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 Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.

I said to myself, “Look, I have amassed wisdom far beyond all those who were over Jerusalem before me, and my mind has thoroughly grasped wisdom and knowledge.”

So I decided to discern the benefit of wisdom and knowledge over foolish behavior and ideas; however, I concluded that even this endeavor is like trying to chase the wind!

And I realized that there is an advantage to wisdom over folly, like the advantage of light over darkness.

And who knoweth whether he will be a wise man or a fool? yet will he have rule over all my labor wherein I have labored, and wherein I have showed myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.

So I began to give myself over to despair concerning all my work that I had labored at under the sun.

For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge, and skill; however, he must hand over the fruit of his labor as an inheritance to someone else who did not work for it. This also is futile, and an awful injustice!

For that which befalls the sons of men befalls beasts; the same thing befalls them: as the one dies, so dies the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man has no advantage over a beast: for all is vanity.

There was no end of all the people, even of all them over whom he was: yet they that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind.

If you see the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of justice and righteousness in a province, marvel not at the matter: for the high official is watched by a higher one; and there are yet higher ones over them.

For he will not brood much over the days of his life, since God will keep him occupied with the joys of his heart.

Yea, though he lives a thousand years twice over, yet he has seen no good: do not all go to one place?

What advantage then does the wise man have over the fool? What advantage is there for the poor person who knows how to conduct himself before others?

In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also has set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing that will come after him.

Be not given overmuch to righteousness and be not over-wise. Why let destruction come on you?

Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldst thou die before thy time?

There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power over the day of death; and there is no discharge in war: neither shall wickedness deliver him that is given to it.

All this have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is done under the sun: there is a time wherein one man hath power over another to his hurt.

Because now that evil works are not hastily punished, the heart of man giveth himself over unto wickedness.

The calm words of the wise are heeded
more than the shouts of a ruler over fools.

Send thy victuals over the waters, and so shalt thou find them after many years.

when those who keep watch over the house begin to tremble, and the virile men begin to stoop over, and the grinders begin to cease because they grow few, and those who look through the windows grow dim,