I thought deeply about the effects of indulging myself with wine (all the while my mind was guiding me with wisdom) and the effects of behaving foolishly, so that I might discover what is profitable for people to do on earth during the few days of their lives.

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.

God gives a man riches, property, and wealth so that he lacks nothing that his heart desires, yet God does not enable him to enjoy the fruit of his labor – instead, someone else enjoys it! This is fruitless and a grave misfortune.

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.

So I recommend the enjoyment of life, for there is nothing better on earth for a person to do except to eat, drink, and enjoy life. So joy will accompany him in his toil during the days of his life which God gives him on earth.

So remember your Creator in the days of your youth – before the difficult days come, and the years draw near when you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”;

Is there anything about which someone can say, “Look at this! It is new!”? It was already done long ago, before our time.

Next, I decided to consider wisdom, as well as foolish behavior and ideas. For what more can the king’s successor do than what the king has already done?

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

When you make a vow to God, do not delay in paying it. For God takes no pleasure in fools: Pay what you vow!

Whatever has happened was foreordained, and what happens to a person was also foreknown. It is useless for him to argue with God about his fate because God is more powerful than he is.

It is best to take hold of one warning without letting go of the other warning; for the one who fears God will follow both warnings.

What I have continually sought, I have not found; I have found only one upright man among a thousand, but I have not found one upright woman among all of them.

This alone have I discovered: God made humankind upright, but they have sought many evil schemes.

Do not rush out of the king’s presence in haste – do not delay when the matter is unpleasant, for he can do whatever he pleases.

Not only that, but I have seen the wicked approaching and entering the temple, and as they left the holy temple, they boasted in the city that they had done so. This also is an enigma.

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

But it will not go well with the wicked, nor will they prolong their days like a shadow, because they do not stand in fear before God.

But whoever is among the living has hope; a live dog is better than a dead lion.

What they loved, as well as what they hated and envied, perished long ago, and they no longer have a part in anything that happens on earth.