There is, no remembrance, of the thing before, - nor, even of the things after, which shall be, will there be any remembrance, with them who shall come after.

Spake, I, in my heart, saying, As for me, lo! I have become great, and have gathered wisdom, beyond any one who hath been before me over Jerusalem, - and, my heart, hath seen much wisdom and knowledge:

I acquired, men-servants and women-servants, and, the children of the household, were mine, - also possessions, herds and flocks in abundance, were mine, beyond all who had been before me in Jerusalem;

So I became great, and increased, more than any one who had been before me in Jerusalem, - moreover, my wisdom, remained with me;

Thus turned, I, to look at wisdom, and madness and folly, - for what can the man do more who cometh after the king? save that which, already, men have done.

Therefore hated, I, all my toil, wherein I was toiling, under the sun, - in that I should leave it for the man who should come 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.

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 who could eat and who could enjoy, so well as I?

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.

Who knoweth the spirit of the sons of men, whether it, ascendeth, above, - or the spirit of the beast, whether it, descendeth, below, to the earth?

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?

So, I, pronounced happy the dead, who were, already, dead, - more than the living, who were living, still;

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.

Here is one, without a second, even son or brother, he hath none, yet is there no end to all his toil, even his eye, is not satisfied with riches, - neither saith he For whom, am I toiling, and letting my soul want good? Even this, was vanity, yea a vexatious employment, it was!

For, if the one should fall, the other would raise up his companion, - but alas! for him who is alone when he falleth, with no second to raise him up!

Better a boy poor and wise, - than a king, old and stupid, who knoweth not how to take warning any longer.

I saw all the living, who were going hither and thither under the sun, - that they were with the boy who was to be the second, who was to stand in the other's place: -

There was no end to all the people, to all before whom he came, yet, they who should come later, would not rejoice in him, - surely, even this, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.

Even this, moreover, is an incurable evil, altogether as he came, so, shall he depart, - what profit then shall he have who toileth for the wind?

yet, as regardeth every man, to whom God hath given wealth and goods, and granted him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to find gladness in his toil, this, is, the gift of God.

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.

For who knoweth what is good for a man throughout his life, for the number of the days of his life of vanity, seeing he will make them, like a shadow, - for who can tell a man, what shall be after him, under the sun?

Consider the work of God, - for who can straighten what he hath bent?

Far away, is that which hath been, - and deep, deep, who can find it out?

Who is really a wise man, and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? The wisdom of a man, lighteth up his countenance, but, by defiance of countenance, one is disfigured.

Where the word of a king is, there is power, - who then may say to him, What wouldst thou do?

For there is no one who knoweth what shall be, for, when it shall be, who will tell him?

No man, hath power over the spirit, to retain the spirit, and, none, hath power over the day of death, and there is no furlough in war, - neither shall lawlessness deliver them who are given thereto.

Though a sinner be committing wickedness a hundred times, and continuing long in his own way, yet I surely know that it shall be well to them who revere God, who stand in awe before him;

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.

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.

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.

Enjoy life, with thy wife whom thou lovest, all the days of thy life of vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all thy days of vanity, - for, that, is thy portion in life, and in thy toil wherewith, thou, art toiling under the sun.

The words of the wise, in quietness, are heard, - beyond the outcry of one who ruleth over dullards.

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:

Yet, a foolish man, multiplieth words, - though no man knoweth that which hath been, and, that which shall be after him, who can tell him?

Just as thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, when the body is in the womb of her that is with child, even, so, canst thou not know the work of God, who maketh all.

In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the men of might bow themselves, - and the grinders cease because they are few, and they who look through the windows are darkened;

And the dust return to the earth, as it was, - and, the spirit, return unto God, who gave it.