I said to my heart, See, I have become great and am increased in wisdom more than any who were before me in Jerusalem--yes, my heart has seen much wisdom and knowledge.

I undertook great works, building myself houses and planting vine-gardens.

I got men-servants and women-servants, and they gave birth to sons and daughters in my house. I had great wealth of herds and flocks, more than all who were in Jerusalem before me.

And I became great; increasing more than all who had been before me in Jerusalem, and my wisdom was still with me.

Because there is a man whose work has been done with wisdom, with knowledge, and with an expert hand; but one who has done nothing for it will have it for his heritage. This again is to no purpose and a great evil.

Be not unwise with your mouth, and let not your heart be quick to say anything before God, because God is in heaven and you are on the earth--so let not the number of your words be great.

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

There is a great evil which I have seen under the sun--wealth kept by the owner to be his downfall.

And this again is a great evil, that in all points as he came so will he go; and what profit has he in working for the wind?

If a man has a hundred children, and his life is long so that the days of his years are great in number, but his soul takes no pleasure in good, and he is not honoured at his death; I say that a birth before its time is better than he.

A good name is better than oil of great price, and the day of death than the day of birth.

For every purpose there is a time and a decision, because the sorrow of man is great in him.

This again I have seen under the sun as wisdom and it seemed great to me.

There was a little town and the number of its men was small, and there came a great king against it and made an attack on it, building works of war round about it.

Dead flies make the oil of the perfumer give out an evil smell; more valued is a little wisdom than the great glory of the foolish.

If the wrath of the ruler is against you, keep in your place; in him who keeps quiet even great sins may be overlooked.

But even if a man's life is long and he has joy in all his years, let him keep in mind the dark days, because they will be great in number. Whatever may come is to no purpose.

Before ever the silver cord is cut, or the vessel of gold is broken, or the pot is broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the water-hole;

And because the Preacher was wise he still gave the people knowledge; searching out, testing, and putting in order a great number of wise sayings.