There is no memory of former things, and also no memory of after things which shall be; for neither shall be a remembrance of them with those who will be at the afterwards.

For in much wisdom is much grief; and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.

I sought in my heart to drag my flesh with wine, yet leading my heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, until I might see where the good for the sons of men might be, what they should do under the heavens all the days of their life.

I made my works great; I built houses for myself; I planted vineyards for myself.

I made gardens and orchards for myself, And I planted trees in them, of all fruit.

I made pools of water for myself, to water the forest shooting forth trees.

I also gathered silver and gold to myself, and the treasure of kings and of the provinces. I got men singers and women singers for myself, and the delights of the sons of men, a wife and very many wives.

And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them; I did not withhold my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labor, and this was my part of all my labor.

And I turned to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly; for what can the man do who comes after the king, when they have already done it?

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

For there is no memory of the wise more than of the fool forever, since that which is now shall all be forgotten in the days to come. And how does the wise die above the fool!

Therefore I hated life; because the work that is done under the sun is sad to me; for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

When there is a man whose labor is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and with success; yet to a man who has not labored in it, he shall leave it for his share. This also is vanity and a great evil.

For what has man from all his labor, and from the troubling of his heart, in which he has labored under the sun?

For all his days are sorrows, and his labor sadness; yea, his heart does not take rest in the night. This is also vanity.

For who can eat, or who can enjoy, apart from me?

For God gives wisdom, and knowledge, and joy to a man who is good in His sight. But to the sinner He gives labor, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

To every thing there is a season, and a time for every purpose under the heavens:

I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it; and God does it so that they fear before Him.

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

For that which happens to the sons of men also happens to beasts, even one thing happens to them. As this one dies, so that one dies; yea, they all have one breath; so that a man has no advantage over a beast; for all is vanity.

Therefore I have seen that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion; for who can bring him to see what shall be after him?

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

There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he has neither son nor brother; yet there is no end to all his labor; and his eyes are not satisfied with riches; and he says, For whom do I labor and take good from my soul? This is also vanity. Yes, it is an evil business.

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

For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he does not have another to help him.

For out of prison he comes to reign; although in his kingdom he was born poor.

Guard your steps when you go to the house of God, and be more ready to hear than to give the sacrifice of fools. For they do not know that they are doing evil.

Do not be rash with your mouth, and do not let your heart be hasty to say a word before God. For God is in Heaven, and you are on earth; therefore let your words be few.

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

When you vow a vow to God, do not wait to pay it. For He has no pleasure in fools. Pay that which you have vowed.

For in the multitude of dreams, both words and vanities abound; but fear God.

If you see the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, do not marvel at the matter. For He who is higher than the highest watches; and there are some higher than they.

And the advantage of a land, it is for all; even a king has a field being tilled.

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

And this also is a sore evil, that in all, as he came, so shall he go; and what profit does he have who has labored for the wind?

Behold that which I have seen. it is good and right for one to eat and to drink, and to see good in all his labor that he labors under the sun all the days of his life, which God gives him; for it is his portion.

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

a man to whom God has given riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacks nothing for his soul of all that he desires, yet God does not give him power to eat of it, but a stranger eats it. This is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

If a man fathers a hundred, and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, and his soul is not filled with good, and also is for him no burial; I say, a miscarriage is better than he.

For he comes in with vanity and goes out in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness.

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

For what has the wise more than the fool? What gain has the poor who knows how to walk before the living?

For there are many things that increase vanity, and what is man the better?

For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he spends 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 face the heart is made better.

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.

Do not be hasty in your spirit to be angry; for anger rests in the bosom of fools.

Do not say, Why was it that the former days were better than these? For you do not ask wisely in regard to this.

For wisdom is a defense, and money is a defense; but the excellency of knowledge is that wisdom gives life to those who have it.

Consider the work of God; for who can make straight what He has made crooked?

It is good that you should take hold of this; yea, also from this do not withdraw your hand; for he who fears God shall come forth from all of them.

For there is not a just man on earth who does good and does not sin.

For also your own heart knows that you yourself have also cursed others many times.

All this I have proved by wisdom; I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.

That which is far off and exceedingly deep, who can find it out?

Do not be hasty to leave his presence. Do not take a stand in an evil thing, for he does whatever pleases him.

For he does not know what shall be; for who can tell him when it shall be?

Though a sinner does evil a hundred times, and his days be made longer, yet surely I know that it shall be well with those who fear God, who fear before Him.

But it shall not be well with the wicked, nor shall he make his days longer like a shadow; because he does not fear before God.

Then I praised gladness, because a man has no better thing under the sun than to eat and to drink and to be glad; for that shall go with him of his labor for the days of his life which God gives him under the sun.

When I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done on the earth; for neither day nor night do men see sleep with their eyes.

For all this I took to heart, even to make all this clear, that the righteous and the wise and their works are in the hand of God. No man knows either love or hatred by all that is before them.

For whoever is chosen, to all those living, there is hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

For the living know that they shall die; but the dead do not know anything, nor do they have any more a reward; for their memory is forgotten.

Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart; for God now is pleased with your works.

Look on life with the wife whom you love all the days of the life of your vanity, which He has given you under the sun, all the days of your vanity. For that is your share in this life, and in your labor which you labor under the sun.

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no work, nor plan, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave where you go.

For man also does not know his time; as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falls suddenly on them.

If the spirit of the ruler rises up against you, do not leave your place; for yielding quiets great sinners.

Blessed are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobles, and your leaders eat in due time, for strength, and not for drunkenness!

Bread is made for laughter, and wine makes merry; but silver answers all things.

Do not curse a king, no, not in your thought; and do not curse the rich in your bedroom; for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which has wings shall tell the matter.

Cast your bread on the waters; for you shall find it after many days.

Give a share to seven, and also to eight; for you know not what evil shall be on the earth.

In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening do not withhold your hand; for you do not know what shall be blessed, either this or that, or whether they both shall be fruitful in the same way.

Also the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun;

but if a man lives many years, and rejoices in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness, for they shall be many. All that comes is vanity.

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

Therefore remove vexation from your heart, and put away evil from your flesh; for childhood and prime of life are vanity.

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter. Fear God, and keep His commandments. For this is the whole duty of man.

For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it is good, or whether evil.