What profit hath man of all his labour wherewith he laboureth under the sun?

That which hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which will be done: and there is nothing new under the sun.

Is there a thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? It hath been already in the ages which were before us.

And I applied my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under the heavens: this grievous occupation hath God given to the children of men to weary themselves therewith.

I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I have become great and have acquired wisdom more than all they that have been before me over Jerusalem; and my heart hath seen much of wisdom and knowledge.

And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly; for what shall the man do that cometh after the king? that which hath already been done.

For there is a man whose labour hath been with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skill, and who leaveth it to a man that hath not laboured therein, to be his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.

For what will man have of all his labour and of the striving of his heart, wherewith he hath wearied himself under the sun?

A time to love, and a time to hate; A time of war, and a time of peace.

What profit hath he that worketh from that wherein he laboureth?

I have seen the travail that God hath given to the sons of men to toil in.

He hath made everything beautiful in its time; also he hath set the world in their heart, so that man findeth not out from the beginning to the end the work that God doeth.

That which is was long ago, and that which is to be hath already been; and God bringeth back again that which is past.

For what befalleth the children of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other, and they have all one breath; and man hath no pre-eminence above the beast: for all is vanity.

and more fortunate than both is he who hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

There is one alone and without a second; also he hath neither son nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour, neither is his eye satisfied with riches, and he saith not, For whom then am I labouring, and depriving my soul of good? This also is vanity and a grievous occupation.

For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him that is alone when he falleth, and who hath not another to lift him up!

When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.

And this also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came so doth he go away, and what profit hath he, in having laboured for the wind?

All his days also he eateth in darkness, and hath much vexation, and sickness, and irritation.

Behold what I have seen good and comely: it is to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labour wherewith man laboureth under the sun, all the days of his life which God hath given him: for that is his portion.

Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and power to eat thereof, and to take his portion and to rejoice in his labour: that is a gift of God.

moreover it hath not seen nor known the sun: this hath rest rather than the other.

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

For what advantage hath the wise above the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?

That which is hath already been named; and what man is, is known, and that he cannot contend with him that is mightier than he.

Consider the work of God; for who can make straight what he hath made crooked?

In the day of prosperity enjoy good, and in the day of adversity consider: God hath also set the one beside the other, to the end that man should find out nothing of what shall be after him.

Whatever hath been, is far off, and exceeding deep: who will find it out?

There is no man who hath control over the spirit to retain the spirit; and no one hath control over the day of death; and there is no discharge in that war, neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.

And I commended mirth, because there is nothing better for man under the sun than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry; for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God hath given him under the sun.

Go, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God hath already accepted thy works.

Enjoy life with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity; for that is thy portion in life, and in thy labour wherein thou art labouring under the sun.

If the serpent bite before enchantment, then the charmer hath no advantage.

Curse not the king, no, not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for the bird of the air will carry the voice, and that which hath wings will tell the matter.