I said to myself, "Behold, I have obtained for myself great wisdom above all who were before me in Jerusalem. Yes, my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge."

For in much wisdom is much grief; and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.

I bought male servants and female servants, and had servants born in my house. I also had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all who were before me in Jerusalem;

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

I hated all my labor in which I labored under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes after me.

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

For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, with knowledge, and with skillfulness; yet he shall leave it for his portion to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil.

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

For to the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who pleases God. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

What profit has he who works in that in which he labors?

Who knows the spirit of man, whether it goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, whether it goes downward to the earth?"

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

Then I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold, the tears of those who were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.

Therefore I praised the dead who have been long dead more than the living who are yet alive.

Yes, better than them both is him who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

There is one who is alone, and he has neither son nor brother. There is no end to all of his labor, neither are his eyes satisfied with wealth. "For whom then, do I labor, and deprive my soul of enjoyment?" This also is vanity. Yes, it is a miserable business.

For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him who is alone when he falls, and doesn't have another to lift him up.

If a man prevails against one who is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who doesn't know how to receive admonition any more.

I saw all the living who walk under the sun, that they were with the youth, the other, who succeeded him.

There was no end of all the people, even of all them over whom he was -- yet those who come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

He who loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he who loves abundance, with increase: this also is vanity.

When goods increase, those who eat them are increased; and what advantage is there to its owner, except to feast on them with his eyes?

This also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go. And what profit does he have who labors 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 take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor -- this is the gift of God.

a man to whom God gives riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacks nothing for his soul of all that he desires, yet God gives him no power to eat of it, but an alien eats it. This is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

Whatever has been, its name was given long ago; and it is known what man is; neither can he contend with him who is mightier than he.

For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he spends like a shadow? For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?

Wisdom is as good as an inheritance. Yes, it is more excellent for those who see the sun.

For wisdom is a defense, even as money is a defense; but the excellency of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.

Consider the work of God, for who can make that straight, which he has made crooked?

All this have I seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who lives long in his evildoing.

It is good that you should take hold of this. Yes, also from that don't withdraw your hand; for he who fears God will come forth from them all.

Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.

Surely there is not a righteous man on earth, who does good and doesn't sin.

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

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

for the king's word is supreme. Who can say to him, "What are you doing?"

For he doesn't know that which will be; for who can tell him how it will be?

There is no man who has power over the spirit to contain the spirit; neither does he have power over the day of death. There is no discharge in war; neither shall wickedness deliver those who practice it.

Though a sinner commits crimes a hundred times, and lives long, yet surely I know that it will be better with those who fear God, who are reverent before him.

There is a vanity which is done on the earth, that there are righteous men to 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.

All things come alike to all. There is one event to the righteous and to the wicked; to the good, to the clean, to the unclean, to him who sacrifices, and to him who doesn't sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner; he who takes an oath, as he who fears an oath.

For to him who is joined with all the living there is hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

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

The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the cry of him who rules among fools.

He who digs a pit may fall into it; and whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.

A fool also multiplies words. Man doesn't know what will be; and that which will be after him, who can tell him?

He who observes the wind won't sow; and he who regards the clouds won't reap.

As you don't know what is the way of the wind, nor how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child; even so you don't know the work of God who does all.

in the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those who look out of the windows are darkened,

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