What is a man profited by all his work which he does under the sun?

Does anything exist about which someone might say, "Look at this! Is this new?" It happened ages ago; it existed before we did.

I said about laughter, “It is madness,” and about pleasure, “What does this accomplish?”

For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool forever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how does the wise man die? as the fool.

What does a man get for all his work, and for the weight of care with which he has done his work under the sun?

For all his days are filled with grief, and his occupation is sorrowful; even at night, his mind does not rest. This too is futile.

What profit has the worker in the work which he does?

He has made every thing beautiful in its time: also he has put eternity in men's hearts, so that no man can find out the work that God does from the beginning to the end.

I know that, whatsoever God does, it shall be forever: nothing can be added to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God does it, that men should fear before him.

For what happens to people also happens to animals a single event happens to them: just as someone dies, so does the other. In fact, they all breathe the same way, so that a human being has no superiority over an animal. All of this is pointless.

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

There was a certain man—without a dependent, having neither a child nor a brother, yet there was no end to all his labor. Indeed, his eyes were not satisfied with riches and he never asked, “For whom do I labor and deprive myself of pleasure?” This too is vanity (a wisp of smoke, self-conceit); yes, it is a painful effort and an unhappy task.

For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him who is alone when he falls, and doesn't have another to lift him up.

Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who doesn't know how to receive admonition any more.

When you make a vow to God, don’t delay fulfilling it, because He does not delight in fools. Fulfill what you vow.

When someone's prosperity increases, those who consume it also increase; so what does its owner gain, except that he gets to see it with his eyes?

The sleep of the laborer [is] pleasant, whether he eats little or much, but the wealth of the rich man does not allow him to rest.

As he came from his mother at birth, so does he go again; he gets from his work no reward which he may take away in his hand.

This too is a sickening tragedy: exactly as he comes, so he will go. What does the one gain who struggles for the wind?

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 does not often consider the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with the joy of his heart.

A man to whom God gives money, wealth, and honour so that he has all his desires but God does not give him the power to have joy of it, and a strange man takes it. This is to no purpose and an evil disease.

A man may father a hundred children and live many years. No matter how long he lives, if he is not satisfied by good things and does not even have a proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he.

Though a stillborn child does not see the sun and is not conscious, it has more rest than he.

And though he goes on living a thousand years twice over and does not see good, are not the two going to the same place?

What advantage then does the wise man have over the fool? What advantage is there for the poor person who knows how to conduct himself before others?

{Increasing words only multiplies futility}, how does that profit anyone?

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

Wisdom keeps a man from danger even as money does; but the value of knowledge is that wisdom gives life to its owner.

For there is not a just man upon earth, that does good, and sins not.

which my soul continually searches for but does not find: among a thousand people I have found one true man, but among all these I have not found a true woman.

Be not hasty to go out of his presence: stand not for an evil thing; for he does whatsoever pleases him.

For the king's word hath power; and who may say unto him, What doest thou?

For he doesn't know that which will be; for who can tell him how it will be?

There is no man who has power over the spirit to contain the spirit; neither does he have power over the day of death. There is no discharge in war; neither shall wickedness deliver those who practice it.

Though a sinner does evil a hundred times, and his days are prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, who fear before him:

But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he lengthen days like a shadow; because he doesn't fear God.

For all this I laid to my heart, even to explore all this: that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God; whether it is love or hatred, man doesn't know it; all is before them.

Everything is the same for everyone: there is one fate for the righteous and the wicked, for the good and the bad, for the clean and the unclean, for the one who sacrifices and the one who does not sacrifice. As it is for the good, so it is for the sinner; as for the one who takes an oath, so for the one who fears an oath.

I looked again and saw under the sun that the race [does] not [belong] to the swift, the battle [does] not [belong] to the mighty, food [does] not [belong] to the wise, wealth [does] not [belong] to the intelligent, and success [does] not [belong] to the skillful, for time and chance befalls all of them.

For man certainly does not know his time: like fish caught in a cruel net or like birds caught in a trap, so people are trapped in an evil time as it suddenly falls on them.

Dead flies cause the ointment of the perfumer to send forth a foul odor: so does a little folly to him that is respected for wisdom and honor.

If the iron is blunt, and he does not sharpen the edge, then must he use more strength: but wisdom helps one to succeed.

A fool also multiplies words. Man doesn't know what will be; and that which will be after him, who can tell him?

The labor of fools wearies every one of them; for he doesn't know how to go to the city.

As you don't know what is the way of the wind, nor how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child; even so you don't know the work of God who does all.