And I gave my heart to searching out in wisdom all things which are done under heaven: it is a hard thing which God has put on the sons of men to do.

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 gave my heart to getting knowledge of wisdom, and of the ways of the foolish. And I saw that this again was desire for wind.

I said in my heart, I will give you joy for a test; so take your pleasure--but it was to no purpose.

I made a search with my heart to give pleasure to my flesh with wine, still guiding my heart with wisdom, and to go after foolish things, so that I might see what was good for the sons of men to do under the heavens all the days of their life.

And nothing which was desired by my eyes did I keep from them; I did not keep any joy from my heart, because my heart took pleasure in all my work, and this was my reward.

Then said I in my heart: As it comes to the foolish man, so will it come to me; so why have I been wise overmuch? Then I said in my heart: This again is to no purpose.

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.

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 in my heart, It is because of the sons of men, so that God may put them to the test and that they may see themselves as beasts.

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.

He will not give much thought to the days of his life; because God lets him be taken up with the joy of his heart.

There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is hard on men;

The wise are troubled by the ways of the cruel, and the giving of money is the destruction of the heart.

Be not quick to let your spirit be angry; because wrath is in the heart of the foolish.

Your heart has knowledge how frequently others have been cursed by you.

And I saw a thing more bitter than death, even the woman whose heart is full of tricks and nets, and whose hands are as bands. He with whom God is pleased will get free from her, but the sinner will be taken by her.

Who is like the wise man? and to whom is the sense of anything clear? A man's wisdom makes his face shining, and his hard face will be changed.

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

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.

Then I saw all the work of God, and that man may not get knowledge of the work which is done under the sun; because, if a man gives hard work to the search he will not get knowledge, and even if the wise man seems to be coming to the end of his search, still he will be without knowledge.

All this I took to heart, and my heart saw it all: that the upright and the wise and their works are in the hand of God; and men may not be certain if it will be love or hate; all is to no purpose before them.

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

The heart of the wise man goes in the right direction; but the heart of a foolish man in the wrong.

A feast is for laughing, and wine makes glad the heart; but by the one and the other money is wasted.

Have joy, O young man, while you are young; and let your heart be glad in the days of your strength, and go in the ways of your heart, and in the desire of your eyes; but be certain that for all these things God will be your judge.

So put away trouble from your heart, and sorrow from your flesh; because the early years and the best years are to no purpose.