I sought in my heart to drag my flesh with wine, yet leading my heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, until I might see where the good for the sons of men might be, what they should do under the heavens all the days of their life.

Therefore I hated life; because the work that is done under the sun is sad to me; for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

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

I know that there is no good in them, but to rejoice and to do good in his life.

Behold that which I have seen. it is good and right for one to eat and to drink, and to see good in all his labor that he labors under the sun all the days of his life, which God gives him; for it is his portion.

For he shall not much remember the days of his life, because God answers him in the joy of his heart.

Yea, though he live twice a thousand years, yet he has seen no good. Do not all go to one place?

For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he spends as a shadow? For who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?

For wisdom is a defense, and money is a defense; but the excellency of knowledge is that wisdom gives life to those who have it.

All things I have seen in the days of my vanity; there is a just one who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked one who prolongs life in his wickedness.

Then I praised gladness, because a man has no better thing under the sun than to eat and to drink and to be glad; for that shall go with him of his labor for the days of his life which God gives him under the sun.

For all this I took to heart, even to make all this clear, that the righteous and the wise and their works are in the hand of God. No man knows either love or hatred by all that is before them.

This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event to all. Yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; nor do they any longer have a part forever in all that is done under the sun.

Look on life 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 share in this life, and in your labor which you labor under the sun.

Therefore remove vexation from your heart, and put away evil from your flesh; for childhood and prime of life are vanity.