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For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun?

For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.

Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun.

And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity.

Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me.

Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? as the fool.

Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity.

The wise man"s eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all.

Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.

And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.

Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.

And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.

So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.

I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts.

I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me:

I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees:

I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits:

I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards:

I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life.

I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?

I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.

But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.

For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it.

That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.

None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life.

For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead.

Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.

To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words;

Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths: