What does a man gain for all his efforts
that he labors at under the sun?

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

The wind goes to the south, turning back again to the north; circling round for ever.

All floods run into the sea, and yet the sea is not filled: for look, unto what place the waters run, thence they come again.

Is there a thing, of which it can be said, See here, it is, new? Already, hath it been, for ages, it is something which was before us.

There is no memory of those who have gone before, and of those who come after there will be no memory for those who are still to come after them.

I dedicated myself to using wisdom for study and discovery of everything that is done under heaven. God uses terrible things so human beings will struggle with life.

I have seen all the works which are done under the sun; all is to no purpose, and desire for wind.

I said to myself, “Look, I have amassed wisdom far beyond all those who were over Jerusalem before me, and my mind has thoroughly grasped wisdom and knowledge.”

And I gave my heart to getting knowledge of wisdom, and of the ways of the foolish. And I saw that this again was desire for wind.

For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.

I said in my heart, I will give you joy for a test; so take your pleasure--but it was to no purpose.

I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life.

I made great my works, I builded for me houses, I planted for me vineyards.

I made for me gardens and paradises, and I planted in them trees of every fruit.

I made for me pools of water, to water from them a forest shooting forth trees.

I acquired male and female slaves, and had other slaves born in my house. I also acquired for myself increasing numbers of herds and flocks more than anyone who had lived before me in Jerusalem.

I gathered for me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces. I prepared for me men-singers and women-singers, and the luxuries of the sons of man -- a wife and wives.

Thus, {I accomplished far more} than anyone who [was] before me in Jerusalem--indeed, my wisdom stood by me.

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

Then I saw all the works which my hands had made, and everything I had been working to do; and I saw that all was to no purpose and desire for wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.

Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.

As for the wise man, his eyes, are in his head, whereas, the dullard, in darkness, doth walk, - but, I myself, knew that, one destiny, happeneth to them, all.

Then I said to myself, “As it happens to the fool, so death will also happen to me. What use is it then for me to be extremely wise?” Then I said in my heart, “This too is vanity (meaningless).”

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

Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

So I hated all my toil with which I have toiled under the sun, for I must leave it behind to someone who will be after me.

Who knows if he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will be master over all the fruit of my labor for which I worked so wisely on earth! This also is futile!

So my mind was turned to grief for all the trouble I had taken and all my wisdom under the sun.

For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.

For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun?

For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity.

There is nothing better for a man, than 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 who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I?

For God 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 before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:

A time for birth and a time for death; a time for planting and a time for uprooting;

A time to put to death and a time to make well; a time for pulling down and a time for building up;

A time for weeping and a time for laughing; a time for sorrow and a time for dancing;

A time to cast away stones, And a time to heap up stones. A time to embrace, And a time to be far from embracing.

A time for search and a time for loss; a time to keep and a time to give away;

A time for undoing and a time for stitching; a time for keeping quiet and a time for talk;

a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

What profit is there for the worker from that in which he labors?

For as touching the travail and carefulness which God hath given unto men, I see that he hath given it them, to be exercised in it.

I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.

And for anyone to eat and drink, that is, {to enjoy the fruit of all his toil}, this also is a gift of God.

I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.

What is--it already was, and what will be--it already is, for {God will do what he has done.}

I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.

I said to myself, “This happens concerning people, so that God may test them and they may see for themselves that they are like animals.”

For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.

They go all unto one place, for as they be all of dust, so shall they all turn unto dust again.

For no one knows [whether] the spirit of a human ascends [to heaven] and [whether] the spirit of the beast descends to the ground!

Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?

So my praise was for the dead who have gone to their death, more than for the living who still have life.

Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

The foolish man, folding his hands, takes the flesh of his body for food.

One hand full of rest is better than two hands full of trouble and desire for wind.

There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.

Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.

For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.

For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor.

There is no end to all the people, to all who were before him. Yet the later generation will not rejoice in him, for this also [is] vanity and chasing wind!

Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.

Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.

For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words.

When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.

It is better for you not to vow than to vow and not pay it.

Never let your mouth cause you to sin and don't proclaim in the presence of the angel, "My promise was a mistake," for why should God be angry at your excuse and destroy what you've undertaken?

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

If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they.

Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field.

He who has a love for silver never has enough silver, or he who has love for wealth, enough profit. This again is to no purpose.

There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt.

and that wealth is lost in troubled circumstances. Then a son is born, but there is nothing left for him.

As he came forth from his mother's womb, naked shall he go again as he came, and shall take nothing for his labor, which he may carry away in his hand.

And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind?

Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.

Furthermore, for every person to whom God has given wealth, riches, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept this allotment, and to rejoice in his work this is a gift from God.

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

A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

A man might father a hundred children, and live for many years, so that the length of his life is long but if his life does not overflow with goodness, and he doesn't receive a proper burial, I maintain that stillborn children are better off than he is,

For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness.

if he should live a thousand years twice, yet does not enjoy his prosperity. For both of them die!

All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.

For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?

{Better to be content with what your eyes see than for your soul to constantly crave more}. This also [is] vanity and chasing wind!

Whatever is--it was already determined, {what will be--it has already been decided}. As for man, he cannot argue against what is more powerful than him.

For there are many things that increase vanity: what is man advantaged?

For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?

It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.

Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.

For the wise person thinks carefully when in mourning, but fools focus their thoughts on pleasure.

It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.

For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.

For, oppression, maddeneth the wise, - and a bribe, destroyeth the understanding.

Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.

Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.