for, in abundance of wisdom is abundance of sadness, and he who addeth knowledge addeth pain.'

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 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.

And all that mine eyes asked I kept not back from them; I withheld not my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced because of all my labour, and this hath been my portion, from all my labour,

That there is no remembrance to the wise -- with the fool -- to the age, for that which is already, in the days that are coming is all forgotten, and how dieth the wise? with the fool!

And I have hated life, for sad to me is the work that hath been done under the sun, for the whole is vanity and vexation of spirit.

For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity, and to a man who hath not laboured therein he giveth it -- his portion! Even this is vanity and a great evil.

For what hath been to a man by all his labour, and by the thought of his heart that he laboured at under the sun?

For all his days are sorrows, and his travail sadness; even at night his heart hath not lain down; this also is vanity.

For who eateth and who hasteth out more than I?

For to a man who is good before Him, He hath given wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; and to a sinner He hath given travail, to gather and to heap up, to give to the good before God. Even this is vanity and vexation of spirit.

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.

I have known that there is no good for them except to rejoice and to do good during their life,

I have known that all that God doth is to the age, to it nothing is to be added, and from it nothing is to be withdrawn; and God hath wrought that they do fear before Him.

I said in my heart, 'The righteous and the wicked doth God judge, for a time is to every matter and for every work there.'

For an event is to the sons of man, and an event is to the beasts, even one event is to them; as the death of this, so is the death of that; and one spirit is to all, and the advantage of man above the beast is nothing, for the whole is vanity.

And I have seen that there is nothing better than that man rejoice in his works, for it is his portion; for who doth bring him in to look on that which is after him?

And I have seen all the labour, and all the benefit of the work, because for it a man is the envy of his neighbour. Even this is vanity and vexation of spirit.

There is one, and there is not a second; even son or brother he hath not, and there is no end to all his labour! His eye also is not satisfied with riches, and he saith not, 'For whom am I labouring and bereaving my soul of good?' This also is vanity, it is a sad travail.

For if they fall, the one raiseth up his companion, but woe to the one who falleth and there is not a second to raise him up!

For from a house of prisoners he hath come out to reign, for even in his own kingdom he hath been poor.

Keep thy feet when thou goest unto a house of God, and draw near to hear rather than to give of fools the sacrifice, for they do not know they do evil.

Cause not thy mouth to hasten, and let not thy heart hasten to bring out a word before God, for God is in the heavens, and thou on the earth, therefore let thy words be few.

For the dream hath come by abundance of business, and the voice of a fool by abundance of words.

When thou vowest a vow to God, delay not to complete it, for there is no pleasure in fools; that which thou vowest -- complete.

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

If oppression of the poor, and violent taking away of judgment and righteousness thou seest in a province, do not marvel at the matter, for a higher than the high is observing, and high ones are over them.

And the abundance of a land is for all. A king for a field is served.

There is a painful evil I have seen under the sun: wealth kept for its possessor, for his evil.

And this also is a painful evil, just as he came, so he goeth, and what advantage is to him who laboureth for wind?

Lo, that which I have seen: It is good, because beautiful, to eat, and to drink, and to see good in all one's labour that he laboureth at under the sun, the number of the days of his life that God hath given to him, for it is his portion.

For he doth not much remember the days of his life, for God is answering through the joy of his heart.

For in vanity he came in, and in darkness he goeth, and in darkness his name is covered,

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

For what advantage is to the wise above the fool? What to the poor who knoweth to walk before the living?

For there are many things multiplying vanity; what advantage is to man?

For who knoweth what is good for a man in life, the number of the days of the life of his vanity, and he maketh them as a shadow? for who declareth to man what is after him under the sun?

Better to go unto a house of mourning, Than to go unto a house of banqueting, For that is the end of all men, And the living layeth it unto his heart.

Better is sorrow than laughter, For by the sadness of the face the heart becometh better.

