All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full: unto the place whither the rivers go, thither they go again.

Is there a thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? It hath been already in the ages which were before us.

I searched in my heart how to cherish my flesh with wine, while practising my heart with wisdom; and how to lay hold on folly, till I should see what was that good for the children of men which they should do under the heavens all the days of their life.

And I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as light excelleth darkness.

The wise man's eyes are in his head, and the fool walketh in darkness; but I myself also perceived that one event happeneth to them all.

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

There is nothing good for man, but that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.

For he giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he giveth travail to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good in God's sight. This also is vanity and pursuit of the wind.

A time to rend, and a time to sew; A time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

He hath made everything beautiful in its time; also he hath set the world in their heart, so that man findeth not out from the beginning to the end the work that God doeth.

And moreover I saw under the sun, that in the place of judgment, wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, wickedness was there.

I said in my heart, It is thus with the children of men, that God may prove them, and that they should see that they themselves are but beasts.

For what befalleth the children of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other, and they have all one breath; and man hath no pre-eminence above the beast: for all is vanity.

And I have seen that there is nothing better than that man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion; for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?

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

And I saw all labour, and all success of work, that it is man's jealousy of his neighbour. This also is vanity and pursuit of the wind.

And I returned and saw vanity under the sun.

I saw all the living that walk under the sun, with the child, the second, that should stand up in his stead.

For a dream cometh through the multitude of business, and a fool's voice through a multitude of words.

Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an inadvertence. Wherefore should God be wroth at thy voice, and destroy the work of thy hands?

For in the multitude of dreams are vanities; so with many words: but fear God.

As he came forth from his mother's womb, naked shall he go away again as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand.

And this also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came so doth he go away, and what profit hath he, in having laboured for the wind?

If a man beget a hundred sons, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, but his soul be not filled with good, and also he have no burial, I say an untimely birth is better than he.

A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of one's birth.

For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.

Say not, How is it that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.

Wisdom is as good as an inheritance, and profitable to them that see the sun.

See this which I have found, saith the Preacher, searching one by one to find out the reason;

Only see this which I have found: that God made man upright, but they have sought out many devices.

Who is as the wise? and who knoweth the explanation of things? A man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his face is changed.

I say, Keep the king's commandment, and that on account of the oath of God.

because the word of a king is power; and who may say unto him, What doest thou?

Whoso keepeth the commandment shall know no evil thing; and a wise man's heart knoweth time and manner.

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

then I saw that all is the work of God, and that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because however man may labour to seek it out, yet doth he not find it; and even, if a wise man think to know it, he shall not be able to find it out.

All things come alike to all: one event to the righteous and to the wicked, to the good, and to the clean, and to the unclean, to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.

I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to the intelligent, nor yet favour to men of knowledge; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

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

Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to stink and ferment; so a little folly is weightier than wisdom and honour.

The heart of a wise man is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.

The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool swallow up himself.

He that observeth the wind will not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds will not reap.

As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, how the bones grow in the womb of her that is with child, even so thou knowest not the work of God who maketh all.

In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand; for thou knowest not which shall prosper, whether this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.

Now the light is sweet, and pleasant is it to the eyes to see the sun;

And remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw nigh, of which thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;