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.

And who knows whether he will be wise or foolish? Either way, he will take possession of everything that I have done on earth, especially where I have excelled. This also is pointless.

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!

for who can eat or enjoy life apart from him?

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

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."

So I commended the dead who had already died as being happier than the living who are still alive.

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

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.

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?

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.

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.

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,

because stillborn children arrive in pointlessness, leave in darkness, and their names are covered in darkness.

Furthermore, though they never saw the sun nor learned anything, they are more content than the other.

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.

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.

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

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

I discovered for myself a bitterness that surpasses that of death: the woman whose heart is full of snares and nets, whose hands are chains of bondage. Whoever pleases God will escape from her, but the transgressor will be trapped by her.

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

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.

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.

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.

There is a tragedy that infects everything that happens on earth: a common event happens to everyone. In fact, the hearts of human beings are full of evil. Madness remains in their hearts while they live, and afterwards they join the dead.

Go ahead and enjoy your meals as you eat. Drink your wine with a joyful attitude, because God already has approved your actions.

Always keep your garments white, and don't fail to anoint your head.

Find joy in living with your wife whom you love every day of your pointless life that God gave you on earth, because this is your life assignment and your work to do on earth.

Whatever the activity in which you engage, do it with all your ability, because there is no work, no planning, no learning, and no wisdom in the next world where you're going.

In addition, no human being knows his time: Like fish captured in a cruel net, or as birds caught in a snare, so also are human beings caught by bad timing that surprises them.

So I concluded, "Wisdom is better than strength. Nevertheless, the wisdom of the poor is rejected his words are never heard."

The softly spoken words of the wise are to be heard rather than the shouts of a ruler of fools.

Wisdom is better than weapons of war, and a single sinner can destroy a lot of good.

If your overseer gets angry at you, don't resign, because calmness pacifies great offenses.

The words spoken by the wise are gracious, but the lips of a fool will devour him.

Festivals are for laughter, wine makes life pleasant, and money speaks to everything.

Do not curse the king, even in your thoughts. Do not curse the rich, even in your bedroom. For a bird will fly by and tell what you say, or something with wings may talk about it.

Spread your bread on the water after a while you will find it.

Apportion what you have into seven, or even eight parts, because you don't know what disaster might befall the land.

If the clouds are full of rain, they will pour out on the earth; if a tree falls toward the south or the north, wherever it falls, there it will lay.

Sow your seed in the morning, and don't stop working until evening, since you don't know which of your endeavors will do well, whether this one or that, or even if both will do equally well.

Even if a person lives many years, let him enjoy them all, recalling that there will be many days of darkness to come all of which are pointless.

So enjoy yourself in your youth, young man, and be encouraged during your younger days. Live as you like, consistent with your world view, but keep in mind that God will bring you to account for everything.

Banish sorrow from your heart, and evil from your body, since both childhood and the prime of life are pointless.

So remember your Creator during your youth! Otherwise, troublesome days will come and years will creep up on you when you'll say, "I find no pleasure in them,"

Otherwise, when the sun, daylight, moon, or stars turn dark, or when clouds fail to return after the rain

when that day comes, the palace guards will tremble, strong men will stoop down, women grinders will cease because they are few, and the sight of those who peer through the lattice will grow dim.

The doors to the street will be shut when the sound of grinding decreases, when one wakes up at the song of a bird, and all of the singing women are silenced.

Sayings from the wise are like cattle prods and well fastened nails; this masterful collection was given by one shepherd.

For God will judge every deed, along with every secret, whether good or evil.