What was, that shall be; and what was done, that shall be done: and not anything new 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.

I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.

And I gave my heart to seek and to search out in wisdom concerning all which was done under the heavens: this evil business God gave to the sons of man to be occupied in it

I saw all the works which were done under the sun, - and lo! all, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.

It spake with my heart, saying, Behold, I was magnified, and added wisdom over all that were before me at Jerusalem: and my heart saw much 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.

I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure. So enjoy yourself.” And behold, it too was futility.

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 acquired male slaves and female slaves, as well as children [born in my] house. I also had livestock, cattle, and flocks more than anyone who [was] before me in Jerusalem.

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

And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them: I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour, and this was my portion from all my labour.

Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that it had cost me to do them; and behold, all was vanity and pursuit of the wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

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

And I hated life; for the work that is wrought under the sun was grievous unto me; for all is vanity and pursuit of the wind.

Yea, I was weary of all my labour, which I had taken under the Sun, because I should be fain to leave them unto another man, that cometh after me.

and who could know whether a, wise man, he would be or a foolish, and yet he would lord it over all my toil, wherein I had toiled and wherein I had acted wisely, under the sun, - even this, was vanity.

So my mind was turned to grief for all the trouble I had taken and all my wisdom under the sun.

For here is a man, whose toil hath been with wisdom and with knowledge and with skill, - yet, to a man who hath not toiled therein, shall he leave it as his portion, even this, was vanity and a great vexation.

For what was to man in all his labor, and in the striving of his heart, he labored under the sun?

For, all his days, are pains, and, vexatious, is his employment, even in the night, his heart lieth not down, - even this, was, vanity.

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

For, to a man who is good before him, hath he given wisdom and knowledge and gladness, - whereas, to the sinner, he hath given employment, to gather and heap up, to give to one who is good before God, even this, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.

a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot what was planted;

That which is was long ago, and that which is to be hath already been; and God bringeth back again that which is past.

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

Said, I, in my heart, as concerning the sons of men, That God was minded to prove them, - and that they might see, that they were beasts, of themselves.

So I saw, that there was nothing better than that a man should be glad in his works, for, that, is his portion, - for who can bring him in, to look upon that which shall be after him?

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.

So my praise was for the dead who have gone to their death, more than for the living who still have life.

and, as better than both, him who had not yet come into being, - who had not seen the vexatious work, which was done under the sun.

And I saw that the cause of all the work and of everything which is done well was man's envy of his neighbour. This again is to no purpose and a desire for wind.

There was a certain man without a dependent, having neither a son nor a brother, yet there was no end to all his labor. Indeed, his eyes were not satisfied with riches and he never asked, “And for whom am I laboring and depriving myself of pleasure?” This too is vanity and it is a grievous task.

For out of the prison-house he came forth to reign, although he was born poor in his kingdom.

I saw all the living under the sun round the young man who was to be ruler in place of the king.

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.

Do not let your speech cause you to sin and do not say in the presence of the messenger of God that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry on account of your voice and destroy the work of your hands?

For it was done amidst a multitude of dreams, and vanities, and many words, - but, towards God, be thou reverent.

He that loveth silver, shall not be satisfied with silver nor, he that loveth abundance, with revenue, - -even this, was vanity.

Here was an incurable evil, I had seen under the sun, riches kept by the owner thereof, to his hurt;

When those riches were lost through a bad investment and he had fathered a son, then there was nothing to support him.

Here was an evil, I had seen under the sun, - and it is, common, among men:

A man to whom God giveth riches and gains and honour, so that nothing doth he lack for his soul - of all that he craveth, and yet God doth not give him power to eat thereof, but, a man unknown, eateth it, - this, was vanity, and, an incurable evil, it was.

If a man shall beget a hundred, and live many years, and a multitude shall be the days of his years, and his soul shall not be satisfied from good, and also there was no burial to him; I said, Good above him an abortion.

Better what the eyes behold, than the wandering of desire, - even this, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.

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.

For, as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so, is the laughter of the dullard, - even this, then, was vanity.

Say not thou, 'What was it, That the former days were better than these?' For thou hast not asked wisely of this.

Everything, had I seen, in my days of vanity, - Here was a righteous man, perishing in his righteousness, and there was a lawless man, continuing long in his wickedness.

I tested all this with wisdom, and I said, “I will be wise,” but it was far from me.

What was far off, and the depth, deep, who shall find it?

I turned about, and my heart was set to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason of things , and to know that wickedness is folly, and that foolishness is madness.

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.

And, thereupon, I considered the lawless when buried, when they had entered, their graves , that, from the place of the Holy One, they used to go and boast in the city that they had so done, - even this, was vanity.

Because a decree was not done quickly upon an evil work, for this the heart of the sons of man was filled in them to do evil.

Here was a vain thing which was done upon the earth - that there were righteous men unto whom it happened according to the work of the lawless, and there were lawless men, unto whom it happened according to the work of the righteous, - I said, that, even this, was vanity.

Then extolled I, gladness, in that there was nothing better for a man, under the sun, than to eat and to drink, and to be glad, - since, that, should tarry with him in his toil, for the days of his life which God had given him under the sun.

When I gave my heart, to know wisdom, and to consider the business that was done upon the earth, then surely, by day and by night, there was one who suffered not his eyes, to sleep.

Then I considered all the work of God, that man could not find out the work that was done under the sun, inasmuch as man toileth in seeking and yet cannot find, - yea, even though the wise man should say he knoweth, yet can he not find it out.

For, unto all this, I applied my heart, and, my heart, considered all this, that, the righteous and the wise and their servants, were in the hand of God, - neither love nor hatred, could any man know, every one, was before Him.

Every one, was like every one else, one destiny, had the righteous and the lawless, the good and the pure and the impure, and he that sacrificed, and he that did not sacrifice, - as the good man, so, the sinner, he that took an oath, as he who, of an oath, stood in fear.

This was a misfortune in all that was done under the sun, that, one destiny, had they all, - yea also, the heart of the sons of men, was full of wickedness, and, madness, was in their heart, while they lived, and, after that, they went unto the dead.

For, whosoever was united to all the living, for him, there was hope, - -inasmuch as, a living dog, fared better than a dead lion.

For, the living, knew that they should die, - -but, the dead, knew not, anything, neither had they any longer a reward, because forgotten was their memory.

Both their love and their hatred and their envy, already had perished, - and, portion, had they none any longer, unto times age-abiding, in aught that was done under the sun.

Go eat in joy thy bread, and drink thy wine in a good heart; for already God was satisfied with thy works.

I again saw under the sun, that not, to the swift, was the race, nor, to the strong, the battle, nay! nor, to the wise, food, nor yet, to the intelligent, riches, nor, even to the well-informed, comeliness, - for, time and accident, happened to them all.

Even this, had I seen of wisdom, under the sun, - and, of great import, was the same unto me: -

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.

And I said, Wisdom is good above strength: and the wisdom of the poor one was despised, and his words not heard.

And also as the foolish one went in the way, his heart was wanting, and he said to all, It is folly.

Here was a misfortune I had seen under the sun, - a veritable mistake that was going forth from the presence of one who had power:

Folly was given to great heights, and the rich were set in lowness.

and the dust returneth to the earth as it was, and the spirit returneth unto God who gave it.

And further, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he pondered, and sought out, and'set in order many proverbs.

The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and that which was written uprightly, even words of truth.

Sayings from the wise are like cattle prods and well fastened nails; this masterful collection was given by one shepherd.