Because in much wisdom is much grief, and increase of knowledge is increase of sorrow.

And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them; I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced because of all my labor; and this was my portion from all my labor.

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?

For there shall be no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; because everything is already forgotten in the days which come. And how dieth the wise even as the fool?

So I hated life, because the work that is wrought under the sun was grievous unto me; for all is vanity and a striving after wind.

Yea, I hated all my labor in which I had toiled under the sun: because I must leave it unto the man that shall be after me.

Because there is a man whose work has been done with wisdom, with knowledge, and with an expert hand; but one who has done nothing for it will have it for his heritage. This again is to no purpose and a great evil.

Because all his days his task is painful and grievous; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is vanity.

Whatever is has been before, and what is to be is now; because God makes search for the things which are past.

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."

I said in my heart, God will be judge of the good and of the bad; because a time for every purpose and for every work has been fixed by him.

I said in my heart, It is because of the sons of men, that God may prove them, and that they may see that they themselves are but 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.

So I saw that there is nothing better than for a man to have joy in his work--because that is his reward. Who will make him see what will come after him?

Yea, him that is yet unborn to be better at ease than they both, because he seeth not the miserable works that are done under the Sun.

And I have seen all the labour, and all the benefit of the work, because for it a man is the envy of his neighbour. Even this is vanity and vexation of spirit.

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

And if one has a fall, the other will give him a hand; but unhappy is the man who is by himself, because he has no helper.

Because out of a prison the young man comes to be king, though by birth he was only a poor man in the kingdom.

Be not unwise with your mouth, and let not your heart be quick to say anything before God, because God is in heaven and you are on the earth--so let not the number of your words be great.

When you take an oath before God, put it quickly into effect, because he has no pleasure in the foolish; keep the oath you have taken.

Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin, nor say before the messenger, that 'it is an error,' why is God wroth because of thy voice, and hath destroyed the work of thy hands?

Because much talk comes from dreams and things of no purpose. But let the fear of God be in you.

If you see the poor under a cruel yoke, and law and right being violently overturned in a country, be not surprised, because one authority is keeping watch on another and there are higher than they.

Here is what I have seen to be good: it is appropriate to eat, drink, and experience good in all the labor one does under the sun during the few days of his life God has given him, because that is his reward.

For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.

If a man doth beget a hundred, and live many years, and is great, because they are the days of his years, and his soul is not satisfied from the goodness, and also he hath not had a grave, I have said, 'Better than he is the untimely birth.'

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

Whatever has happened was foreordained, and what happens to a person was also foreknown. It is useless for him to argue with God about his fate because God is more powerful than he is.

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?

It is better to go to the house of weeping, than to go to the house of feasting; because that is the end of every man, and the living will take it to their hearts.

Sorrow is better than laughter, because sober reflection is good for the heart.

Be not quick to let your spirit be angry; because wrath is in the heart of the foolish.

Never ask "Why does the past seem so much better than now?" because this question does not come from wisdom.

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

Because there is not a righteous man on earth that doth good and sinneth not.

All these things have I proved because of wisdom: For I thought to be wise, but she went farther from me than she was before;

Keep [the] command of [the] king {because of your oath to God}.

Be not quick to go from before him. Be not fixed in an evil design, because he does whatever is pleasing to him.

because the word of a king is power; and who may say unto him, What doest thou?

for to every purpose there is a time and judgment; because the misery of man is great upon him:

Yet no one knows what will happen because who can tell him what will happen?

And then I saw evil men put to rest, taken even from the holy place; and they went about and were praised in the town because of what they had done. This again is to no purpose.

Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.

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}.

but it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.

Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be joyful: for that shall abide with him in his labor all the days of his life which God hath given him under the sun.

then I beheld all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because however much a man labor to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea moreover, though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.

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.

Because to him who is joined with all the living there is hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

The living are conscious that death will come to them, but the dead are not conscious of anything, and they no longer have a reward, because there is no memory of them.

Go, eat your food with joy, and drink your wine with a happy heart, because God has already approved your works.

Have joy with the woman of your love all the days of your foolish life which he gives you under the sun. Because that is your part in life and in your work which you do under the sun.

Whatever comes to your hand to do with all your power, do it because there is no work, or thought, or knowledge, or wisdom in the place of the dead to which you are going.

Dead flies corrupt sweet ointment and make it to stink. Even so, oft times, he that hath been had in estimation for wisdom and honour is abhorred because of a little foolishness.

If the ruler’s temper rises against you, do not abandon your position, because composure allays great offenses.

The labor of the foolish wearies every one of them, because he knows not how to go to the city.

Because of laziness the roof caves in,
and because of negligent hands the house leaks.

Say not a curse against the king, even in your thoughts; and even secretly say not a curse against the man of wealth; because a bird of the air will take the voice, and that which has wings will give news of it.

Give a part to seven or even to eight, because you have no knowledge of the evil which will be on the earth.

In the morning put your seed into the earth, and till the evening let not your hand be at rest; because you are not certain which will do well, this or that--or if the two will be equally good.

But even if a man's life is long and he has joy in all his years, let him keep in mind the dark days, because they will be great in number. Whatever may come is to no purpose.

So put away trouble from your heart, and sorrow from your flesh; because the early years and the best years are to no purpose.

in the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows shall be darkened,

yea, they shall be afraid of that which is high, and terrors'shall be in the way; and the almond-tree shall blossom, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail; because man goeth to his everlasting home, and the mourners go about the streets:

And further, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he pondered, and sought out, and'set in order many proverbs.

This is the last word. All has been said. Have fear of God and keep his laws; because this is right for every man.