For he does not think much about the fleeting days of his life because God keeps him preoccupied with the joy he derives from his activity.

It is better to go to a funeral than a feast. For death is the destiny of every person, and the living should take this to heart.

Also, do not pay attention to everything that people say; otherwise, you might even hear your servant cursing you.

I tried to understand, examine, and comprehend the role of wisdom in the scheme of things, and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the insanity of folly.

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

Go, eat your food with joy, and drink your wine with a happy heart, because God has already approved your works.

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.

God has made everything fit beautifully in its appropriate time, but he has also placed ignorance in the human heart so that people cannot discover what God has ordained, from the beginning to the end of their lives.

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.

I discovered this: More bitter than death is the kind of woman who is like a hunter’s snare; her heart is like a hunter’s net and her hands are like prison chains. The man who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is captured by her.

While applying my mind to everything that happens in this world, I have seen all this: Sometimes one person dominates other people to their harm.

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

So I reflected on all this, attempting to clear it all up. I concluded that the righteous and the wise, as well as their works, are in the hand of God; whether a person will be loved or hated – no one knows what lies ahead.

This is the unfortunate fact about everything that happens on earth: the same fate awaits everyone. In addition to this, the hearts of all people are full of evil, and there is folly in their hearts during their lives – then they die.