I communed with my own heart, saying, Lo, I have gotten for me great wisdom above all who were before me in Jerusalem. Yea, my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.

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

I searched in my heart how to cheer my flesh with wine (my heart yet guiding [me] with wisdom), and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what it was good for the sons of men that they should do under heaven all the days of th

I made for me great works. I built for me houses. I planted for me vineyards.

I made for me gardens and parks, and I planted trees in them of all kinds of fruit.

I made for me pools of water, to water from there the forest where trees were reared.

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

And whatever my eyes desired I kept not from them. I did not withhold my heart from any joy. For my heart rejoiced because of all my labor, and this was my portion from all my labor.

And I turned myself to behold wisdom and madness and folly. For what [can] the man [do] who comes after the king? [Even] that which has been done long ago.

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

For of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no remembrance forever, seeing that in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. And how the wise man dies even as the fool!

So I hated life, because the work that is wrought under the sun was grievous to me. For all is vanity and a striving after wind.

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

For what has a man of all his labor, and of the striving of his heart in which he labors under the sun?

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

There is nothing better for a man [than] that he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God.

For who can eat, or who can have enjoyment, without him?

For to the man who pleases him [God] gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who pleases God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

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

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

I know that there is nothing better for them, than to rejoice, and to do good as long as they live.

I know that, whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be put to it, nor anything taken from it. And God has done it that men should fear before him.

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

For that which befalls the sons of men befalls beasts, even one thing befalls them; as the one dies, so dies the other. Yea, they all have one breath, and man has no preeminence above the beasts; for all is vanity.

Therefore I saw that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his works, for that is his portion. For who shall bring him [back] to see what shall be after him?

Keep thy foot when thou go to the house of God, for to draw near to hear is better than to give the sacrifice of fools. For they know not that they do evil.

Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter anything before God. For God is in heaven, and thou upon earth. Therefore let thy words be few.

For a dream comes with a multitude of business, and a fool's voice with a multitude of words.

When thou vow a vow to God, defer not to pay it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay that which thou vow.

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

If thou see the oppression of a poor man, and the violent wresting of justice and righteousness in a province, marvel not at the matter. For [a man] higher than the high is observing, and there are higher [men] than they.

Moreover the abundance of the land is for all. The king [himself] is served by the field.

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 grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go. And what profit has he that he labored for the wind?

Behold, that which I have seen to be good and to be fitting is [for a man] to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labor in which he labors under the sun all the days of his life which God has given him, for this is his p

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 gives 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 an alien eats it. This is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

For it comes in vanity, and departs in darkness, and the name of it is covered with darkness.

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

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

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 countenance the heart is made glad.

It is better to hear the rebuke of a wise man, 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.

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

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

Wisdom is as good as an inheritance, yea, it is more excellent for those who see the sun.

For wisdom is a defense, even as money is a defense. But the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.

Consider the work of God. For who can make that straight, which he has made crooked?

It is good that thou should take hold of this, yea, also from that withdraw not thy hand. For he who fears God shall come forth from them all.

For many times also thine own heart knows that thou thyself likewise have cursed others.

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

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

Be not hasty to go out of his presence. Persist not in an evil matter, for he does whatever pleases him.

For the king's word [has] power, and who may say to him, What are thou doing?

For to every purpose there is a time and decision, although the distress of man is great upon him.

For he knows not that which shall be, for who can tell him how it shall be?

Though a sinner does evil a hundred times, and prolongs his [days], 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 a wicked man, neither shall he prolong [his] days, [which are] as a shadow, because he did not fear before God.

Then I commended joy, because a man has no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be cheerful. For that shall abide with him in his labor [all] the days of his life which God has given him under the sun.

When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth (for also there is he who sees sleep with his eyes neither day nor night),

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. No man understands, either love or hatred. All is before them.

Because to him who is joined with all the 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 know not anything, nor have they any more a reward, for the memory of them is forgotten.

Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart, for God has already accepted thy works.

Live joyfully with the wife whom thou love all the days of thy life of vanity, which he has given thee under the sun, all thy days of vanity. For that is thy portion in life, and in thy labor in which thou labor under the sun.

Whatever thy hand finds to do, do with thy might, for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, where thou 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, even so are the sons of men snared in an evil time when it falls suddenly upon them.

If the spirit of the ruler rises up against thee, leave not thy place, for deference allays great offences.

The labor of fools wearies every one of them, for he knows not how to go to the city.

Happy are thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy rulers feast in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!

A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes glad the life, and money answers all things.

Revile not the king, no, not in thy thought, and revile not the rich in thy bedchamber. For a bird of the heavens shall carry the voice, and that which has wings shall tell the matter.

Cast thy bread upon the waters, for thou shall find it after many days.

Give a portion to seven, yea, even to eight, for thou know not what evil shall be upon the earth.

In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand, for thou know not which shall prosper, whether this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.

Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun.

Yea, if a man lives many years, let him rejoice in them all. But let him remember the days of darkness, for they shall be many. All that comes 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 judgmen

Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh, for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.

[This is] the end of the matter, all has been heard: Fear God, and keep his commandments, for this is the whole of man.

For God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether good or evil.