Vanity of vanities! saith the Proclaimer, vanity of vanities! all, is vanity.

What profit hath Man, in all his toil wherewith he toileth under the sun?

All the streams, flow into the sea, yet, the sea, is not full, - unto the place whither the streams flow, thither, do they again flow.

All words, are weak, unable is any man to tell, - not satisfied is the eye by seeing, nor filled is the ear with hearing.

There is, no remembrance, of the thing before, - nor, even of the things after, which shall be, will there be any remembrance, with them who shall come after.

And I gave my heart to seek and to search out, wisely, concerning all things which are done under the heavens, - the same, is the vexatious employment God hath given to the sons of men, to work toilsomely therein,

I saw all the works which were done under the sun, - and lo! all, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.

Said, I, in my heart, Come now! I will prove thee with gladness, and look thou on blessedness, - but lo! even that, was vanity.

I acquired, men-servants and women-servants, and, the children of the household, were mine, - also possessions, herds and flocks in abundance, were mine, beyond all who had been before me in Jerusalem;

and, nothing that mine eyes asked, withheld I from them, - I did not keep back my heart from any gladness, for, my heart, obtained gladness out of all my toil, and so, this, was my portion, out of all my toil.

When, I, looked upon all my works, which my hands had made, and on my toil, whereon I had toilsomely wrought, then lo! all, was vanity, and feeding on wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

As for the wise man, his eyes, are in his head, whereas, the dullard, in darkness, doth walk, - but, I myself, knew that, one destiny, happeneth to them, all.

Then said, I, in my heart, As it happeneth to the dullard, even to me, will it happen, but wherefore, then, became, I, wise to excess? Therefore spake I, in my heart, Even this, is vanity.

For there is no remembrance of a wise man, more than of a dullard, unto times age-abiding, - seeing that, already, in the days to come, all hath been forgotten, how then cometh it that the wise man dieth equally with the dullard?

Therefore I hated life, for, a vexation unto me, was the work which was done under the sun, - for, all, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.

Therefore hated, I, all my toil, wherein I was toiling, under the sun, - in that I should leave it for the man who should come after me;

and who could know whether a, wise man, he would be or a foolish, and yet he would lord it over all my toil, wherein I had toiled and wherein I had acted wisely, under the sun, - even this, was vanity.

Then resolved I, to give my heart over to despair, - concerning all the toil, wherein I had toiled, under the sun.

For what hath the man for all his toil, and for the striving of his heart, - wherein, he himself, toiled under the sun?

For, all his days, are pains, and, vexatious, is his employment, even in the night, his heart lieth not down, - even this, was, vanity.

For who could eat and who could enjoy, so well as I?

A time to weep, and a time to laugh, - A time to wail, and a time to dance for joy;

I know that there is no blessedness in them, - save to be glad, and to do well with one's life.

Though indeed, that any man should eat and drink, and see blessedness, in all his toil, it is, the gift of God.

Said, I, in my heart, Both the righteous and the lawless, will God judge, - for there will be a time for every pursuit, and concerning every work - there.

For, as regardeth the destiny of the sons of men and the destiny of beasts, one fate, have they, as dieth the one, so, dieth the other, and, one spirit, have they all, - and, the pre-eminence of man over beast, is nothing, for, all, were vanity:

all, go unto one place, - all, came from the dust, and all, return to the dust.

Then again, I, considered all the oppressive deeds which were done under the sun, - and lo! the tears of the oppressed, and they have no comforter, and, on the side of their oppressing, is power, and they have no comforter.

Then saw, I, all the toil and all the skill of the work, that, for this, a man was envied of his neighbour, - even this, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.

Here is one, without a second, even son or brother, he hath none, yet is there no end to all his toil, even his eye, is not satisfied with riches, - neither saith he For whom, am I toiling, and letting my soul want good? Even this, was vanity, yea a vexatious employment, it was!

I saw all the living, who were going hither and thither under the sun, - that they were with the boy who was to be the second, who was to stand in the other's place: -

There was no end to all the people, to all before whom he came, yet, they who should come later, would not rejoice in him, - surely, even this, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.

And, the profit of the earth, is, for all, - a king, by the field, is served.

Sweet the sleep of the labourer, whether, little or much, he eat, - but, the surfeit of the rich man, will not suffer him to sleep.

and those riches perish, by being ill employed, - and though he begetteth a son, yet is there in his hand nothing at all.

Even all his days, are spent in darkness and mourning, - and he is very morose, and is sad and angry.

Lo! what, I myself, have seen - Better that it should be excellent to eat and to drink and to see blessedness, in all one's toil wherein one toileth under the sun, for the number of the days of his life, in that God hath given it him, for, that, is his portion:

A man to whom God giveth riches and gains and honour, so that nothing doth he lack for his soul - of all that he craveth, and yet God doth not give him power to eat thereof, but, a man unknown, eateth it, - this, was vanity, and, an incurable evil, it was.

