the writing of books is endless, and too much study {is wearisome}.