Is there a thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been long ago, in the ages which were before us.

And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven: it is a sore travail that God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith.

I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.

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

a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

I have seen the travail which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith.

I said in my heart, It is because of the sons of men, that God may prove them, and that they may see that they themselves are but as beasts.

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

yea, better than them both did I esteem him that hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun, namely , riches kept by the owner thereof to his hurt:

Behold, that which I have seen to be good and to be comely is for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labor, wherein he laboreth under the sun, all the days of his life which God hath given him: for this is his portion.

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

moreover it hath not seen the sun nor known it; this hath rest rather than the other:

Wisdom is as good as an inheritance; yea, more excellent is it for them that see the sun.

All this have I seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his evil-doing.

I turned about, and my heart was set to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason of things , and to know that wickedness is folly, and that foolishness is madness.

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.

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

then I beheld all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because however much a man labor to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea moreover, though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.

I have also seen wisdom under the sun on this wise, and it seemed great unto me:

There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as it were an error which proceedeth from the ruler:

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

In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand; for thou knowest not which shall prosper, whether this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.