What profit has man from all his labor in which he labors under the sun?

All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full. To the place from where the rivers come, there they go again.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

All this I have 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 chains. He who pleases God shall escape from her, but the sinner shall be taken by her.

So I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of the holy, and they were praised in the city where they had so done. This also is vanity.

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

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

The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened [by] the masters of assemblies. They have been given from one shepherd.