The words of the Proclaimer, son of David, king in Jerusalem.

What profit hath Man, in all his toil wherewith he toileth under the sun?

And the sun, breaketh forth, and the sun, goeth in, - yea, unto his own place, he panteth, from whence he brake forth.

That which hath been, is the same that shall be, and, that which hath been done, is the same that shall be done, - and there is, nothing new, under the sun.

I saw all the works which were done under the sun, - and lo! all, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.

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:

When, I, looked upon all my works, which my hands had made, and on my toil, whereon I had toilsomely wrought, then lo! all, was vanity, and feeding on wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

Therefore I hated life, for, a vexation unto me, was the work which was done under the sun, - for, all, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.

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.

Then resolved I, to give my heart over to despair, - concerning all the toil, wherein I had toiled, under the sun.

For what hath the man for all his toil, and for the striving of his heart, - wherein, he himself, toiled under the sun?

Then, again, I saw under the sun, the place of justice, that there was lawlessness, and, the place of righteousness, that there was lawlessness.

Then again, I, considered all the oppressive deeds which were done under the sun, - and lo! the tears of the oppressed, and they have no comforter, and, on the side of their oppressing, is power, and they have no comforter.

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.

Then again, I, looked at a vain thing 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!

And, though an enemy should prevail against one, two, might make a stand before him, - and, a threefold cord, cannot soon be broken.

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: -

Do not let thy mouth cause thy flesh to sin, - neither say thou, before the messenger, that it was, a mistake, - wherefore should God be indignant at thy voice, and destroy the work of thy hands?

Here was an incurable evil, I had seen under the sun, riches kept by the owner thereof, to his hurt;

and those riches perish, by being ill employed, - and though he begetteth a son, yet is there in his hand nothing at all.

Lo! what, I myself, have seen - Better that it should be excellent to eat and to drink and to see blessedness, in all one's toil wherein one toileth under the sun, for the number of the days of his life, in that God hath given it him, for, that, is his portion:

Here was an evil, I had seen under the sun, - and it is, common, among men:

even the sun, it never saw, nor aught did it know, - more quietness, hath this than the other.

Even though one hath lived a thousand years twice told, yet, good, hath he not seen, - is it not, unto one place, that, all, are going?

Whatsoever one may be, long ago, was he called by his name, and it is known that it is - Son of Earth, - he cannot, therefore, contend with one stronger than he.

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?

Good is wisdom, with an inheritance, - and a profit, to such as see the sun.

Everything, had I seen, in my days of vanity, - Here was a righteous man, perishing in his righteousness, and there was a lawless man, continuing long in his wickedness.

All this, had I seen, and tried to apply my heart to every work which was done under the sun, - at such time as one man had power over another man, to his hurt.

Then extolled I, gladness, in that there was nothing better for a man, under the sun, than to eat and to drink, and to be glad, - since, that, should tarry with him in his toil, for the days of his life which God had given him under the sun.

Then I considered all the work of God, that man could not find out the work that was done under the sun, inasmuch as man toileth in seeking and yet cannot find, - yea, even though the wise man should say he knoweth, yet can he not find it out.

This was a misfortune in all that was done under the sun, that, one destiny, had they all, - yea also, the heart of the sons of men, was full of wickedness, and, madness, was in their heart, while they lived, and, after that, they went unto the dead.

Both their love and their hatred and their envy, already had perished, - and, portion, had they none any longer, unto times age-abiding, in aught that was done under the sun.

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.

I again saw under the sun, that not, to the swift, was the race, nor, to the strong, the battle, nay! nor, to the wise, food, nor yet, to the intelligent, riches, nor, even to the well-informed, comeliness, - for, time and accident, happened to them all.

Even this, had I seen of wisdom, under the sun, - and, of great import, was the same unto me: -

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:

I had seen, servants, upon horses, - and, rulers, walking like servants, on the ground.

How happy art thou, O land, when thy king is a son of nobles, - and, thy rulers, in season, do eat, for strength, and not for debauchery.

Truly sweet is the light, - and, pleasant to the eyes, to see the sun:

Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth, and let thy heart gladden thee in the days of thine early manhood, and walk thou - in the ways of thine own heart, and in that which is seen by thine own eyes, - yet know, that, for all these things, will God bring thee into judgment.

Or ever be darkened - the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars, - and the clouds return after a downpour of rain;

And besides, from them, my son, be admonished, - Of making many books, there is no end, and, much study, is a weariness of the flesh.