What does man gain from all his labor in which he labors under the sun?

The sun rises and the sun sets; it hurries away to a place from which it rises again.

The wind goeth toward the South and turneth unto the North, fetcheth his compass, whirleth about, and goeth forth and returneth again to his circuits from whence he did come.

All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from where the rivers come, there they return again.

All these things are wearying; a man is not able to speak, the eye is not satisfied by seeing, nor filled is the ear from hearing.

So I thought in my heart, to withdraw my flesh from wine, to apply my mind unto wisdom, and to comprehend foolishness until the time that among all the things which are under the Sun, I might see what were best for men to do, so long as they live under heaven.

I constructed reservoirs of water for myself from which to irrigate a grove of flourishing trees.

I also amassed silver and gold for myself, as well as valuable treasures taken from kingdoms and provinces. I acquired male singers and female singers for myself, and what gives a man sensual delight -- a harem of beautiful concubines!

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

Yet when I reflected on everything I had accomplished and on all the effort that I had expended to accomplish it, I concluded: "All these achievements and possessions are ultimately profitless -- like chasing the wind! There is nothing gained from them on earth."

Of the wise man, as of the foolish man, there is no memory for ever, seeing that those who now are will have gone from memory in the days to come. See how death comes to the wise as to the foolish!

So I turned me to refrain my mind from all such travail, as I took under the Sun:

What does a man acquire from all his labor and from the anxiety that accompanies his toil on earth?

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.

because who can eat and who can enjoy life apart from Him?

a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

What does the worker gain from his struggles?

He hath made everything beautiful in its time: also he hath set eternity in their heart, yet so that man cannot find out the work that God hath done from the beginning even to the end.

And for every man to take food and drink, and have joy in all his work, is a reward from God.

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

Then thought I in my mind, "God shall separate the righteous from the ungodly, and then shall be the time and judgment of all counsels and works."

All are going to the same place; all come from dust, and all return to dust.

And again I saw all the cruel things which are done under the sun; there was the weeping of those who have evil done to them, and they had no comforter: and from the hands of the evil-doers there went out power, but they had no comforter.

And I saw all the labor and all the success of the work, for this the jealousy of a man from his neighbor. Also this is vanity and striving of spirit.

It is one who is by himself, without a second, and without son or brother; but there is no end to all his work, and he has never enough of wealth. For whom, then, am I working and keeping myself from pleasure? This again is to no purpose, and a bitter work.

Two people are better than one, because they can reap more benefit from their labor.

For he came from prison to be king, even though he was born poor in his kingdom.

As a dream comes from much business, so the voice of a foolish man comes with words in great number.

Because much talk comes from dreams and things of no purpose. But let the fear of God be in you.

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

This is another misfortune: Just as he came, so will he go. What did he gain from toiling for the wind?

To every man whom God has given wealth, and possessions, he has also given him the ability to eat from them, to receive his reward and to find enjoyment in his toil; these things are the gift of God.

For he does not think much about the fleeting days of his life because God keeps him preoccupied with the joy he derives from his activity.

a man to whom God has given riches and wealth and honor so that his soul lacks nothing of all that he desires; yet God has not empowered him to eat from them, for a foreigner enjoys them. This is vanity and a severe affliction.

If a man doth beget a hundred, and live many years, and is great, because they are the days of his years, and his soul is not satisfied from the goodness, and also he hath not had a grave, I have said, 'Better than he is the untimely birth.'

Because many words lead to pointlessness, how do people benefit from this? 12Who knows what is best for people in this life, every day of their pointless lives that they pass through like a shadow? Who informs people on earth what will come along after them?

It is better to listen to rebuke from a wise person
than to listen to the song of fools,

Say not, Why were the days which have gone by better than these? Such a question comes not 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.

It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from that withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth from them all.

There is no man on earth of such righteousness that he does good and is free from sin all his days.

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

And I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.

Which yet my soul sought, and found not; one man from a thousand I found; and a woman in all these I found not

I say to you, Keep the king's law, from respect for the oath of God.

Be not quick to go from before him. Be not fixed in an evil design, because he does whatever is pleasing to him.

There is no man that has power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither has he power in the day of death: and there is no release from that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.

So I saw the wicked buried, and they came to the grave ; and they that had done right went away from the holy place, and were forgotten in the city: this also is vanity.

Whoever sinned, doing evil a hundred, and it being prolonged to him, for also I know that it will be to those fearing God, who shall be afraid from his face.

And it shall not be good to the unjust one; he shall not lengthen the days as a shadow, for he feared not from before the face of God.

When I tried to gain wisdom and to observe the activity on earth -- even though it prevents anyone from sleeping day or night --

If the anger of the ruler flares up against you, do not resign from your position, for a calm response can undo great offenses.

There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as it were an error which proceedeth from the ruler:

He who gets out stones from the earth will be damaged by them, and in the cutting of wood there is danger.

The words from the mouth of a wise man are gracious,
but the lips of a fool consume him.

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

Also from height they shall be afraid, and being dismayed in the way, and the almond tree shall be despised, and the locust shall become a burden, and the caperberry shall fail: for man shall go to his eternal house, and they mourning, went about in the street:

Or dust be turned again unto earth from whence it came, and or the spirit return unto God, which gave it.

The words of the wise are as goads; and as nails well fastened are the words of the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.

And further, from these, my son, be warned; the making of many books hath no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.