All is but vanity - sayeth the Preacher - all is but plain vanity.

One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh, but the earth standeth for ever.

All the rivers go down to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the rivers go, there they go again.

There is a thing [of] which it is said, "Look at this! This is new!" [But] it already existed in ages past before us.

Thus I have considered all the things that come to pass under the Sun, and lo, they are all but vanity and vexation of mind.

for thereunto I applied my mind: that I might know what were wisdom and understanding, what were error and foolishness. And I perceived that this also was but a vexation of mind:

I said in my heart, Come now, I will try thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure. But behold, this also is vanity.

I sought out with my heart, to cherish with wine, my flesh, - but, my heart, was to guide with wisdom, even in laying hold of folly, until I should see which was blessedness for the sons of men, as to that which they could do, under the heavens, during the number of the days of their life.

But when I considered all the works that my hands had wrought, and all the labours that I had taken therein: Lo, all was vanity and vexation of mind, and nothing of any value under the Sun.

And I turned to see wisdom, and madness, and folly, but what is the man who cometh after the king? that which is already -- they have done it!

The wise man's eyes are in his head, and the fool walketh in darkness; but I myself also perceived that one event happeneth to them all.

Then thought I in my mind, "If it happeneth unto the fool as it doth unto me, what needeth me then to labour any more for wisdom?" So I confessed within my heart, that this also was but vanity.

Thus began I to be weary of my life, in so much that I could away with nothing that is done under the Sun, for all was but vanity and vexation of mind:

And who is to say if that man will be wise or foolish? But he will have power over all my work which I have done and in which I have been wise under the sun. This again is to no purpose.

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.

For all his days are but'sorrows, and his travail is grief; yea, even in the night his heart taketh no rest. This also is vanity.

There is nothing good for man, but that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.

For he giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he giveth travail to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good in God's sight. This also is vanity and pursuit of the wind.

What else hath a man that doth anything, but weariness and labour?

He has made everything right in its time; but he has made their hearts without knowledge, so that man is unable to see the works of God, from the first to the last.

I know that there is nothing good for them but to rejoice and to do well in their life;

That which was, already, had been, and, that which shall be, already, shall have been, - but, God, seeketh that which hath been chased away.

I said in my heart, It is thus with the children of men, that God may prove them, and that they should see that they themselves are but beasts.

For it happeneth unto men as it doth unto beasts, and as the one dieth, so dieth the other. Yea, they have both one manner of breath, so that - in this - a man hath no preeminence above a beast, but all are subdued unto vanity.

Wherefore I perceive, that there is nothing better for a man, than to be joyful in his labour, for that is his portion. But who will bring him to see the thing that shall come after him?

Then I looked again at all the acts of oppression which were being done under the sun. And behold I saw the tears of the oppressed and that they had no one to comfort them; and on the side of their oppressors was power, but they had no one to comfort them.

But better off than both of them is the one who has never existed, who has never seen the evil activity that is done under the sun.

The fool folds his hands and does no work, so he has nothing to eat but his own flesh.

It is one who is by himself, without a second, and without son or brother; but there is no end to all his work, and he has never enough of wealth. For whom, then, am I working and keeping myself from pleasure? This again is to no purpose, and a bitter work.

For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him that is alone when he falleth, and who hath not another to lift him up!

Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one alone be warm?

One may be overcome, but two may make resistance: A threefold cable is not lightly broken.

Better is a poor but wise youth than an old and foolish king, who knoweth no more how to be admonished.

There was no end of all the people, of all those whose head he was, but they who come later will have no delight in him. This again is to no purpose and desire for wind.

For in the multitude of dreams there are vanities, and in many words: but fear thou God.

When goods are increased, the number of those who take of them is increased; and what profit has the owner but to see them?

The sleep of the working man is pleasant, whether he eats little or much; but the full stomach of the rich man does not allow him to sleep.

But those riches perish by evil travail: and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand.

a man to whom God giveth riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacketh nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but an alien eateth it; this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, however many they be, but his soul is not satisfied with good things and he does not even have a proper burial, then I say, “Better the miscarriage than he,

And if he lives a thousand years twice, but does not experience happiness, do not both go to the same place?

Every person works for his own self-interests, but his desires remain unsatisfied.

