The only worthwhile thing for a human being is to eat, drink, and enjoy life's goodness that he finds in what he accomplishes. This, I observed, is also from the hand of God himself,

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.

A time to give birth and a time to die;
A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.

What profit hath he that worketh from that wherein he laboureth?

He made everything appropriate in its time. He also placed eternity within them yet, no person can fully comprehend what God is doing from beginning to end.

That which is has been already and that which will be has already been, for God seeks what has passed by.

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?

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 came back, and I saw an example of what is to no purpose under the sun.

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

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

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 be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. Pay what you vow!

Never let your mouth cause you to sin and don't proclaim in the presence of the angel, "My promise was a mistake," for why should God be angry at your excuse and destroy what you've undertaken?

When good things increase, those who consume them increase. So what is the advantage to their owners except to look on?

This also is a grievous evil—exactly as a man is born, thus will he die. So what is the advantage to him who toils for the wind?

What is more, he eats in darkness all his days, with much sorrow, sickness, and anger.

Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat, to drink and enjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he toils under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him; for this is his reward.

For what advantage does the wise man have over the fool? What advantage does the poor man have, knowing how to walk before the living?

What the eyes see is better than what the soul desires. This too is futility and a striving after wind.

Whatever exists has already been named, and it is known what man is; for he cannot dispute with him who is stronger than he is.

For there are many words which increase futility. What then is the advantage to a man?

For who knows what is good for a man during his lifetime, during the few years of his futile life? He will spend them like a shadow. For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?

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

Consider the work of God,
For who is able to straighten what He has bent?

In the day of wealth have joy, but in the day of evil take thought: God has put the one against the other, so that man may not be certain what will be after him.

What has been is remote and exceedingly mysterious. Who can discover it?

I turned around and directed my heart to know, to investigate and to seek [skillful and godly] wisdom and the reason for things, and to know that wickedness is folly and that foolishness is madness [leading to stupidity and recklessness].

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.

I advise doing what the king says, especially regarding an oath to God.

The word of a king has authority; and who may say to him, What is this you are doing?

Whoever keeps and observes a royal command will experience neither trouble nor misery;
For a wise heart will know the proper time and [appropriate] procedure.

No one is certain what is to be, and who is able to say to him when it will be?

And then I saw evil men put to rest, taken even from the holy place; and they went about and were praised in the town because of what they had done. This again is to no purpose.

Even though a sinner does what is wrong a hundred times and still survives, nevertheless I also know that things will go well for those who fear God, who fear in his presence.

Here is a pointless thing that happens on earth: A righteous man receives what happens to the wicked, and a wicked man receives what happens to the righteous. I concluded that this, too, is pointless.

When I dedicated myself to experience wisdom and to observe what is undertaken on earth even going without sleep day and night

I saw all of it as the activity of God. Frankly, a human being cannot understand what happens on earth, because however hard a man works to discover it, he will not find out. Despite what he thinks he knows, he will not be able to figure it out.

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.

Furthermore, their love, their hate, and their envy have been long lost. Never again will they have a part in what happens on earth.

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

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

He begins by saying what is foolish and ends by uttering what is wicked delusion.

A fool also multiplieth words: yet man knoweth not what shall be; and that which shall be after him, who can tell him?

Do not curse the king, even in your thoughts. Do not curse the rich, even in your bedroom. For a bird will fly by and tell what you say, or something with wings may talk about it.

Give a portion to seven, yea, even unto eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.

When the clouds are full, they pour out rain upon the earth. And when the tree falleth, whether it be toward the South or North, in what place soever it fall, there it lieth.

As thou knowest not what is the way of the wind, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child; even so thou knowest not the work of God who doeth all.

Sow your seed in the morning, and do not let your hands rest in the evening, for you do not know what will prosper-- whether this or that, or whether both of them alike will succeed.

Yea, at what is high, they be in fear, and there be, terrors, in the way, and the almond be rejected, and the grasshopper drag itself along, and desire perish, - for man is going to his age-abiding home, when the wailers shall go round in the streets;

then man's dust will go back to the earth, returning to what it was, and the spirit will return to the God who gave it.

Moreover, besides being wise himself, the Teacher taught people what he had learned by listening, making inquiries, and composing many proverbs.

The Teacher searched to find appropriate expressions, and what is written here is right and truthful.

Let the conclusion of all of these thoughts be heard: Fear God and obey his commandments, for this is what it means to be human.

“What is this coming up from the wilderness
Like columns of smoke,
Perfumed with myrrh and frankincense,
With all scented powders of the merchant?

I adjure you, ye daughters of Jerusalem, - If ye find my beloved, what will ye tell him? That, sick with love, I am.

DAUGHTERS OF JERUSALEMWhat is thy beloved more than any other beloved, thou most beautiful among women? What is thy beloved more than any other beloved, that, thus, thou hast adjured us?

