I applied my mind to seek and explore through wisdom all that is done under heaven. God has given people this miserable task to keep them occupied.

Thus I have considered all the things that come to pass under the Sun, and lo, they are all but vanity and vexation of mind.

I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I have gotten me great wisdom above all that were before me in Jerusalem; yea, my heart hath had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.

I applied my mind to know wisdom and knowledge, madness and folly; I learned that this too is a pursuit of the wind.

I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.

I explored with my mind how to let my body enjoy life with wine and how to grasp folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom—until I could see what is good for people to do under heaven during the few days of their lives.

I acquired, men-servants and women-servants, and, the children of the household, were mine, - also possessions, herds and flocks in abundance, were mine, beyond all who had been before me in Jerusalem;

And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them; I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced because of all my labor; and this was my portion from all my labor.

But when I considered all the works that my hands had wrought, and all the labours that I had taken therein: Lo, all was vanity and vexation of mind, and nothing of any value under the Sun.

Then thought I in my mind, "If it happeneth unto the fool as it doth unto me, what needeth me then to labour any more for wisdom?" So I confessed within my heart, that this also was but vanity.

Thus began I to be weary of my life, in so much that I could away with nothing that is done under the Sun, for all was but vanity and vexation of mind:

So my mind was turned to grief for all the trouble I had taken and all my wisdom under the sun.

For what getteth a man of all the labor and travail of his mind, that he taketh under the Sun,

For all his days are filled with grief, and his occupation is sorrowful; even at night, his mind does not rest. This too is futile.

He giveth unto man, what it pleaseth him; whether it be wisdom, understanding, or gladness. But unto the sinner he giveth weariness and sorrow, that he may gather and heap together the thing, that afterward shall be given unto him whom it pleaseth God. This is now a vain thing, yea a very disquietness and vexation of mind.

I said in mine 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 mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.

Again, I saw that all travail and diligence of labour was hated of every man. This is also a vain thing, and a vexation of mind.

As for the people that have been before him, and that come after him, they are innumerable: yet is not their joy the greater through him. This is also a vain thing and a vexation of mind. (v17) When thou comest into the house of God, keep thy foot and draw nigh, that thou mayest hear: that is better than the offerings of fools, for they know not what evil they do

Guard your steps and focus on what you are doing as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the [careless or irreverent] sacrifice of fools; for they are too ignorant to know they are doing evil.

All the labour that man taketh is for himself, and yet his desire is never filled after his mind.

The sight of the eyes is better, then that the soul should so depart away. Howbeit, this is also a vain thing and a disquietness of mind.

Sorrow is better than joy; when the face is sad the mind gets better.

The mind of the wise is in the house of mourning,
While the mind of fools is in the house of pleasure.

Surely, the practice of extortion turns a wise person into a fool,
and a bribe destroys the mind.

Be not hastily angry in thy mind, for wrath resteth in the bosom of a fool.

I gave my mind to knowledge and to searching for wisdom and the reason of things, and to the discovery that sin is foolish, and that to be foolish is to be without one's senses.

Whoever obeys [his] command will not suffer disaster. The wise mind knows the [proper] time and the right [procedure].

All this I have seen, applying my mind to all the work that is done under the sun, at a time when one man has authority over another to his harm.

Whenever a sentence for a crime is not carried out swiftly, the human mind becomes determined to commit evil.

When I gave my mind to the knowledge of wisdom and to seeing the business which is done on the earth (and there are those whose eyes see not sleep by day or by night),

For all these things purposed I in my mind to seek out. The righteous and wise, yea and their servants also are in the hand of God: and there is no man that knoweth either love or hate, but all things are before them.

Even in thy mind a king revile not, And in the inner parts of thy bed-chamber Revile not the rich: For a fowl of the heavens causeth the voice to go, And a possessor of wings declareth the word.

But even if a man's life is long and he has joy in all his years, let him keep in mind the dark days, because they will be great in number. Whatever may come is to no purpose.

So enjoy yourself in your youth, young man, and be encouraged during your younger days. Live as you like, consistent with your world view, but keep in mind that God will bring you to account for everything.

Banish emotional stress from your mind. and put away pain from your body; for youth and the prime of life are fleeting.

Let your mind be turned to your Maker in the days of your strength, while the evil days come not, and the years are far away when you will say, I have no pleasure in them;

The words of the wise are like [prodding] goads, and these collected sayings are [firmly fixed in the mind] like well-driven nails; they are given by one Shepherd.