I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired male and female singers, and a harem as well—the delights of a man’s heart.

To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, “My vow was a mistake.” Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands?

This too is a grievous evil: As everyone comes, so they depart, and what do they gain, since they toil for the wind?

Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins.

I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a trap and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God will escape her, but the sinner she will ensnare.

Since a king’s word is supreme, who can say to him, “What are you doing?”

Since no one knows the future, who can tell someone else what is to come?

All share a common destiny—the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad, the clean and the unclean, those who offer sacrifices and those who do not. As it is with the good, so with the sinful; as it is with those who take oaths, so with those who are afraid to take them.

Their love, their hate and their jealousy have long since vanished; never again will they have a part in anything that happens under the sun.

Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.