applied my mind to seek out and search for the knowledge of all things that are done under heaven. Such travail and labor hath God given to the children of men, to exercise themselves therein.

Then turned I me to consider wisdom, error and foolishness: for what is he among men, that might be compared to me the king in such work?

For who knoweth, whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? And yet shall he be lord of all my labours, which I with such wisdom have taken under the Sun. Is not this a vain thing?

So I turned me to refrain my mind from all such travail, as I took under the Sun:

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

Wherefore I judged those that are dead, to be more happy than such as be alive.

There is one man, no more but himself alone, having neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of his careful travail, his eyes cannot be satisfied with riches. Yet, doth he not remember himself, and say, "For whom do I take such travail? For whose pleasure do I thus consume away my life?" This is also a vain and miserable thing.

If thou seest the poor to be oppressed and wrongfully dealt withal, so that equity and the right of the law is wrested in the land: marvel not thou at such judgment, for one great man keepeth touch with another, and the mighty help themselves together.

Say not, Why were the days which have gone by better than these? Such a question comes not from wisdom.

Good is wisdom, with an inheritance, - and a profit, to such as see the sun.

There is no man on earth of such righteousness that he does good and is free from sin all his days.

I turned around and directed my heart to know, to investigate and to seek [skillful and godly] wisdom and the reason for things, and to know that wickedness is folly and that foolishness is madness [leading to stupidity and recklessness].

All this, had I seen, and tried to apply my heart to every work which was done under the sun, - at such time as one man had power over another man, to his hurt.

In such circumstances, I saw the wicked buried. They came and went from the holy place, and they were praised in the city where they did so. This too is futile.

And so I applied my mind to learn wisdom, and to know the travail that is in the world; and that of such a fashion that I suffered not my eyes to sleep neither day nor night.

And in the city there was found a poor man - but he was wise - which with his wisdom delivered the city: yet was there no body, that had any respect for such a simple man.

If, the spirit of a ruler, riseth up against thee, thy place, do not leave, for gentleness, pacifieth such as have greatly erred.