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.

But well is thee, O thou realm and land, whose king is come of nobles, and whose princes eat in due season, for strength and not for lust.

Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, - or the bucket by the fountain be shivered, or the wheel at the well be broken;

Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof; and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

Better is sorrow than laughter, For by the sadness of the face the heart becometh better.

Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and striving after wind.

Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king, who knoweth not how to receive admonition any more.

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

Better is a name than good perfume, And the day of death than the day of birth.

Better is wisdom than weapons of conflict, And one sinner destroyeth much good!

Better are two, than one, - in that they have a good reward for their toil.

Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this also is vanity and a striving after wind.

Yea, better is he than both, who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

And I said, 'Better is wisdom than might, and the wisdom of the poor is despised, and his words are not heard.' --

Just as no human being has control over the wind to restrain it, so also no human being has control over the day of his death. Just as no one is discharged during war, so wickedness will not release those who practice it.

If a serpent strikes despite being charmed, there's no point in being a snake charmer.

This an evil in all being done under the sun, thus one event is to all: and also the heart of the sons of man being full of evil, and folly in their heart in their living, and after it to their deaths.

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.

For what advantage has the wise man over the fool [for being worldly-wise is not the secret to happiness]? What advantage has the poor man who has learned how to walk [publicly] among the living [with men’s eyes on him; for being poor is not the secret to happiness either]?

And the advantage of a land, it is for all; even a king has a field being tilled.

I myself, the Preacher, being king of Israel and Jerusalem,