Even though one hath lived a thousand years twice told, yet, good, hath he not seen, - is it not, unto one place, that, all, are going?

All the toil of man, is for his mouth, - though, even the desire, is not satisfied!

For who knoweth what is good for a man throughout his life, for the number of the days of his life of vanity, seeing he will make them, like a shadow, - for who can tell a man, what shall be after him, under the sun?

Better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of banqueting, for, that, is the end of all men, - and, the living, should take it to his heart.

It is well that thou shouldst lay fast hold of this, but, even from the other, do not withdraw thy hand, - for, he that revereth God, shall come forth out of them all.

Moreover, not to all the words which men speak, do thou apply thy heart, - lest thou hear thine own servant reviling thee!

All this, have I proved by wisdom, - I said, I will be wise, but, that, was far from me.

what my soul still sought, yet I found not, - one man out of a thousand, have I found, but, a woman among all these, have I not found.

Not rashly from his presence, shouldst thou go: do not take thy stand in a vexatious thing, - for, whatsoever he pleaseth, he will do.

He that observeth the commandment, will not notice a vexatious thing, - and, of time and manner, will the heart of the wise take note.

For there is no one who knoweth what shall be, for, when it shall be, who will tell him?

All this, had I seen, and tried to apply my heart to every work which was done under the sun, - at such time as one man had power over another man, to his hurt.

Though a sinner be committing wickedness a hundred times, and continuing long in his own way, yet I surely know that it shall be well to them who revere God, who stand in awe before him;

but, well, shall it not be to the lawless man, neither shall he lengthen out his days like a shadow, - because he standeth not in awe before God.

Then I considered all the work of God, that man could not find out the work that was done under the sun, inasmuch as man toileth in seeking and yet cannot find, - yea, even though the wise man should say he knoweth, yet can he not find it out.

For, unto all this, I applied my heart, and, my heart, considered all this, that, the righteous and the wise and their servants, were in the hand of God, - neither love nor hatred, could any man know, every one, was before Him.

This was a misfortune in all that was done under the sun, that, one destiny, had they all, - yea also, the heart of the sons of men, was full of wickedness, and, madness, was in their heart, while they lived, and, after that, they went unto the dead.

For, whosoever was united to all the living, for him, there was hope, - -inasmuch as, a living dog, fared better than a dead lion.

Go thy way - eat, with gladness, thy food, and drink, with a happy heart, thy wine, - when already God is well pleased with thy works.

Enjoy life, with thy wife whom thou lovest, all the days of thy life of vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all thy days of vanity, - for, that, is thy portion in life, and in thy toil wherewith, thou, art toiling under the sun.

I again saw under the sun, that not, to the swift, was the race, nor, to the strong, the battle, nay! nor, to the wise, food, nor yet, to the intelligent, riches, nor, even to the well-informed, comeliness, - for, time and accident, happened to them all.

Dead flies, cause to stink and ferment, the oil of the perfumer, - More costly than wisdom or honour, is a little folly.

Folly placed in great dignity, - while, the rich, in a low place, took their seat:

If a serpent will bite, unless he is charmed, then there is nothing better for him that owneth a tongue.

The words of a wise man's mouth, are pleasant, - but, the lips of a dullard, will swallow him up:

Merrily people make bread, and, wine, gladdeneth life, - but, money, answereth all things.

If the clouds be filled with a downpour, upon the earth, will they empty themselves, and, if a tree fall in the south or in the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there will it be found.

He that observeth the wind, will not sow, - and, he that watcheth the clouds, will not reap.

Just as thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, when the body is in the womb of her that is with child, even, so, canst thou not know the work of God, who maketh all.

But, though, many years, a man live, through them all, let him rejoice; yet let him remember the days of darkness, for many they may be, all that cometh, may be vanity.

Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth, and let thy heart gladden thee in the days of thine early manhood, and walk thou - in the ways of thine own heart, and in that which is seen by thine own eyes, - yet know, that, for all these things, will God bring thee into judgment.

And the doors in the street be closed, when the sound of the mill become low, - and one rise at the chirp of a small bird, and low-voiced be all the daughters of song;

Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, - or the bucket by the fountain be shivered, or the wheel at the well be broken;

Vanity of vanities, saith the Proclaimer, all, is vanity.

The words of the wise, are as goads, yea, as driven nails, their well-ordered sayings, - given from one shepherd.

The conclusion of the matter - the whole, let us hear, - Towards God, be reverent, and, his commandments, observe, for, this, concerneth all mankind.

For, every work, will God bring into judgment, with every hidden thing, - whether good, or evil.