Going unto the south, and circling unto the north, - circling, circling continually, is, the wind, and, over its own circuits, returneth the wind.

I, the Proclaimer, was king over Israel, in Jerusalem.

Spake, I, in my heart, saying, As for me, lo! I have become great, and have gathered wisdom, beyond any one who hath been before me over Jerusalem, - and, my heart, hath seen much wisdom and knowledge:

and who could know whether a, wise man, he would be or a foolish, and yet he would lord it over all my toil, wherein I had toiled and wherein I had acted wisely, under the sun, - even this, was vanity.

Then resolved I, to give my heart over to despair, - concerning all the toil, wherein I had toiled, under the sun.

For, as regardeth the destiny of the sons of men and the destiny of beasts, one fate, have they, as dieth the one, so, dieth the other, and, one spirit, have they all, - and, the pre-eminence of man over beast, is nothing, for, all, were vanity:

Keep thy foot, when thou goest unto the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than dullards to offer sacrifice, - for they make no acknowledgment of doing wrong.

If, the oppression of the poor, and the wresting of justice and righteousness, thou see in the province, do not be astonished over the matter, - for, one high above the highest, is watching, yea, the Most High, is over them.

For what profit hath the wise man, over the dullard? What can, the poor man, know - so as to walk before the living?

No man, hath power over the spirit, to retain the spirit, and, none, hath power over the day of death, and there is no furlough in war, - neither shall lawlessness deliver them who are given thereto.

All this, had I seen, and tried to apply my heart to every work which was done under the sun, - at such time as one man had power over another man, to his hurt.

The words of the wise, in quietness, are heard, - beyond the outcry of one who ruleth over dullards.

Yet remember thy Creator, in the days of thy vigour, - or ever come in, the days of discomfort, and the years arrive, in which thou shalt say - I have, in them, no pleasure;

Or ever be darkened - the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars, - and the clouds return after a downpour of rain;

Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, - or the bucket by the fountain be shivered, or the wheel at the well be broken;