What advantage is to man by all his labour that he laboureth at under the sun?

The Sun ariseth, the sun goeth down, and returneth to his place, that he may there rise up again.

All things are so hard, that no man can express them. The eye is not satisfied with sight; the ear is not filled with hearing.

That which hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

There is a thing of which one saith: 'See this, it is new!' already it hath been in the ages that were before us!

There is no remembrance of the former generations ; neither shall there be any remembrance of the latter generations that are to come, among those that shall come after.

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.

That which is crooked cannot be made straight; and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.

I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I have gotten me great wisdom above all that were before me in Jerusalem; yea, my heart hath had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.

And I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also was a striving after wind.

For in much wisdom is much grief; and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.

I thought to myself, "Come now, I will try self-indulgent pleasure to see if it is worthwhile." But I found that it also is futile.

insomuch that I said unto laughter, "Thou art mad," and to mirth, "What doest thou?"

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.

I made myself pools of water, with which to water the forest that brings forth trees:

I bought men-servants and maid-servants, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all that were before me in Jerusalem;

I gathered me also silver and gold, and the treasure of kings and of the provinces; I gat me men-singers and women-singers, and the delights of the sons of men, musical instruments, and that of all sorts.

So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.

All that my eyes desired, I did not deny them. I did not refuse myself any pleasure, for I took pleasure in all my struggles. This was my reward for all my struggles.

Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labor that I had labored to do; and, behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been done long ago.

Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.

The wise man's eyes are in his head, and the fool walketh in darkness: and yet I perceived that one event happeneth to them all.

Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then said I in my heart, that this also is vanity.

For of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no remembrance for ever; seeing that in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. And how doth the wise man die even as the fool!

So I hated life, because the work that is wrought under the sun was grievous unto me; for all is vanity and a striving after wind.

And I hated all my labor wherein I labored under the sun, seeing that I must leave it unto the man that shall be after me.

And who is to say if that man will be wise or foolish? But he will have power over all my work which I have done and in which I have been wise under the sun. This again is to no purpose.

And I turned round to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labour that I laboured at under the sun.

For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skilfulness; yet to a man that hath not labored therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.

For what does a man get with all his work and all his efforts that he labors at under the sun?

but heaviness, sorrow and disquietness all the days of his life? Insomuch that his heart cannot rest in the night. Is not this also a vain thing?

There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God.

For to the man that pleaseth him God giveth wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that pleaseth God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

Every thing hath a time; yea, all that is under the heaven, hath his convenient season.

a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboreth?

I have seen the task that God has given people to keep them occupied.

He hath made everything beautiful in its time: also he hath set eternity in their heart, yet so that man cannot find out the work that God hath done from the beginning even to the end.

I know that there is nothing better for them, than to rejoice, and to do good so long as they live.

And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labor, is the gift of God.

I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor anything taken from it; and God hath done it, that men should fear before him.

That which is hath been long ago; and that which is to be hath long ago been: and God seeketh again that which is passed away.

And moreover I saw under the sun, in the place of justice, that wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, that wickedness was there.

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.

For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; and man hath no preeminence above the beasts: for all is vanity.

Who knows the spirit of man that goes upward, and the spirit of the beast that goes downward to the earth?

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?

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 praised the dead that have been long dead more than the living that are yet alive;

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.

Then I saw all labor and every skilful work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

Then I turned to re-examine something else that is pointless on earth:

There is one that is alone, and he hath not a second; yea, he hath neither son nor brother; yet is there no end of all his labor, neither are his eyes satisfied with riches. For whom then,'saith he , do I labor, and deprive my soul of good? This also is vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.

The two are better than the one, in that they have a good reward by their labour.

For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him that is alone when he falleth, and hath not another to lift him up.

And if a man prevail against him that is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

A poor child being wise, is better than an old king that doteth, and cannot beware in time to come.

For out of prison he comes to reign; yet he that is born in his kingdom might become poor.

I saw all the living that walk under the sun, that they were with the youth, the second, that stood up in his stead.

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.

Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God; for to draw nigh to hear is better than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they know not that they do evil.

When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou vowest.

Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.

Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that is was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thy hands?

And why? Whereas are many dreams and many words, there are also divers vanities: but look that thou fear God.

If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perversion of judgment and justice in a province, wonder not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there are higher than they.

The whole land also with the fields and all that is therein, is in subjection and bondage unto the king.

He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance, with increase: this also is vanity.

When goods increase, they are increased that eat them; and what advantage is there to the owner thereof, save the beholding of them with his eyes?

A labouring man sleepeth sweetly, whether it be little or much that he eateth; but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.

There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt;

That wealth was lost in a bad venture, so when he fathered a son, he was empty-handed.

As he came from his mother’s womb, so he will go again, naked as he came; he will take nothing for his efforts that he can carry in his hands.

And this also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that he laboreth for the wind?

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.

Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and power to eat thereof, and to take his portion and to rejoice in his labour: that is a gift of God.

There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it is great on man:

a man to whom God giveth riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacketh nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but an alien eateth it; this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

If a man beget a hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul be not filled with good, and moreover he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he:

Even the sun he hath not seen nor known, more rest hath this than that.

Even though one hath lived a thousand years twice told, yet, good, hath he not seen, - is it not, unto one place, that, all, are going?

All the labour that man taketh is for himself, and yet his desire is never filled after his mind.

For what advantage hath the wise more than the fool? or what hath the poor man, that knoweth how to walk before the living?

The sight of the eyes is better, then that the soul should so depart away. Howbeit, this is also a vain thing and a disquietness of mind.

Whatsoever hath been, the name thereof was given long ago; and it is know what man is; neither can he contend with him that is mightier than he.

Seeing there are many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?

For who knows what is good for man in life, in the few days of his futile life that he spends like a shadow? Who can tell man what will happen after him under the sun?

It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.

For the laughing of fools is like the crackling of thorns under a pot. And that is but a vain thing.

Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.

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

For wisdom is a defence, even as money is a defence; but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom preserveth the life of him that hath it.

Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?

In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yea, God hath made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything that shall be after him.

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.

Therefore be thou neither too righteous nor over wise, that thou perish not:

It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from that withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth from them all.

Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers that are in a city.