That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.

For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.

For no one knows [whether] the spirit of a human ascends [to heaven] and [whether] the spirit of the beast descends to the ground!

So I concluded that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy [the fruit of] his labor, for this is his lot in life. {For no one knows what will happen in the future.}

So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.

And I commended the dead who already have died, more than the living who are living now.

And I saw that the cause of all the work and of everything which is done well was man's envy of his neighbour. This again is to no purpose and a desire for wind.

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

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

There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.

For if one falls, his companion may help him up. But pity the one who falls and there is {no one} to help him up.

Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.

There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God; for to draw nigh to hear is better than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they know not that they do evil.

When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.

If thou promise anything, pay it; for better it is that thou make no vow than that thou shouldest promise, and not pay.

Because much talk comes from dreams and things of no purpose. But let the fear of God be in you.

He who has a love for silver never has enough silver, or he who has love for wealth, enough profit. This again is to no purpose.

The sleep of the worker is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of the rich permits him no sleep.

As he came from his mother at birth, so does he go again; he gets from his work no reward which he may take away in his hand.

All of his life he also eats in darkness [cheerlessly, without sweetness and light], with great frustration, sickness, and anger.

For unto whomsoever God giveth riches, goods and power, he giveth it him to enjoy it, to take it for his portion, and to be refreshed of his labour: this is now the gift of God.

A man to whom God giveth wealth, and riches, and honour, and there is no lack to his soul of all that he desireth, and God giveth him not power to eat of it, but a stranger eateth it; this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

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

Though the stillborn child came into the world for no reason and departed into darkness, though its name is shrouded in darkness,

Yes, it saw not the sun, and it had no knowledge; it is better with this than with the other.

Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place?

For what profit hath the wise man, over the dullard? What can, the poor man, know - so as to walk before the living?

What the eyes see is better than the wandering of desire. This is to no purpose and a desire for wind.

Whatsoever hath been, the name thereof was given long ago; and it is know what man is; neither can he contend with him that is mightier than he.

There are words without number for increasing what is to no purpose, but what is man profited by them?

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.

Like the cracking of thorns under a pot, so is the laugh of a foolish man; and this again is to no purpose.

Never ask "Why does the past seem so much better than now?" because this question does not come from wisdom.

Indeed, wisdom gives protection, just like money does, but it's better to know that wisdom gives life, to those who have mastered it.

Consider the work of God, how that no man can make the thing straight, which he maketh crooked.

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.

These two have I seen in my life which is to no purpose: a good man coming to his end in his righteousness, and an evil man whose days are long in his evil-doing.

Surely there is no one righteous on the earth who [continually] does good and never sins.

Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:

for you know that many times you yourself have cursed others.

I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness:

Who as the wise one? and who will know the interpretation of the word? The wisdom of man shall enlighten his face, and the hard of face shall be hated.

Be not hasty to go out of his sight, and see thou continue in no evil thing: for whatsoever it pleaseth him, that doeth he.

Since the word of the king [is] supreme, no one can say to him, "What are you doing?"

Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man's heart discerneth both time and judgment.

For no one knows what will happen;
So who can tell him how and when it will happen?

There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.

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.

Because now that evil works are not hastily punished, the heart of man giveth himself over unto wickedness.

Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him:

But it will not go well with the wicked, and they will not prolong [their] days, like the shadow; because there is no fearing {God's presence}.

There is a thing which is to no purpose done on the earth: that there are good men to whom is given the same punishment as those who are evil, and there are evil men who get the reward of the good. I say that this again is to no purpose.

Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun.

When I applied mine 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 beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because though a man labour to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea further; though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.

For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them.

Because to all there is one event, to the upright man and to the evil, to the clean and to the unclean, to him who makes an offering and to him who makes no offering; as is the good so is the sinner; he who takes an oath is as he who has fear of it.

[There is no exemption,] but whoever is joined with all the living, has hope; surely a live dog is better than a dead lion.

For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.

Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.

Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.

Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment.

Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

And again I saw under the sun that the reward goes not to him who is quick, or the fruits of war to the strong; and there is no bread for the wise, or wealth for men of learning, or respect for those who have knowledge; but time and chance come to all.

For man does not know his time. Just as fish are caught in a cruel net and like birds who are seized in a snare, so also {humans} are ensnared at a cruel time when it falls suddenly upon them.

Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.

So I concluded that wisdom is better than might, but a poor man's wisdom is despised; no one ever listens to his advice.

And when the foolish man is walking in the way, he has no sense and lets everyone see that he is foolish.

He who quarries stones may be hurt with them, and he who splits logs may be endangered by them.

If the iron has no edge, and he does not make it sharp, then he has to put out more strength; but wisdom makes things go well.

Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.

Yet the fool multiplies words, though no man knows what will happen, and who can tell him what will come after he is gone?

The labour of fools wearieth them, because they know not how to go to the city.

When no work is done the roof goes in, and when the hands do nothing water comes into the house.

Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.

Give a portion to seven, or even [divide it] to eight, for you do not know what misfortune may occur on the earth.

Just as you do not know the way and path of the wind or how the bones are formed in the womb of a pregnant woman, even so you do not know the activity of God who makes all things.

Sow your seed in the morning and do not be idle with your hands in the evening, for you do not know whether morning or evening planting will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both alike will be good.

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

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.

Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.

So put away trouble from your heart, and sorrow from your flesh; because the early years and the best years are to no purpose.

Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;

Also, they are afraid of heights and dangers on the road;
the almond tree blossoms,
the grasshopper loses its spring,
and the caper berry has no effect;
for man is headed to his eternal home,
and mourners will walk around in the street;

Earnestly remember your Creator before the silver cord [of life] is broken, or the golden bowl is crushed, or the pitcher at the fountain is shattered and the wheel at the cistern is crushed;

All things are to no purpose, says the Preacher, all is to no purpose.

And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

Now that all has been heard, here is the final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commandments, for this [is] the whole [duty] of man.

The fragrance of your perfume is intoxicating;
your name is perfume poured out.
No wonder young women adore you.

If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds' tents.

There will I tarry for thee, my love, with mine host and with my chariots, which shall be no fewer than Pharaoh's.

For now the winter is past;
the rain has ended and gone away.

I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.

Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee.

(The Bridegroom)“I have come into my garden, my sister, my [promised] bride;
I have gathered my myrrh along with my balsam and spice [from your sweet words].
I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey;
I have drunk my wine with my milk.
Eat, friends;
Drink and drink deeply, O lovers.”

I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer.

(The Chorus)“Where has your beloved gone,
O most beautiful among women?
Where is your beloved hiding himself,
That we may seek him with you?”

They are sixty queens, and eighty concubines, and maidens no number.

I knew not my soul, It made me -- chariots of my people Nadib.