What is she, this that peepeth out as the morning, fair as the moon, excellent as the sun, glorious as an army of men with their banners?

I went down into the nut garden, to see what grew by the brooks, to look if the vineyard flourished, and if the pomegranates were shot forth.

“Before I was aware [of what was happening], my desire had brought me
Into the area of the princes of my people [the king’s retinue].”

Return, return, O Shulamite; Return, return, that we may look upon thee. What would ye look upon in the Shulamite? As it were the dance of two camps.

I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, that ye wake not up my love, nor touch her, till she be content herself. What is she, this that cometh up from the wilderness, and leaneth upon her love?

THEYA sister, have we, a little one, and, breasts, hath she none, What shall we do for our sister, in the day when she may be spoken for?

"Oh, you sinful nation! You people burdened down by iniquity! You offspring of those who keep practicing what is evil! You corrupt children! "They've abandoned the LORD; they've despised the Holy One of Israel; in their estrangement, they've walked away from me.

For what shall ye be yet struck? will ye add apostasy? every head for sickness, and every heart sick

"Listen to what the LORD says, you rulers of Sodom, and pay attention to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomorrah!

Of what use to me, is your multitude of sacrifices: Saith Yahweh: I am sated with ascending-offerings of rams and the fat of fed beasts, - In the blood of bulls and young rams and he-goats, have I no pleasure.

"Wash yourselves, and make yourselves clean; remove your evil behavior from my presence; stop practicing what is evil.

Learn to practice what is good; seek justice, alleviate oppression, defend orphans in court, and plead the widow's case.

The faithful city—
what an adulteress she has become!
She was once full of justice.
Righteousness once dwelt in her—
but now, murderers!

Therefore this is what the Lord GOD of the Heavenly Armies, the one who is Israel's Mighty One, declares: "Now I'll get relief from his enemies and avenge myself on his foes.

And my hand will again be on you, washing away what is unclean as with soap, and taking away all your false metal;

I will restore your judges to what they once were,
and your advisers to their former state.
Afterward you will be called the Righteous City,
a Faithful City.”

This is what Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

For thou hast cast off thy people, the house of Jacob, because they are filled with what comes from the east, and use auguries like the Philistines, and ally themselves with the children of foreigners.

Their land is filled with idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their own fingers have made.

Men shall creep into holes of stone, and into caves of the earth, for the fear of the LORD, and from the glory of his majesty: what time as he shall arise to shake the earth.

Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils; for what account is to be made of him?

"For Jerusalem has stumbled, and Judah has fallen, because what they say and do opposes the LORD; they keep defying him.

Tell the innocent it will go well with them, for they will be rewarded for what they have done.

Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him ; for what his hands have done shall be done unto him.

The Lord comes to pronounce judgment on the leaders of his people and their officials. He says, "It is you who have ruined the vineyard! You have stashed in your houses what you have stolen from the poor.

what mean ye that ye crush my people, and grind the face of the poor? saith the Lord, Jehovah of hosts.

what time as the LORD shall wash away the desolation of the daughters of Zion, and purge the blood out from Jerusalem with the wind of his smoke and fire.

What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?

And now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; I will break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down:

Indeed Israel is the vineyard of the Lord who commands armies, the people of Judah are the cultivated place in which he took delight. He waited for justice, but look what he got -- disobedience! He waited for fairness, but look what he got -- cries for help!

And corded instruments and wind-instruments and wine are in their feasts: but they give no thought to the work of the Lord, and they are not interested in what his hands are doing.

Cursed are those who give the name of good to evil, and of evil to what is good: who make light dark, and dark light: who make bitter sweet, and sweet bitter!

"But this is what the Lord GOD has to say: ""It won't take place. It won't ever happen.

He'll eat cheese and honey, when he knows enough to reject what's wrong and choose what's right.

However, before the youth knows enough to reject what's wrong and choose what's right, the land whose two kings you dread will be devastated."

In that day LORD will shave with a razor what is hired in the parts beyond the River, [even] with the king of Assyria, the head and the hair of the feet, and it shall also consume the beard.

For this is what the LORD spoke to me, as his forceful hand was resting on me, and as he was warning me not to live the way this people were living:

“You are not to say, ‘It is a conspiracy!’
In regard to all that this people call a conspiracy,
And you are not to fear what they fear or be in dread of it.

Then you must recall the Lord's instructions and the prophetic testimony of what would happen. Certainly they say such things because their minds are spiritually darkened.

For the fainting not to what the straits to her according to the time of the first he made light the land of Zebulon and the land of Naphtali; and afterward he made heavy the way of the sea beyond Jordan of Galilee of the nations.

They slice off what is on the right hand but still are hungry,
And they eat what is on the left hand but they are not satisfied;
Each of them eats the flesh of his own arm.