The thing that is past, is out of remembrance; Even so the things that are for to come, shall no more be thought upon among them that come after.

I communed with mine own heart, saying, "Lo, I am come to a great estate, and have gotten more wisdom, than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem." Yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge,

For where much wisdom is, there is also great travail and disquietness; and the more knowledge a man hath, the more is his care.

I bought servants and maidens, and had a great household. As for cattle and sheep, I had more substance of them than all they that were before me in Jerusalem.

Shortly, I was greater and in more worship, than all my predecessors in Jerusalem. For wisdom remained with me:

Then thought I in my mind, "If it happeneth unto the fool as it doth unto me, what needeth me then to labour any more for wisdom?" So I confessed within my heart, that this also was but vanity.

For who will eat or go more lustily to his work than I?

Wherefore I judged those that are dead, to be more happy than such as be alive.

There is one man, no more but himself alone, having neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of his careful travail, his eyes cannot be satisfied with riches. Yet, doth he not remember himself, and say, "For whom do I take such travail? For whose pleasure do I thus consume away my life?" This is also a vain and miserable thing.

Whereas many riches are, there are many also that spend them away. And what pleasure more hath he that possesseth them, saving that he may look upon them with his eyes?

For what hath the wise more than the fool? What helpeth it the poor, that he knoweth to walk before the living?

A good name is more worth than a precious ointment, and the day of death is better than the day of birth.

Wisdom is better than riches; yea, much more worth than the eyesight.

Wisdom giveth more courage unto the wise, than ten mighty men of the city.