Vanity of vanities, says the preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.

There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he has neither son nor brother; yet there is no end to all his labor; and his eyes are not satisfied with riches; and he says, For whom do I labor and take good from my soul? This is also vanity. Yes, it is an evil business.

Do not be rash with your mouth, and do not let your heart be hasty to say a word before God. For God is in Heaven, and you are on earth; therefore let your words be few.

Do not allow your mouth to cause your flesh to sin; do not say before the angel that it was an error. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands?

If a man fathers a hundred, and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, and his soul is not filled with good, and also is for him no burial; I say, a miscarriage is better than he.

Do not say, Why was it that the former days were better than these? For you do not ask wisely in regard to this.

Behold, this I have found, says the Preacher, counting one by one, to find out the sum,

I say, Keep the king's word, and that, because of the oath of God.

Because the word of a king is that which has power; and who may say to him, What are you doing?

Yes also, in the way a fool walks, his heart fails; and he says to all that he is a fool.

Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, while the evil days do not come, nor the years draw near, when you shall say, I have no pleasure in them.

Vanity of vanities, says the preacher; all is vanity.