Better to hear a rebuke of a wise man, Than for a man to hear a song of fools,

For as the noise of thorns under the pot, So is the laughter of a fool, even this is vanity.

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

Say not thou, 'What was it, That the former days were better than these?' For thou hast not asked wisely of this.

For wisdom is a defense, money is a defence, And the advantage of the knowledge of wisdom is, She reviveth her possessors.

See the work of God, For who is able to make straight that which He made crooked?

It is good that thou dost lay hold on this, and also, from that withdrawest not thy hand, for whoso is fearing God goeth out with them all.

For many times also hath thy heart known that thou thyself also hast reviled others.

All this I have tried by wisdom; I have said, 'I am wise,' and it is far from me.

Far off is that which hath been, and deep, deep, who doth find it?

I pray thee, the commandment of a king keep, even for the sake of the oath of God.

Be not troubled at his presence, thou mayest go, stand not in an evil thing, for all that he pleaseth he doth.

For to every delight there is a time and a judgment, for the misfortune of man is great upon him.

For he knoweth not that which shall be, for when it shall be who declareth to him?

Though a sinner is doing evil a hundred times, and prolonging himself for it, surely also I know that there is good to those fearing God, who fear before Him.

When I gave my heart to know wisdom and to see the business that hath been done on the earth, (for there is also a spectator in whose eyes sleep is not by day and by night),

But to him who is joined unto all the living there is confidence, for to a living dog it is better than to the dead lion.

For the living know that they die, and the dead know not anything, and there is no more to them a reward, for their remembrance hath been forgotten.

Go, eat with joy thy bread, and drink with a glad heart thy wine, for already hath God been pleased with thy works.

See life with the wife whom thou hast loved, all the days of the life of thy vanity, that He hath given to thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity, for it is thy portion in life, even of thy labour that thou art labouring at under the sun.

All that thy hand findeth to do, with thy power do, for there is no work, and device, and knowledge, and wisdom in Sheol whither thou art going.

I have turned so as to see under the sun, that not to the swift is the race, nor to the mighty the battle, nor even to the wise bread, nor even to the intelligent wealth, nor even to the skilful grace, for time and chance happen with them all.

For even man knoweth not his time; as fish that are taken hold of by an evil net, and as birds that are taken hold of by a snare, like these are the sons of man snared at an evil time, when it falleth upon them suddenly.

If the spirit of the ruler go up against thee, Thy place leave not, For yielding quieteth great sinners.

Happy art thou, O land, When thy king is a son of freemen, And thy princes do eat in due season, For might, and not for drunkenness.

For mirth they are making a feast, And wine maketh life joyful, And the silver answereth with all.

Even in thy mind a king revile not, And in the inner parts of thy bed-chamber Revile not the rich: For a fowl of the heavens causeth the voice to go, And a possessor of wings declareth the word.

Send forth thy bread on the face of the waters, For in the multitude of the days thou dost find it.

Give a portion to seven, and even to eight, For thou knowest not what evil is on the earth.

In the morning sow thy seed, And at even withdraw not thy hand, For thou knowest not which is right, this or that, Or whether both of them alike are good.

Sweet also is the light, And good for the eyes to see the sun.

But, if man liveth many years, In all of them let him rejoice, And remember the days of darkness, For they are many! all that is coming is vanity.

Rejoice, O young man, in thy childhood, And let thy heart gladden thee in days of thy youth, And walk in the ways of thy heart, And in the sight of thine eyes, And know thou that for all these, Doth God bring thee into judgment.

And turn aside anger from thy heart, And cause evil to pass from thy flesh, For the childhood and the age are vanity!

Also of that which is high they are afraid, And of the low places in the way, And the almond-tree is despised, And the grasshopper is become a burden, And want is increased, For man is going unto his home age-during, And the mourners have gone round through the street.

The end of the whole matter let us hear: -- 'Fear God, and keep His commands, for this is the whole of man.

For every work doth God bring into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether good or bad.'