Is there a thing, of which it can be said, See here, it is, new? Already, hath it been, for ages, it is something which was before us.

Said, I, in my heart, Come now! I will prove thee with gladness, and look thou on blessedness, - but lo! even that, was vanity.

Of laughter, I said, Madness! and, of mirth, What can it do?

Then said, I, in my heart, As it happeneth to the dullard, even to me, will it happen, but wherefore, then, became, I, wise to excess? Therefore spake I, in my heart, Even this, is vanity.

Said, I, in my heart, Both the righteous and the lawless, will God judge, - for there will be a time for every pursuit, and concerning every work - there.

Said, I, in my heart, as concerning the sons of men, That God was minded to prove them, - and that they might see, that they were beasts, of themselves.

Though a man should beget a hundred children, and live, many years, so that many should be the days of his years but, his own soul, should not be satisfied with the good, and he should not even have, a burial, I said, Better than he, is an untimely birth!

All this, have I proved by wisdom, - I said, I will be wise, but, that, was far from me.

I said , The bidding of the king, observe thou, even out of regard to the oath of God.

Here was a vain thing which was done upon the earth - that there were righteous men unto whom it happened according to the work of the lawless, and there were lawless men, unto whom it happened according to the work of the righteous, - I said, that, even this, was vanity.

Then said, I, Better is wisdom than strength, - although, the wisdom of the poor man, be despised, and, his words, not heard.