And I set my mind to seek and explore by [man’s] wisdom all [human activity] that has been done under heaven. It is a miserable business and a burdensome task which God has given the sons of men with which to be busy and distressed.

Thus I have considered all the things that come to pass under the Sun, and lo, they are all but vanity and vexation of mind.

I spoke with my heart, saying, “Behold, I have acquired great [human] wisdom and experience, more than all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my mind has observed a wealth of [moral] wisdom and [scientific] knowledge.”

And I set my mind to know [practical] wisdom and to discern [the character of] madness and folly [in which men seem to find satisfaction]; I realized that this too is a futile grasping and chasing after the wind.

I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure and gratification; so enjoy yourself and have a good time.” But behold, this too was vanity (futility, meaninglessness).

I explored with my mind how to gratify myself with wine while [at the same time] having my mind remain steady and guide me wisely; and how to take control of foolishness, until I could see what was good for the sons of men to do under heaven all the days of their lives.

But when I considered all the works that my hands had wrought, and all the labours that I had taken therein: Lo, all was vanity and vexation of mind, and nothing of any value under the Sun.

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.

Thus began I to be weary of my life, in so much that I could away with nothing that is done under the Sun, for all was but vanity and vexation of mind:

So my mind was turned to grief for all the trouble I had taken and all my wisdom under the sun.

For what getteth a man of all the labor and travail of his mind, that he taketh under the Sun,

For all his days his work is painful and sorrowful; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is vanity (worthless).

He giveth unto man, what it pleaseth him; whether it be wisdom, understanding, or gladness. But unto the sinner he giveth weariness and sorrow, that he may gather and heap together the thing, that afterward shall be given unto him whom it pleaseth God. This is now a vain thing, yea a very disquietness and vexation of mind.

a time to tear, and a time to mend; a time to be silent, and a time to speak;

Then thought I in my mind, "God shall separate the righteous from the ungodly, and then shall be the time and judgment of all counsels and works."

Again, I saw that all travail and diligence of labour was hated of every man. This is also a vain thing, and a vexation of mind.

As for the people that have been before him, and that come after him, they are innumerable: yet is not their joy the greater through him. This is also a vain thing and a vexation of mind. (v17) When thou comest into the house of God, keep thy foot and draw nigh, that thou mayest hear: that is better than the offerings of fools, for they know not what evil they do

Guard your steps and focus on what you are doing as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the [careless or irreverent] sacrifice of fools; for they are too ignorant to know they are doing evil.

All the labour that man taketh is for himself, and yet his desire is never filled after his mind.

The sight of the eyes is better, then that the soul should so depart away. Howbeit, this is also a vain thing and a disquietness of mind.

Sorrow is better than joy; when the face is sad the mind gets better.

The mind of the wise is in the house of mourning,
While the mind of fools is in the house of pleasure.

Surely, the practice of extortion turns a wise person into a fool,
and a bribe destroys the mind.

Be not hastily angry in thy mind, for wrath resteth in the bosom of a fool.

I set my mind to try to seek wisdom and the plan, and to know that wickedness [is] foolishness and that folly [is] delusion.

Whoever keeps and observes a royal command will experience neither trouble nor misery;
For a wise heart will know the proper time and [appropriate] procedure.

All this I have seen while applying my mind to every deed that is done under the sun. There is a time in which one man has exercised power over others to their detriment.

Whenever a sentence for a crime is not carried out swiftly, the human mind becomes determined to commit evil.

When I applied my mind to know wisdom and to see the activities [of mankind] that take place upon the earth—how some men seem to sleep neither day nor night—

For all these things purposed I in my mind to seek out. The righteous and wise, yea and their servants also are in the hand of God: and there is no man that knoweth either love or hate, but all things are before them.

Even in thy mind a king revile not, And in the inner parts of thy bed-chamber Revile not the rich: For a fowl of the heavens causeth the voice to go, And a possessor of wings declareth the word.

But even if a man's life is long and he has joy in all his years, let him keep in mind the dark days, because they will be great in number. Whatever may come is to no purpose.

Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth, and let thy heart gladden thee in the days of thine early manhood, and walk thou - in the ways of thine own heart, and in that which is seen by thine own eyes, - yet know, that, for all these things, will God bring thee into judgment.

Therefore, remove sorrow and anger from your heart and put away pain from your body, for childhood and the prime of life are fleeting.

Let your mind be turned to your Maker in the days of your strength, while the evil days come not, and the years are far away when you will say, I have no pleasure in them;

The words of the wise are like [prodding] goads, and these collected sayings are [firmly fixed in the mind] like well-driven nails; they are given by one Shepherd.