I have seen slaves on horseback and princes walking on foot like slaves.

Here is another misfortune that I have seen on earth, and it weighs heavily on people:

So I again considered another futile thing on earth:

Let your clothes always be white, and do not spare precious ointment on your head.

I reflected on everything that is accomplished by man on earth, and I concluded: Everything he has accomplished is futile – like chasing the wind!

For there is not one truly righteous person on the earth who continually does good and never sins.

Divide your merchandise among seven or even eight investments, for you do not know what calamity may happen on earth.

What benefit do people get from all the effort which they expend on earth?

For everything there is an appointed time, and an appropriate time for every activity on earth:

Yet when I reflected on everything I had accomplished and on all the effort that I had expended to accomplish it, I concluded: “All these achievements and possessions are ultimately profitless – like chasing the wind! There is nothing gained from them on earth.”

I have seen another misfortune on the earth: It is an error a ruler makes.

The wind goes to the south and circles around to the north; round and round the wind goes and on its rounds it returns.

When I tried to gain wisdom and to observe the activity on earth – even though it prevents anyone from sleeping day or night –

Enjoy life with your beloved wife during all the days of your fleeting life that God has given you on earth during all your fleeting days; for that is your reward in life and in your burdensome work on earth.

So I began to despair about all the fruit of my labor for which I worked so hard on earth.

What does a man acquire from all his labor and from the anxiety that accompanies his toil on earth?

I considered all the living who walk on earth, as well as the successor who would arise in his place.

Here is a misfortune on earth that I have seen: Wealth hoarded by its owner to his own misery.

This is what I also observed about wisdom on earth, and it is a great burden to me:

yet a fool keeps on babbling. No one knows what will happen; who can tell him what will happen in the future?