What benefit do people get from all the effort which they expend on earth?

All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full: unto the place whither the rivers go, thither they go again.

No one remembers those in the past, nor will they be remembered by those who come after them.

Thus I have considered all the things that come to pass under the Sun, and lo, they are all but vanity and vexation of mind.

I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I have become great and have acquired wisdom more than all they that have been before me over Jerusalem; and my heart hath seen much of wisdom and knowledge.

I searched in my heart how to cherish my flesh with wine, while practising my heart with wisdom; and how to lay hold on folly, till I should see what was that good for the children of men which they should do under the heavens all the days of their life.

I got men-servants and women-servants, and they gave birth to sons and daughters in my house. I had great wealth of herds and flocks, more than all who were in Jerusalem before me.

I neither withheld anything from my eyes that they desired, nor did I deprive any pleasure from my heart. My heart rejoiced in all my toil, for this was my reward from all my toil.

And I turned to see wisdom, and madness, and folly, but what is the man who cometh after the king? that which is already -- they have done it!

For a wise man beareth his eyes about in his head, but the fool goeth in the darkness. I perceived also that they both had one end.

All this hath he ordained marvelous goodly, to every thing his due time. He hath planted ignorance also in the hearts of men, that they should not find out the ground of his works, which he doth from the beginning to the end.

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

I have known that all that God doth is to the age, to it nothing is to be added, and from it nothing is to be withdrawn; and God hath wrought that they do fear before Him.

I said in my heart, It is thus with the children of men, that God may prove them, and that they should see that they themselves are but beasts.

For what befalleth the children of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other, and they have all one breath; and man hath no pre-eminence above the beast: for all is vanity.

They go all unto one place, for as they be all of dust, so shall they all turn unto dust again.

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

And I praise the dead already dead more than the living they yet living.

Yea, him that is yet unborn to be better at ease than they both, because he seeth not the miserable works that are done under the Sun.

Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.

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

Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one alone be warm?

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.

Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil.

If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and the violent taking away of justice and righteousness in a province, marvel not at the matter: for one higher than the high regardeth; and there are higher than they.

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?

For oft times they perish with his great misery and trouble: and if he have a child it getteth nothing.

If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, however many they be, but his soul is not satisfied with good things and he does not even have a proper burial, then I say, “Better the miscarriage than he,

Furthermore, though they never saw the sun nor learned anything, they are more content than the other.

Because many words lead to pointlessness, how do people benefit from this? 12Who knows what is best for people in this life, every day of their pointless lives that they pass through like a shadow? Who informs people on earth what will come along after them?

For no one knows what is best for a person during his life -- during the few days of his fleeting life -- for they pass away like a shadow. Nor can anyone tell him what the future will hold for him on earth.

Say not thou, "What is the cause that the days of the old time were better than they that be now?" For that were no wise question.

Also to all the words that they speak give not thy heart, that thou hear not thy servant reviling thee.

Behold, I have found only this, that God made men upright, but they have sought out many devices.”

And then I saw evil men put to rest, taken even from the holy place; and they went about and were praised in the town because of what they had done. This again is to no purpose.

But though an evil person offend a hundredth times, and have a long life: yet am I sure, that it shall go well with them that fear God, because they have him before their eyes.

But it will not go well with the wicked, nor will they prolong their days like a shadow, because they do not stand in fear before God.

Yet is there a vanity upon earth: there be just men, unto whom it happeneth, as though they had the works of the ungodly; Again, there be ungodly, with whom it goeth as though they had the works of the righteous. This me think also a vain thing.

In light of all of this, I committed myself to explain it this way: the righteous and the wise, along with everything they do, are in the hands of God. Furthermore, as to love and hate, no human being knows everything concerning them.

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.

And why? As long as a man liveth, he is careless: for a quick dog, say they, 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.

Their love and their hate and their envy are now ended; and they have no longer a part for ever in anything which is done under the sun.

For also man knew not his time: as the fishes being laid hold of in an evil net, and as the birds laid hold of in the snare, as they, the sons of men being snared for an evil time, as it will fall upon them suddenly.

A fool also makes many words; a man knows not what they shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?

The labour of the foolish is grievous unto them, while they know not how to go in to the city.

For mirth they are making a feast, And wine maketh life joyful, And the silver answereth with all.

If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth; and if a tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there shall it be.

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.

Yea, if a man live many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember the days of darkness, for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity.

in the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows shall be darkened,

and the doors are shut toward the street; when the sound of the grinding is subdued, and they rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low;

yea, they shall be afraid of that which is high, and terrors'shall be in the way; and the almond-tree shall blossom, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail; because man goeth to his everlasting home, and the mourners go about the streets:

The words of the wise are pointed, and sayings grouped together are like nails fixed with a hammer; they are given by one guide.

For God shall judge all works and secret things, whether they be good or evil.