Whatever exists was given its name long ago, and it is known what man is. But he is not able to contend with the One stronger than he.

There are words without number for increasing what is to no purpose, but what is man profited by them?

For who knoweth what is good for man living, in the days of his vain life, which is but a shadow? Or, who will tell a man what shall happen after him under the Sun?

The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

For the laughing of fools is like the crackling of thorns under a pot. And that is but a vain thing.

Wisdom is good with an inheritance; but it is gain to those who see the sun.

For wisdom is protection just as money is protection,
But the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the lives of its possessors.

In the day of prosperity be happy,
But in the day of adversity consider—
God has made the one as well as the other
So that man will not discover anything that will be after him.

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.

I tested all this with wisdom, and I said, “I will be wise,” but it was far from me.

And I discovered more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, whose hands are chains. One who is pleasing to God will escape from her, but the sinner will be captured by her.

which I am still seeking but have not found. I have found one man among a thousand, but I have not found a woman among all these.

Behold, I have found only this, that God made men upright, but they have sought out many devices.”

Who is wise? Who hath knowledge to make an answer? Wisdom maketh a man's face to shine, but malice putteth it out of favour.

Whoso keepeth the commandment, shall feel no harm: but a wise man's heart discerneth time and manner.

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.

But though an evil person offend a hundredth times, and have a long life: yet am I sure, that it shall go well with them that fear God, because they have him before their eyes.

But it will not be well for the evil-doer; he will not make his days long like a shade, because he has no fear before God.

And I praised joy, because there is no good to man under the sun but to eat and to drink, and to rejoice: for this shall lodge with him in his labor the days of his life which God gave to him under the sun.

For all these things purposed I in my mind to seek out. The righteous and wise, yea and their servants also are in the hand of God: and there is no man that knoweth either love or hate, but all things are before them.

But to him who is joined unto all the living there is confidence, for to a living dog it is better than to the 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.

Use thy self to live joyfully with thy wife whom thou lovest, all the days of thy life which is but vanity, that God hath given thee under the Sun; all the days of thy vanity. For that is thy portion in this life, of all thy labor and travail that thou takest under the Sun.

And again I saw under the sun that the reward goes not to him who is quick, or the fruits of war to the strong; and there is no bread for the wise, or wealth for men of learning, or respect for those who have knowledge; but time and chance come to all.

For man knoweth not his time, but like as the fish are taken with the angle and as the birds are caught with the snare: Even so are men taken in the perilous time, when it cometh suddenly upon them.

Now there was in the town a poor, wise man, and he, by his wisdom, kept the town safe. But no one had any memory of that same poor man.

Then I said, Wisdom is better than strength, but the poor man's wisdom is not respected, and his words are not given a hearing.

Wisdom is better than instruments of war, but one sinner is the destruction of much good.

The heart of the wise man goes in the right direction; but the heart of a foolish man in the wrong.

The foolish are placed in high positions, but men of wealth are kept low.

I have seen slaves on horses,
but princes walking on the ground like slaves.

But he that diggeth up a pit, shall fall therein himself; and whoso breaketh down the hedge, a serpent shall bite him.

If the iron be blunt, and one do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.

The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.

The beginning of the words of his mouth, is folly, - but, the latter end of his speech, is mischievous madness.

Woe be unto thee, O thou realm and land, whose king is but a child, and whose princes are early at their banquets.

But well is thee, O thou realm and land, whose king is come of nobles, and whose princes eat in due season, for strength and not for lust.

A feast is for laughing, and wine makes glad the heart; but by the one and the other money is wasted.

Yea, if a man live many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember the days of darkness, for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity.

Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth, and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of thine eyes; but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.

Put away displeasure out of thine heart, and remove evil from thy body: for childhood and youth is but vanity.

Remember [thoughtfully] also your Creator in the days of your youth [for you are not your own, but His], before the evil days come or the years draw near when you will say [of physical pleasures], “I have no enjoyment and delight in them”;

All is but vanity - sayeth the preacher - all is but plain vanity.

The same preacher was not wise alone, but taught the people knowledge also: he gave good heed, sought out the ground and set forth many parables.

The Preacher made search for words which were pleasing, but his writing was in words upright and true.

But beyond this, my son, be warned: the writing of many books is endless, and excessive devotion to books is wearying to the body.