I communed with my own heart, saying, Lo, I have come to greatness, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.

Yea, I hated all my labor in which I had toiled under the sun: because I must leave it unto the man that shall be after me.

For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart takes not rest in the night. This is also vanity.

For that which befalls the sons of men befalls beasts; the same thing befalls them: as the one dies, so dies the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man has no advantage over a beast: for all is vanity.

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.

Yea, though he lives a thousand years twice over, yet he has seen no good: do not all go to one place?

It is good that you should take hold of this; yea, also from this withhold not your hand: for he that fears God shall come forth of them all.

Then I beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because though a man labors to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea moreover; though a wise man thinks to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.

This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

Yea also, when he that is a fool walks by the way, his wisdom fails him, and he says to every one that he is a fool.

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