What benefit do people get from all the effort which they expend on earth?

The sun rises and the sun sets; it hurries away to a place from which it rises again.

The wind goes to the south and circles around to the north; round and round the wind goes and on its rounds it returns.

All this monotony is tiresome; no one can bear to describe it: The eye is never satisfied with seeing, nor is the ear ever content with hearing.

What exists now is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing truly new on earth.

Is there anything about which someone can say, "Look at this! It is new!"? It was already done long ago, before our time.

No one remembers the former events, nor will anyone remember the events that are yet to happen; they will not be remembered by the future generations.

What is bent cannot be straightened, and what is missing cannot be supplied.

I thought to myself, "Come now, I will try self-indulgent pleasure to see if it is worthwhile." But I found that it also is futile.

I said of partying, "It is folly," and of self-indulgent pleasure, "It accomplishes nothing!"

I thought deeply about the effects of indulging myself with wine (all the while my mind was guiding me with wisdom) and the effects of behaving foolishly, so that I might discover what is profitable for people to do on earth during the few days of their lives.

I also amassed silver and gold for myself, as well as valuable treasures taken from kingdoms and provinces. I acquired male singers and female singers for myself, and what gives a man sensual delight -- a harem of beautiful concubines!

So I was far wealthier than all my predecessors in Jerusalem, yet I maintained my objectivity:

Yet when I reflected on everything I had accomplished and on all the effort that I had expended to accomplish it, I concluded: "All these achievements and possessions are ultimately profitless -- like chasing the wind! There is nothing gained from them on earth."

Next, I decided to consider wisdom, as well as foolish behavior and ideas. For what more can the king's successor do than what the king has already done?

The wise man can see where he is going, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also realized that the same fate happens to them both.

So I thought to myself, "The fate of the fool will happen even to me! Then what did I gain by becoming so excessively wise?" So I lamented to myself, "The benefits of wisdom are ultimately meaningless!"

So I loathed life because what happens on earth seems awful to me; for all the benefits of wisdom are futile -- like chasing the wind.

So I loathed all the fruit of my effort, for which I worked so hard on earth, because I must leave it behind in the hands of my successor.

Who knows if he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will be master over all the fruit of my labor for which I worked so wisely on earth! This also is futile!

For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge, and skill; however, he must hand over the fruit of his labor as an inheritance to someone else who did not work for it. This also is futile, and an awful injustice!

What does a man acquire from all his labor and from the anxiety that accompanies his toil on earth?

For all day long his work produces pain and frustration, and even at night his mind cannot relax! This also is futile!

There is nothing better for people than to eat and drink, and to find enjoyment in their work. I also perceived that this ability to find enjoyment comes from God.

For no one can eat and drink or experience joy apart from him.

For to the one who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy, but to the sinner, he gives the task of amassing wealth -- only to give it to the one who pleases God. This task of the wicked is futile -- like chasing the wind!

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot what was planted;

What benefit can a worker gain from his toil?

God has made everything fit beautifully in its appropriate time, but he has also placed ignorance in the human heart so that people cannot discover what God has ordained, from the beginning to the end of their lives.

and also that everyone should eat and drink, and find enjoyment in all his toil, for these things are a gift from God.

I also know that whatever God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it, and nothing taken away from it. God has made it this way, so that men will fear him.

Whatever exists now has already been, and whatever will be has already been; for God will seek to do again what has occurred in the past.

I also thought to myself, "It is for the sake of people, so God can clearly show them that they are like animals.

So I perceived there is nothing better than for people to enjoy their work, because that is their reward; for who can show them what the future holds?

So I again considered all the oppression that continually occurs on earth. This is what I saw: The oppressed were in tears, but no one was comforting them; no one delivers them from the power of their oppressors.

Then I considered all the skillful work that is done: Surely it is nothing more than competition between one person and another. This also is profitless -- like chasing the wind.

The fool folds his hands and does no work, so he has nothing to eat but his own flesh.

A man who is all alone with no companion, he has no children nor siblings; yet there is no end to all his toil, and he is never satisfied with riches. He laments, "For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?" This also is futile and a burdensome task!

For he came out of prison to become king, even though he had been born poor in what would become his kingdom.

There is no end to all the people nor to the past generations, yet future generations will not rejoice in him. This also is profitless and like chasing the wind.

Be careful what you do when you go to the temple of God; draw near to listen rather than to offer a sacrifice like fools, for they do not realize that they are doing wrong.

When you make a vow to God, do not delay in paying it. For God takes no pleasure in fools: Pay what you vow!

It is better for you not to vow than to vow and not pay it.

Do not let your mouth cause you to sin, and do not tell the priest, "It was a mistake!" Why make God angry at you so that he would destroy the work of your hands?"

When someone's prosperity increases, those who consume it also increase; so what does its owner gain, except that he gets to see it with his eyes?

This is another misfortune: Just as he came, so will he go. What did he gain from toiling for the wind?

Surely, he ate in darkness every day of his life, and he suffered greatly with sickness and anger.

I have seen personally what is the only beneficial and appropriate course of action for people: to eat and drink, and find enjoyment in all their hard work on earth during the few days of their life which God has given them, for this is their reward.

To every man whom God has given wealth, and possessions, he has also given him the ability to eat from them, to receive his reward and to find enjoyment in his toil; these things are the gift of God.

