What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun?

Is there a thing of which it is said, “See, this is new”? It has been already in the ages before us.

I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees.

The Vanity of Toil

I hated all my toil in which I toil under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to the man who will come after me,

and who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? Yet he will be master of all for which I toiled and used my wisdom under the sun. This also is vanity.

What has a man from all the toil and striving of heart with which he toils beneath the sun?

That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away.

Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot.

For who knows what is good for man while he lives the few days of his vain life, which he passes like a shadow? For who can tell man what will be after him under the sun?

That which has been is far off, and deep, very deep; who can find it out?

which my soul has sought repeatedly, but I have not found. One man among a thousand I found, but a woman among all these I have not found.

Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun.

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.

In the morning sow your seed, and at evening withhold not your hand, for you do not know which will prosper, this or that, or whether both alike will be good.

Remember Your Creator in Your Youth

Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”;