<t /><p class="poetry">So I reflected on all this,<n id="1" /> attempting to clear<n id="2" /> it all up.p> <p class="poetry">I concluded that<n id="3" /> the righteous and the wise, as well as their works, are in the hand of God;p> <p class="poetry">whether a person will be loved or hated<n id="4" /> &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">no one knows what lies ahead.<n id="5" />p>

<t /><p class="poetry">For everything<n id="1" /> there is an appointed time,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">and an appropriate time<n id="3" /> for every activity<n id="4" /> on earth:<n id="5" />p>

<t /><p class="poetry">Two people are better than one,p> <p class="poetry">because they can reap<n id="1" /> more benefit<n id="2" /> from their labor.p>

<p class="poetry">The produce of the land is seized<n id="1" /> by all of them,p> <p class="poetry">even the king is served<n id="2" /> by the fields.<n id="3" />p>

<t /><p class="poetry">Woe to you, O land, when your king is childish,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">and your princes feast in the morning!p>

<p class="poetry">If the snake should bite before it is charmed,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">the snake charmer<n id="2" /> is in trouble.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">This is another misfortune:<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Just as he came, so will he go.p> <p class="poetry">What did he gain from toiling for the wind?p>

<p class="poetry">Better is one handful with some restp> <p class="poetry">than two hands full of toil<n id="1" /> and chasing the wind.p>

<p class="poetry">For<n id="1" /> there is not one truly<n id="2" /> righteous person on the earthp> <p class="poetry">who continually does good and never sins.p>

<p class="poetry">Feasts<n id="1" /> are made<n id="2" /> for laughter,p> <p class="poetry">and wine makes life merry,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">but money is the answer<n id="4" /> for everything.p>

<p class="poetry">For wisdom provides<n id="1" /> protection,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">just as<n id="3" /> money provides protection.<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">But the advantage of knowledge is this:p> <p class="poetry">Wisdom preserves the life<n id="5" /> of its owner.p>

<t /><p class="poetry">Then I considered<n id="1" /> all the skillful work<n id="2" /> that is done:p> <p class="poetry">Surely it is nothing more than<n id="3" /> competition<n id="4" /> between one person and another.<n id="5" />p> <p class="poetry">This also is profitless &#8211; like<n id="6" /> chasing the wind.p>

<p class="poetry">The sleep of the laborer is pleasant &#8211; whether he eats little or much &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">but the wealth of the rich will not allow him to sleep.p>

<p class="poetry">It is better to be content with<n id="1" /> what the eyes can see<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">than for one&#8217;s heart always to crave more.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">This continual longing<n id="4" /> is futile &#8211; like<n id="5" /> chasing the wind.p>

<p class="poetry">While applying<n id="1" /> my mind<n id="2" /> to everything<n id="3" /> that happens in this world,<n id="4" /> I have seen all this:p> <p class="poetry">Sometimes one person<n id="5" /> dominates<n id="6" /> other people<n id="7" /> to their harm.<n id="8" />p>

<p class="poetry">I reflected on everything that is accomplished by man<n id="1" /> on earth,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">and I concluded: Everything<n id="3" /> he has accomplished<n id="4" /> is futile<n id="5" /> &#8211; like chasing the wind!<n id="6" />p>

<p class="poetry">Sorrow<n id="1" /> is better than laughter,p> <p class="poetry">because sober reflection<n id="2" /> is good for the heart.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">Surely the king&#8217;s authority<n id="1" /> is absolute;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">no one can say<n id="3" /> to him, &#8220;What are you doing?&#8221;p>

<p class="poetry">Divide your merchandise<n id="1" /> among seven or even eight<n id="2" /> investments,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">for you do not know<n id="4" /> what calamity<n id="5" /> may happen on earth.p>

<t /><p class="poetry">What benefit<n id="1" /> do people<n id="2" /> get from all the effortp> <p class="poetry">which<n id="3" /> they expend<n id="4" /> on earth?<n id="5" />p>