Is there a thing of which it may be said, See, this is new? It has already been in days of old, which were before us.

And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all which is done under the heavens. It is a sad task God has given to the sons of men to be humbled by it.

I said in my heart, Come now, I will test you with mirth; therefore consider and behold goodness; this also is vanity.

I said of laughter, It is madness; and of mirth, What does it do?

Then I said in my heart, As it happens to the fool, so it happens even to me; and why was I then more wise? And I said in my heart that this also is vanity.

Therefore I hated life; because the work that is done under the sun is sad to me; for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

For God gives wisdom, and knowledge, and joy to a man who is good in His sight. But to the sinner He gives labor, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

He has made everything beautiful in His time; also He has set eternity in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God makes from the beginning to the end.

I said in my heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.

I said in my heart concerning the matter of sons of men, that God might reveal them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.

So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun. And behold the tears of the oppressed ones, and they had no comforter! And on the side of those who oppressed them there was power, but they had no comforter.

The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eats little or much; but the abundance of the rich will not allow him to sleep.

Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity take note that God also has set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.

All this I have proved by wisdom; I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.

I set my heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness;

Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.

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

And I said, Wisdom is better than strength; but the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.

foolishness is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.

In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening do not withhold your hand; for you do not know what shall be blessed, either this or that, or whether they both shall be fruitful in the same way.

Also the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun;

Rejoice, in your youth, young man; and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth, and walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes; but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.

And more than that, the preacher was wise; he still taught the people knowledge. Yes, he listened, and looked, and set in order many proverbs.