The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem:

What does man gain from all his labor in which he labors under the sun?

One generation goes, and another generation comes; but the earth remains forever.

Is there a thing of which it may be said, "Behold, this is new?" It has been long ago, in the ages which were before us.

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

I said to myself, "Behold, I have obtained for myself great wisdom above all who were before me in Jerusalem. Yes, my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge."

For in much wisdom is much grief; and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.

I said in my heart, "Come now, I will test you with mirth: therefore enjoy pleasure;" and behold, this also was vanity.

I searched in my heart how to cheer my flesh with wine, my heart yet guiding me with wisdom, and how to lay hold of folly, until I might see what it was good for the sons of men that they should do under heaven all the days of their lives.

I made myself gardens and parks, and I planted trees in them of all kinds of fruit.

I bought male servants and female servants, and had servants born in my house. I also had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all who were before me in Jerusalem;

So I was great, and increased more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also remained with me.

The wise man's eyes are in his head, and the fool walks in darkness?and yet I perceived that one event happens to them all.

Then said I in my heart, "As it happens to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise?" Then said I in my heart that this also is vanity.

For of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no memory for ever, seeing that in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. Indeed, the wise man must die just like the fool.

I hated all my labor in which I labored under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to the man who comes after me.

Who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have rule over all of my labor in which I have labored, and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.

Therefore I began to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor in which I had labored under the sun.

For what has a man of all his labor, and of the striving of his heart, in which he labors under the sun?

For all his days are sorrows, and his travail is grief; yes, even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.

There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God.

What profit has he who works in that in which he labors?

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in their hearts, yet so that man can't find out the work that God has done from the beginning even to the end.

Also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labor, is the gift of God.

Moreover I saw under the sun, in the place of justice, that wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, that wickedness was there.

I said in my heart, "God will judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work."

I said in my heart, "As for the sons of men, God tests them, so that they may see that they themselves are like animals.

For that which happens to the sons of men happens to animals. Even one thing happens to them. As the one dies, so the other dies. Yes, they have all one breath; and man has no advantage over the animals: for all is vanity.

All go to one place. All are from the dust, and all turn to dust again.

Therefore I saw that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his works; for that is his portion: for who can bring him to see what will be after him?

Then I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold, the tears of those who were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.

There is one who is alone, and he has neither son nor brother. There is no end to all of his labor, neither are his eyes satisfied with wealth. For whom then, do I labor, and deprive my soul of enjoyment? This also is vanity, yes, it is a miserable business.

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.

For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him who is alone when he falls, and doesn't have another to lift him up.

Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one keep warm alone?

If a man prevails against one who is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who doesn't know how to receive admonition any more.

For out of prison he came forth to be king; yes, even in his kingdom he was born poor.

There was no end of all the people, even of all them over whom he was?yet those who come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

Guard your step when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil.

Do not be rash with your mouth, and do not let your heart be hasty to utter anything before God; for God is in heaven, and you on earth. Therefore let your words be few.

When you vow a vow to God, do not defer to pay it; for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay that which you vow.

For in the multitude of dreams there are vanities, as well as in many words: but you must fear God.

If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent taking away of justice and righteousness in a district, do not marvel at the matter: for one official is eyed by a higher one; and there are officials over them.

When goods increase, those who eat them are increased; and what advantage is there to its owner, except to feast on them with his eyes?

Those riches perish by misfortune, and if he has fathered a son, there is nothing in his hand.

As he came forth from his mother's womb, naked shall he go again as he came, and shall take nothing for his labor, which he may carry away in his hand.

This also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go. And what profit does he have who labors for the wind?

All his days he also eats in darkness, he is frustrated, and has sickness and wrath.

Behold, that which I have seen to be good and proper is for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labor, in which he labors under the sun, all the days of his life which God has given him; for this is his portion.

Every man also to whom God has given riches and wealth, and has given him power to eat of it, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor?this is the gift of God.

For he shall not often reflect on the days of his life; because God occupies him with the joy of his heart.

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

a man to whom God gives riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacks nothing for his soul of all that he desires, yet God gives him no power to eat of it, but a foreigner eats it. This is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

for it comes in vanity, and departs in darkness, and its name is covered with darkness.

Yes, though he live a thousand years twice told, and yet fails to enjoy 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 like a shadow? For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?

A good name is better than fine perfume; and the day of death better than the day of one's birth.

The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

Better is the end of a thing than its beginning. The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

Do not be hasty in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools.

Wisdom is as good as an inheritance. Yes, it is more excellent for those who see the sun.

In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yes, God has made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything after him.

All this have I seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who lives long in his evildoing.

Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.

Surely there is not a righteous man on earth, who does good and doesn't sin.

for often your own heart knows that you yourself have likewise cursed others.

All this have I proved in wisdom. I said, "I will be wise;" but it was far from me.

Behold, this have I found, says the Preacher, one to another, to find out the scheme;

which my soul still seeks; but I have not found: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.

Do not be hasty to go out of his presence. Do not persist in an evil thing, for he does whatever pleases him,

For there is a time and procedure for every purpose, although the misery of man is heavy on him.

There is no man who has power over the spirit to contain the spirit; neither does he have power over the day of death. There is no discharge in war; neither shall wickedness deliver those who practice it.

All this have I seen, and applied my mind to every work that is done under the sun. There is a time in which one man has power over another to his hurt.

So I saw the wicked buried. Indeed they came also from holy place. They went and were praised in the city where they did this. This also is vanity.

Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.

There is a vanity which is done on the earth, that there are righteous men to whom it happens according to the work of the wicked. Again, there are wicked men to whom it happens according to the work of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity.

Then I commended mirth, because a man has no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be joyful: for that will accompany him in his labor all the days of his life which God has given him under the sun.

When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done on the earth (for also there is that neither day nor night sees sleep with his eyes),

then I saw all the work of God, that man can't find out the work that is done under the sun, because however much a man labors to seek it out, yet he won't find it. Yes even though a wise man thinks he can comprehend it, he won't be able to find it.

For all this I laid to my heart, even to explore all this: that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God; whether it is love or hatred, man doesn't know it; all is before them.

All things come alike to all. There is one event to the righteous and to the wicked; to the good, to the clean, to the unclean, to him who sacrifices, and to him who doesn't sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner; he who takes an oath, as he who fears an oath.

This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one event to all: yes 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, their hatred, and their envy has perished long ago; neither have they any more a portion forever in anything that is done under the sun.

Go your way?eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart; for God has already accepted your works.

Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your life of vanity, which he has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity: for that is your portion in life, and in your labor in which you labor under the sun.

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, where you are going.

For man also doesn't know his time. As the fish that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare, even so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falls suddenly on them.

I have also seen wisdom under the sun in this way, and it seemed great to me.

Now a poor wise man was found in it, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.

The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the cry of him who rules among fools.

Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroys much good.

Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to send forth an evil odor; so does a little folly outweigh wisdom and honor.

Yes also, when the fool walks by the way, his understanding fails him, and he says to everyone that he is a fool.

There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, the sort of error which proceeds from the ruler.

Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place.

I have seen servants on horses, and princes walking like servants on the earth.

If the axe is blunt, and one doesn't sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but skill brings success.

The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but a fool is swallowed by his own lips.

The labor of fools wearies every one of them; for he doesn't know how to go to the city.