I did not restrain myself from getting whatever I wanted; I did not deny myself anything that would bring me pleasure. So all my accomplishments gave me joy; this was my reward for all my effort.

So I thought to myself, "The fate of the fool will happen even to me! Then what did I gain by becoming so excessively wise?" So I lamented to myself, "The benefits of wisdom are ultimately meaningless!"

For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge, and skill; however, he must hand over the fruit of his labor as an inheritance to someone else who did not work for it. This also is futile, and an awful injustice!

I thought to myself, "God will judge both the righteous and the wicked; for there is an appropriate time for every activity, and there is a time of judgment for every deed.

So I considered those who are dead and gone more fortunate than those who are still alive.

This is another misfortune: Just as he came, so will he go. What did he gain from toiling for the wind?

But whoever is among the living has hope; a live dog is better than a dead lion.

For the living know that they will die, but the dead do not know anything; they have no further reward -- and even the memory of them disappears.

One dead fly makes the perfumer's ointment give off a rancid stench, so a little folly can outweigh much wisdom.

For God will evaluate every deed, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.