A generation goes and a generation comes, But the earth stands forever.

There is no remembrance of earlier things; And also of the later things which will be, There will be for them no remembrance Among those who will come later still.

The Vanity of Pleasure and Possessions

I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with gladness, so that you shall see good things.” And behold, it too was vanity.

Wisdom Excels Folly

So I turned to see wisdom, madness, and simpleminded folly. What will the man do who will come after the king except what has already been done?

For there is no remembrance of the wise man along with the fool forever, inasmuch as in the coming days all will be forgotten. And how the wise man dies with the fool!

The Vanity of Labor

Thus I hated all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun, for I must leave it to the man who will come after me.

The Tears of the Oppressed

Then I looked again at all the acts of oppression which were being done under the sun. And behold, I saw the tears of the oppressed and that they had no one to comfort them; and on the side of their oppressors was power, but they had no one to comfort them.

For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not a second one to lift him up.

For he has come out of prison to become king, even though he was born poor in his kingdom.

There is no end to all the people, to all who were before them, and even the ones who will come later will not be glad with him, for this too is vanity and striving after wind.

For the dream comes through abundant endeavor and the voice of a fool through abundant words.

But the advantage of the land in everything is this—a king committed to a cultivated field.

As he had come naked from his mother’s womb, so will he return as he came. He will carry nothing from the fruit of his labor that he can bring in his hand.

for that one comes in vanity and goes into darkness; and that one’s name is covered in darkness.

It is good that you seize one thing and also not let go of the other; for the one who fears God comes forth with both of them.

Keep the Command of the King

Who is like the wise man and who knows the interpretation of a matter? A man’s wisdom illumines his face and causes his stern face to beam.

I say, “Keep the command of the king because of the sworn oath before God.

He who keeps a royal command experiences no evil thing, for a wise heart knows the proper time and custom.

the beginning of the words of his mouth is simpleminded folly, and the end of what comes from his mouth is evil madness.

Yet the simpleminded fool multiplies words. No man knows what will happen, and who can tell him what will come after him?

Indeed, if a man should live many years, let him be glad in them all, and let him remember the days of darkness, for they will be many. Everything that is to come will be vanity.

Fear God and Keep His Commandments

In addition to being a wise man, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge; and he pondered, searched out, and arranged many proverbs.

The end of the matter, all that has been heard: fear God and keep His commandments, because this is the end of the matter for all mankind.