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

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.

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.

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?

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.

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

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.

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.

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 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.

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?

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.