And who knows whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labor in which I have labored, and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity.

For who can eat, or who else can have enjoyment, more than I?

Who knows the spirit of man that goes upward, and the spirit of the beast that goes downward to the earth?

Therefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his lot: for who can bring him to see what shall be after him?

Therefore I praised the dead who are already dead more than the living who are yet alive.

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

There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he has neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labor; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither says he, For whom do I labor, and deprive my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a heavy travail.

Better is a poor and wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no longer be admonished.

I considered all the living who walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his place.

And this also is a great evil, that just as he came, so shall he go: and what profit has he who has labored for the wind?

Every man also to whom God has given riches and wealth, and has given him power to eat of it, and to accept his lot, and to rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God.

A man to whom God has given riches, wealth, and honor, so that he wants nothing for his soul of all that he desires, yet God gives him not power to eat of it, but a stranger eats it: this is vanity, and it is an evil affliction.

For what has the wise more than the fool? what has the poor, who knows to walk before the living?

For who knows what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spends 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 make that straight, which he has made crooked?

Wisdom strengthens the wise more than ten mighty men who are in the city.

That which is far off, and exceedingly deep, who can find it out?

Who is as the wise man? and who knows the interpretation of a thing? a man's wisdom makes his face to shine, and the hardness of his face is changed.

Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What are you doing?

For he knows not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be?

And so I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the holy place, and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done: this is also vanity.

Though a sinner does evil a hundred times, and his days are prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, who fear before him:

There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there are just men, unto whom it happens according to the work of the wicked; again, there are wicked men, to whom it happens according to the work of the righteous: I said that this also is vanity.

When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth: (for also there is one who neither day nor night sees sleep with his eyes:)

Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of the life of your vanity, which he has given you under the sun, all the days of your vanity: for that is your portion in this life, and in your labor which you perform under the sun.

A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?

As you know not what is the way of the wind, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so you know not the works of God who makes all.

Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.