What profit has a man of all his labor which he takes under the sun?

All things are full of weariness; man may not give their story: the eye has never enough of its seeing, or the ear of its hearing.

The thing that has been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

Is there any thing of which it may be said, See, this is new? it has been already of old time, which was before us.

And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this severe burden has God given to the sons of man to be afflicted with.

I reflected on everything that is accomplished by man on earth, and I concluded: Everything he has accomplished is futile -- like chasing the wind!

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.

And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can a man do that comes after the king? even that which has been already done.

I realized that wisdom has an advantage over folly, just as light has an advantage over darkness.

The wise man has eyes in his head,
but the fool walks in darkness.

Yet I also knew that one fate comes to them both.

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

For what has man for all his labor, and for the striving of his heart, with which he has labored under the sun?

All his days are sorrow, and his work is full of grief. Even in the night his heart has no rest. This again is to no purpose.

To the man with whom he is pleased, God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy; but to the sinner he gives the work of getting goods together and storing up wealth, to give to him in whom God has pleasure. This again is to no purpose and desire for wind.

What profit has he that works in that in which he labors?

I have seen the task, which God has given to the sons of men to be occupied in it.

He has made every thing beautiful in its time: also he has put eternity in men's hearts, so that no man can find out the work that God does from the beginning to the end.

I am certain that whatever God does will be for ever. No addition may be made to it, nothing may be taken from it; and God has done it so that man may be in fear before him.

That which has been is now; and that which is to be has already been; and God requires that which is past.

I said in my heart, God will be judge of the good and of the bad; because a time for every purpose and for every work has been fixed by him.

I said to myself concerning the sons of men, “God has surely tested them in order for them to see that they are but beasts.”

For that which befalls the sons of men befalls beasts; the same thing befalls them: as the one dies, so dies the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man has no advantage over a beast: for all is vanity.

Yea, better is he than both, who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

{The fool refuses to work with his hands, so he has nothing to eat except his own skin}!

There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he has neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labor; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither says he, For whom do I labor, and deprive my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a heavy travail.

For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falls; for he has not another to help him up.

For he has come out of prison to become king, even though he was born poor in his kingdom.

When you vow a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he has no pleasure in fools: pay that which you have vowed.

And the advantage of a land, it is for all; even a king has a field being tilled.

He who has a love for silver never has enough silver, or he who has love for wealth, enough profit. This again is to no purpose.

When goods are increased, the number of those who take of them is increased; and what profit has the owner but to see them?

The sleep of a working man is sweet, if he has little food or much; but to him who is full, sleep will not come.

That wealth was lost in a bad venture. Although he has borne a child, {he has nothing to leave to him}.

And this also is a great evil, that just as he came, so shall he go: and what profit has he who has labored for the wind?

All his days also he eats in darkness, and he has much sorrow and wrath with his sickness.

This is what I have seen: it is good and fair for a man to take meat and drink and to have joy in all his work under the sun, all the days of his life which God has given him; that is his reward.

Every man also to whom God has given riches and wealth, and has given him power to eat of it, and to accept his lot, and to rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God.

A man to whom God has given riches, wealth, and honor, so that he wants nothing for his soul of all that he desires, yet God gives him not power to eat of it, but a stranger eats it: this is vanity, and it is an evil affliction.

If a man begets a hundred children, and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, and his soul is not filled with good, and also that he has no burial; I say, that a stillborn birth is better than he.

Moreover he has not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this one has more rest than the other.

Yea, though he lives a thousand years twice over, yet he has seen no good: do not all go to one place?

All the work of man is for his mouth, and still he has a desire for food.

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

Whatever has been is named already, and it is known that this is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he.

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

{For wisdom offers protection like money offers protection}. But knowledge [has] an advantage--wisdom restores life to its possessor.

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

In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also has set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing that will come after him.

It is good to take this in your hand and not to keep your hand from that; he who has the fear of God will be free of the two.

for oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.

Whatever has happened is beyond human understanding; it is far deeper than anyone can fathom.

And I discovered that [of all irrational sins none has been so destructive in beguiling one away from God as immoral women for] more bitter than death is the woman whose heart is [composed of] snares and nets, and whose hands are chains. Whoever pleases God will escape from her, but the sinner will be taken captive by her [evil].

Lo, this only have I found, that God has made man upright; but they have sought out many devices.

Keep the king's commandment, I warn thee, and the oath that thou hast made unto God.

The word of a king has authority; and who may say to him, What is this you are doing?

Whoever keeps the law will come to no evil: and a wise man's heart has knowledge of time and of decision.

For there is a proper time and [appropriate] procedure for every delight,
Though mankind’s misery and trouble lies heavily upon him [who rebels against the king].

For he has absolutely no knowledge what will happen, since who can declare to him when it will come about?

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.

All this have I seen, and have given my heart to all the work which is done under the sun: there is a time when man has power over man for his destruction.

But it will not be well for the evil-doer; he will not make his days long like a shade, because he has no fear before God.

Then I commended mirth, because a man has no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him in his labor all the days of his life, which God gives him under the sun.

When I gave my heart to know wisdom and to see the task which has been done on the earth (even though one should never sleep day or night),

then I discerned all that God has done: No one really comprehends what happens on earth. Despite all human efforts to discover it, no one can ever grasp it. Even if a wise person claimed that he understood, he would not really comprehend it.

Because to all there is one event, to the upright man and to the evil, to the clean and to the unclean, to him who makes an offering and to him who makes no offering; as is the good so is the sinner; he who takes an oath is as he who has fear of it.

Whoever is joined to all the living has hope. After all, even a live dog is better than a dead lion!

At least the living know they will die, but the dead know nothing; they no longer have a reward, since memory about them has been forgotten.

What they loved and hated, as well as what they desired, has already perished. They no longer have any share in what is done under the sun.

Come, take your bread with joy, and your wine with a glad heart. God has taken pleasure in your works.

Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of the life of your vanity, which he has given you under the sun, all the days of your vanity: for that is your portion in this life, and in your labor which you perform under the sun.

Even man has no knowledge of his time; like fishes taken in an evil net, or like birds taken by deceit, are the sons of men taken in an evil time when it comes suddenly on them.

And when the foolish man is walking in the way, he has no sense and lets everyone see that he is foolish.

If the iron has no edge, and he does not make it sharp, then he has to put out more strength; but wisdom makes things go well.

The foolish are full of words; man has no knowledge of what will be; and who is able to say what will be after him?

The work of the foolish will be a weariness to him, because he has no knowledge of the way to the town.

Curse not the king, no not even in your thought; and curse not the rich in your bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which has wings shall tell the matter.

As you have no knowledge of the way of the wind, or of the growth of the bones in the body of her who is with child, even so you have no knowledge of the works of God who has made all.

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.

Also, they are afraid of heights and dangers on the road;
the almond tree blossoms,
the grasshopper loses its spring,
and the caper berry has no effect;
for man is headed to his eternal home,
and mourners will walk around in the street;

And further, by these, my son, be warned: The making of many books has no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

This is the last word. All has been said. Have fear of God and keep his laws; because this is right for every man.