Here is another misfortune that I have seen on earth, and it weighs heavily on people:

God gives a man riches, property, and wealth so that he lacks nothing that his heart desires, yet God does not enable him to enjoy the fruit of his labor -- instead, someone else enjoys it! This is fruitless and a grave misfortune.

though it never saw the light of day nor knew anything, yet it has more rest than that man --

if he should live a thousand years twice, yet does not enjoy his prosperity. For both of them die!

All of man's labor is for nothing more than to fill his stomach -- yet his appetite is never satisfied!

So what advantage does a wise man have over a fool? And what advantage does a pauper gain by knowing how to survive?

It is better to be content with what the eyes can see than for one's heart always to crave more. This continual longing is futile -- like chasing the wind.

Whatever has happened was foreordained, and what happens to a person was also foreknown. It is useless for him to argue with God about his fate because God is more powerful than he is.

For no one knows what is best for a person during his life -- during the few days of his fleeting life -- for they pass away like a shadow. Nor can anyone tell him what the future will hold for him on earth.

It is better to go to a funeral than a feast. For death is the destiny of every person, and the living should take this to heart.

It is better for a person to receive a rebuke from those who are wise than to listen to the song of fools.

Do not say, "Why were the old days better than these days?" for it is not wise to ask that.

Wisdom, like an inheritance, is a good thing; it benefits those who see the light of day.

Consider the work of God: For who can make straight what he has bent?

In times of prosperity be joyful, but in times of adversity consider this: God has made one as well as the other, so that no one can discover what the future holds.

It is best to take hold of one warning without letting go of the other warning; for the one who fears God will follow both warnings.

I have examined all this by wisdom; I said, "I am determined to comprehend this" -- but it was beyond my grasp.

Whatever has happened is beyond human understanding; it is far deeper than anyone can fathom.

What I have continually sought, I have not found; I have found only one upright man among a thousand, but I have not found one upright woman among all of them.

Do not rush out of the king's presence in haste -- do not delay when the matter is unpleasant, for he can do whatever he pleases.

Surely the king's authority is absolute; no one can say to him, "What are you doing?"

Surely no one knows the future, and no one can tell another person what will happen.

Just as no one has power over the wind to restrain it, so no one has power over the day of his death. Just as no one can be discharged during the battle, so wickedness cannot rescue the wicked.

When a sentence is not executed at once against a crime, the human heart is encouraged to do evil.

Even though a sinner might commit a hundred crimes and still live a long time, yet I know that it will go well with God-fearing people -- for they stand in fear before him.

But it will not go well with the wicked, nor will they prolong their days like a shadow, because they do not stand in fear before God.

Here is another enigma that occurs on earth: Sometimes there are righteous people who get what the wicked deserve, and sometimes there are wicked people who get what the righteous deserve. I said, "This also is an enigma."

So I recommend the enjoyment of life, for there is nothing better on earth for a person to do except to eat, drink, and enjoy life. So joy will accompany him in his toil during the days of his life which God gives him on earth.

When I tried to gain wisdom and to observe the activity on earth -- even though it prevents anyone from sleeping day or night --

then I discerned all that God has done: No one really comprehends what happens on earth. Despite all human efforts to discover it, no one can ever grasp it. Even if a wise person claimed that he understood, he would not really comprehend it.

So I reflected on all this, attempting to clear it all up. I concluded that the righteous and the wise, as well as their works, are in the hand of God; whether a person will be loved or hated -- no one knows what lies ahead.

Everyone shares the same fate -- the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad, the ceremonially clean and unclean, those who offer sacrifices and those who do not. What happens to the good person, also happens to the sinner; what happens to those who make vows, also happens to those who are afraid to make vows.

What they loved, as well as what they hated and envied, perished long ago, and they no longer have a part in anything that happens on earth.

Go, eat your food with joy, and drink your wine with a happy heart, because God has already approved your works.

Let your clothes always be white, and do not spare precious ointment on your head.

Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, because there is neither work nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave, the place where you will eventually go.

Surely, no one knows his appointed time! Like fish that are caught in a deadly net, and like birds that are caught in a snare -- just like them, all people are ensnared at an unfortunate time that falls upon them suddenly.

This is what I also observed about wisdom on earth, and it is a great burden to me:

There was once a small city with a few men in it, and a mighty king attacked it, besieging it and building strong siege works against it.

One dead fly makes the perfumer's ointment give off a rancid stench, so a little folly can outweigh much wisdom.

Even when a fool walks along the road he lacks sense, and shows everyone what a fool he is.

I have seen another misfortune on the earth: It is an error a ruler makes.

One who digs a pit may fall into it, and one who breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.

If the snake should bite before it is charmed, the snake charmer is in trouble.

At the beginning his words are foolish and at the end his talk is wicked madness,

yet a fool keeps on babbling. No one knows what will happen; who can tell him what will happen in the future?

The toil of a stupid fool wears him out, because he does not even know the way to the city.

Blessed are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobility, and your princes feast at the proper time -- with self-control and not in drunkenness.

Do not curse a king even in your thoughts, and do not curse the rich while in your bedroom; for a bird might report what you are thinking, or some winged creature might repeat your words.

Divide your merchandise among seven or even eight investments, for you do not know what calamity may happen on earth.

If the clouds are full of rain, they will empty themselves on the earth, and whether a tree falls to the south or to the north, the tree will lie wherever it falls.