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

I, the Teacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.

Do not be rash with your mouth or hasty in your heart to bring up a matter before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth! Therefore, let your words be few.

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

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

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

Send your grain overseas, for after many days you will get a return.

and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the life’s breath returns to God who gave it.

I thought to myself, “I have become much wiser than any of my predecessors who ruled over Jerusalem; I have acquired much wisdom and knowledge.”

I also thought to myself, “It is for the sake of people, so God can clearly show them that they are like animals.

Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these days?” for it is not wise to ask that.

When a sentence is not executed at once against a crime, the human heart is encouraged to do evil.

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

If the clouds are full of rain, they will empty themselves on the earth, and whether a tree falls to the south or to the north, the tree will lie wherever it falls.

before the silver cord is removed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is shattered at the well, or the water wheel is broken at the cistern –

For God will evaluate every deed, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.

I decided to carefully and thoroughly examine all that has been accomplished on earth. I concluded: God has given people a burdensome task that keeps them occupied.

Do not let your mouth cause you to sin, and do not tell the priest, “It was a mistake!” Why make God angry at you so that he would destroy the work of your hands?”

If you see the extortion of the poor, or the perversion of justice and fairness in the government, do not be astonished by the matter. For the high official is watched by a higher official, and there are higher ones over them!

In times of prosperity be joyful, but in times of adversity consider this: God has made one as well as the other, so that no one can discover what the future holds.