What is that which hath been? it is that which is, and what is that which hath been done? it is that which is done, and there is not an entirely new thing under the sun.

There is a thing of which one saith: 'See this, it is new!' already it hath been in the ages that were before us!

I, a preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.

And I have given my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that hath been done under the heavens. It is a sad travail God hath given to the sons of man to be humbled by it.

I have seen all the works that have been done under the sun, and lo, the whole is vanity and vexation of spirit!

I -- I spake with my heart, saying, 'I, lo, I have magnified and added wisdom above every one who hath been before me at Jerusalem, and my heart hath seen abundantly wisdom and knowledge.

I got men-servants, and maid-servants, and sons of the house were to me; also, I had much substance -- herd and flock -- above all who had been before me in Jerusalem.

And I became great, and increased above every one who had been before me in Jerusalem; also, my wisdom stood with me.

And all that mine eyes asked I kept not back from them; I withheld not my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced because of all my labour, and this hath been my portion, from all my labour,

And I have hated life, for sad to me is the work that hath been done under the sun, for the whole is vanity and vexation of spirit.

For what hath been to a man by all his labour, and by the thought of his heart that he laboured at under the sun?

What is that which hath been? already it is, and that which is to be hath already been, and God requireth that which is pursued.

The whole are going unto one place, the whole have been from the dust, and the whole are turning back unto the dust.

And better than both of them is he who hath not yet been, in that he hath not seen the evil work that hath been done under the sun.

For from a house of prisoners he hath come out to reign, for even in his own kingdom he hath been poor.

In the multiplying of good have its consumers been multiplied, and what benefit is to its possessor except the sight of his eyes?

And that wealth hath been lost in an evil business, and he hath begotten a son and there is nothing in his hand!

What is that which hath been? already is its name called, and it is known that it is man, and he is not able to contend with him who is stronger than he.

The wisdom giveth strength to a wise man, more than wealth the rulers who have been in a city.

Far off is that which hath been, and deep, deep, who doth find it?

All this I have seen so as to give my heart to every work that hath been done under the sun; a time that man hath ruled over man to his own evil.

Because sentence hath not been done on an evil work speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of man is full within them to do evil.

There is a vanity that hath been done upon the earth, that there are righteous ones unto whom it is coming according to the work of the wicked, and there are wicked ones unto whom it is coming according to the work of the righteous. I have said that this also is vanity.

When I gave my heart to know wisdom and to see the business that hath been done on the earth, (for there is also a spectator in whose eyes sleep is not by day and by night),

then I considered all the work of God, that man is not able to find out the work that hath been done under the sun, because though man labour to seek, yet he doth not find; and even though the wise man speak of knowing he is not able to find.

This is an evil among all that hath been done under the sun, that one event is to all, and also the heart of the sons of man is full of evil, and madness is in their heart during their life, and after it -- unto the dead.

For the living know that they die, and the dead know not anything, and there is no more to them a reward, for their remembrance hath been forgotten.

Their love also, their hatred also, their envy also, hath already perished, and they have no more a portion to the age in all that hath been done under the sun.

Go, eat with joy thy bread, and drink with a glad heart thy wine, for already hath God been pleased with thy works.

and there hath been found in it a poor wise man, and he hath delivered the city by his wisdom, and men have not remembered that poor man!

If the iron hath been blunt, And he the face hath not sharpened, Then doth he increase strength, And wisdom is advantageous to make right.

And doors have been shut in the street. When the noise of the grinding is low, And one riseth at the voice of the bird, And all daughters of song are bowed down.

Words of the wise are as goads, and as fences planted by the masters of collections, they have been given by one shepherd.