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,

There was nothing more blessed for Man than that he should eat and drink, and see his desireth for blessedness in his toil, - even this, saw, I myself, that, from the hand of God, it was.

For, to a man who is good before him, hath he given wisdom and knowledge and gladness, - whereas, to the sinner, he hath given employment, to gather and heap up, to give to one who is good before God, even this, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.

I looked at the employment which God hath given to the sons of men, to work therein:

Everything, hath he made beautiful in its own time, - also, intelligence, hath he put in their heart, without which men could not find out the work which God hath wrought, from the beginning even unto the end.

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

I know, that, whatsoever God doeth, the same, shall be age-abiding, unto it, there is nothing to add, and, from it, there is nothing to take away, - and, God, hath done it, that men should stand in awe before him.

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

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.

Said, I, in my heart, as concerning the sons of men, That God was minded to prove them, - and that they might see, that they were beasts, of themselves.

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!

Better are two, than one, - in that they have a good reward for their toil.

Keep thy foot, when thou goest unto the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than dullards to offer sacrifice, - for they make no acknowledgment of doing wrong.

Be not rash with thy mouth, and, with thy heart, be not in haste to bring forth a word, before God, - for, God, is in the heavens, and, thou, upon the earth, for this cause, let thy words be few.

When thou vowest a vow unto God, do not defer to pay it, for there is no pleasure in dullards, - what thou vowest, pay!

Do not let thy mouth cause thy flesh to sin, - neither say thou, before the messenger, that it was, a mistake, - wherefore should God be indignant at thy voice, and destroy the work of thy hands?

For it was done amidst a multitude of dreams, and vanities, and many words, - but, towards God, be thou reverent.

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:

yet, as regardeth every man, to whom God hath given wealth and goods, and granted him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to find gladness in his toil, this, is, the gift of God.

Though it be not much, let him remember the days of his life, - for, God, beareth witness, by the gladness of his heart.

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.

Though a man should beget a hundred children, and live, many years, so that many should be the days of his years but, his own soul, should not be satisfied with the good, and he should not even have, a burial, I said, Better than he, is an untimely birth!

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?

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?

Good is wisdom, with an inheritance, - and a profit, to such as see the sun.

Consider the work of God, - for who can straighten what he hath bent?

In the day of prosperity, be joyful, but, in the day of misfortune, consider, - Even the one equally with the other, hath God made, to the end man might find out - after him - nothing.

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.

For, as for men, there is none righteous in the earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

I, could indeed find, to be, more bitter than death, the woman, whose heart is, snares and nets, and her hands, bonds, - whoso is pleasing before God, shall escape from her, but, he that sinneth, shall be captured by her.

Only, see, this, have I found, That God made man upright, but, they, have sought out many devices.

I said , The bidding of the king, observe thou, even out of regard to the oath of God.

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 extolled I, gladness, in that there was nothing better for a man, under the sun, than to eat and to drink, and to be glad, - since, that, should tarry with him in his toil, for the days of his life which God had given him under the sun.

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.

Every one, was like every one else, one destiny, had the righteous and the lawless, the good and the pure and the impure, and he that sacrificed, and he that did not sacrifice, - as the good man, so, the sinner, he that took an oath, as he who, of an oath, stood in fear.

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.

Better is wisdom, than weapons of war, - but, one sinner, may destroy much good.

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.

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 dust return to the earth, as it was, - and, the spirit, return unto God, who gave it.

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.