before the sun and the light ¹  of the moon and the stars grow dark, and the clouds disappear ²  after the rain;

and also that everyone should eat and drink, and find enjoyment in all his toil, for these things ¹  are a gift from God.

I tried ¹  to understand, examine, and comprehend ²  the role of ³  wisdom in the scheme of things, ⁴  and to understand the stupidity of wickedness ⁵  and the insanity of folly. ⁶ 

I also amassed silver and gold for myself, as well as valuable treasures ¹  taken from kingdoms and provinces. ²  I acquired male singers and female singers for myself, and what gives a man sensual delight ³  – a harem of beautiful concubines! ⁴ 

The wind goes to the south and circles around to the north; round and round ¹  the wind goes and on its rounds it returns. ² 

A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.

A time to rip, and a time to sew; a time to keep silent, and a time to speak.

A time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

Surely, he ate in darkness every day of his life, ¹  and he suffered greatly with sickness and anger.

I designed ¹  royal gardens ²  and parks ³  for myself, and I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them.

Whoever obeys his ¹  command will not experience harm, and a wise person ²  knows the proper time ³  and procedure.

Banish ¹  emotional stress ²  from your mind. ³  and put away pain ⁴  from your body; ⁵  for youth ⁶  and the prime of life ⁷  are fleeting. ⁸ 

A time to be born, ¹  and a time to die; ²  a time to plant, and a time to uproot what was planted;

A time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to search, and a time to give something up as lost; ¹  a time to keep, and a time to throw away;

and they are afraid of heights and the dangers ¹  in the street; the almond blossoms ²  grow white, ³  and the grasshopper ⁴  drags itself along, ⁵  and the caper berry ⁶  shrivels up ⁷  – because man goes to his eternal home, ⁸  and the mourners go about in the streets –

I purchased male and female slaves, and I owned slaves who were born in my house; ¹  I also possessed more livestock – both herds and flocks – than any of my predecessors in Jerusalem. ² 

There was once ¹  a small city with a few men in it, and a mighty king attacked it, besieging ²  it and building strong ³  siege works against it.

when those who keep watch over the house ¹  begin to tremble, ²  and the virile men begin to stoop over, ³  and the grinders ⁴  begin to cease because they grow few, and those who look through the windows grow dim, ⁵