All the rivers go down to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the rivers go, there they go again.

That which has been, is that which is to be, and that which has been done, is that which will be done, and there is no new thing under the sun.

Is there anything of which men say, See, this is new? It has been in the old time which was before us.

There is no memory of those who have gone before, and of those who come after there will be no memory for those who are still to come after them.

That which is bent may not be made straight, and that which is not there may not be numbered.

Then I saw all the works which my hands had made, and everything I had been working to do; and I saw that all was to no purpose and desire for wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

Of the wise man, as of the foolish man, there is no memory for ever, seeing that those who now are will have gone from memory in the days to come. See how death comes to the wise as to the foolish!

Because there is a man whose work has been done with wisdom, with knowledge, and with an expert hand; but one who has done nothing for it will have it for his heritage. This again is to no purpose and a great evil.

There is nothing better for a man than taking meat and drink, and having delight in his work. This again I saw was from the hand of God.

For everything there is a fixed time, and a time for every business under the sun.

I am certain that there is nothing better for a man than to be glad, and to do good while life is in him.

And again, I saw under the sun, in the place of the judges, that evil was there; and in the place of righteousness, that evil was there.

So I saw that there is nothing better than for a man to have joy in his work--because that is his reward. Who will make him see what will come after him?

And again I saw all the cruel things which are done under the sun; there was the weeping of those who have evil done to them, and they had no comforter: and from the hands of the evil-doers there went out power, but they had no comforter.

It is one who is by himself, without a second, and without son or brother; but there is no end to all his work, and he has never enough of wealth. For whom, then, am I working and keeping myself from pleasure? This again is to no purpose, and a bitter work.

There was no end of all the people, of all those whose head he was, but they who come later will have no delight in him. This again is to no purpose and desire for wind.

If you see the poor under a cruel yoke, and law and right being violently overturned in a country, be not surprised, because one authority is keeping watch on another and there are higher than they.

There is a great evil which I have seen under the sun--wealth kept by the owner to be his downfall.

There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is hard on men;

That which is, has been named before, and of what man is there is knowledge. He has no power against one stronger than he.

There are words without number for increasing what is to no purpose, but what is man profited by them?

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

For every purpose there is a time and a decision, because the sorrow of man is great in him.

All this have I seen, and have given my heart to all the work which is done under the sun: there is a time when man has power over man for his destruction.

There is a thing which is to no purpose done on the earth: that there are good men to whom is given the same punishment as those who are evil, and there are evil men who get the reward of the good. I say that this again is to no purpose.

So I gave praise to joy, because there is nothing better for a man to do under the sun than to take meat and drink and be happy; for that will be with him in his work all the days of his life which God gives him under the sun.

When I gave my mind to the knowledge of wisdom and to seeing the business which is done on the earth (and there are those whose eyes see not sleep by day or by night),

Because to all there is one event, to the upright man and to the evil, to the clean and to the unclean, to him who makes an offering and to him who makes no offering; as is the good so is the sinner; he who takes an oath is as he who has fear of it.

This is evil in all things which are done under the sun: that there is one fate for all, and the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; while they have life their hearts are foolish, and after that--to the dead.

For him who is joined to all the living there is hope; a living dog is better than a dead lion.

The living are conscious that death will come to them, but the dead are not conscious of anything, and they no longer have a reward, because there is no memory of them.

Whatever comes to your hand to do with all your power, do it because there is no work, or thought, or knowledge, or wisdom in the place of the dead to which you are going.

And again I saw under the sun that the reward goes not to him who is quick, or the fruits of war to the strong; and there is no bread for the wise, or wealth for men of learning, or respect for those who have knowledge; but time and chance come to all.

There was a little town and the number of its men was small, and there came a great king against it and made an attack on it, building works of war round about it.

Now there was in the town a poor, wise man, and he, by his wisdom, kept the town safe. But no one had any memory of that same poor man.

There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, like an error which comes by chance from a ruler:

He who gets out stones from the earth will be damaged by them, and in the cutting of wood there is danger.

If a snake gives a bite before the word of power is said, then there is no longer any use in the word of power.

If the clouds are full of rain, they send it down on the earth; and if a tree comes down to the south, or the north, in whatever place it comes down, there it will be.

And further, my son, take note of this: of the making of books there is no end, and much learning is a weariness to the flesh.