<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">I have observed the burdenp> <p class="poetry">that God has given to people<n id="1" /> to keep them occupied.p>

<t /><p class="poetry">I saw something else on earth:<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">In the place of justice, there was wickedness,p> <p class="poetry">and in the place of fairness,<n id="2" /> there was wickedness.p>

<t /><p class="poetry">Here is<n id="1" /> a misfortune<n id="2" /> on earth<n id="3" /> that I have seen:p> <p class="poetry">Wealth hoarded by its owner to his own misery.p>

<t /><p class="poetry">Here is<n id="1" /> another misfortune<n id="2" /> that I have seen on earth,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">and it weighs<n id="4" /> heavily on people:<n id="5" />p>

<t /><p class="poetry">This is what I also observed about wisdom on earth,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">and it is a great burden<n id="2" /> to me:p>

<p class="poetry">I have seen another<n id="1" /> misfortune<n id="2" /> on the earth:<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">It is an error a ruler makes.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">I have seen slaves<n id="1" /> on horsebackp> <p class="poetry">and princes walking on foot<n id="2" /> like slaves.p>

<t /><p class="poetry">There is nothing better for<n id="1" /> people<n id="2" /> than<n id="3" /> to eat and drink,p> <p class="poetry">and to find enjoyment<n id="4" /> in their<n id="5" /> work.p> <p class="poetry">I also perceived that this ability to find enjoyment<n id="6" /> comes from God.<n id="7" />p>

<p class="poetry">I considered all the living who walk on earth,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">as well as the successor<n id="2" /> who would arise<n id="3" /> in his place.p>

<t /><p class="poetry">During the days of my fleeting life<n id="1" /> I have seen both<n id="2" /> of these things:p> <p class="poetry">Sometimes<n id="3" /> a righteous person dies prematurely<n id="4" /> in spite of<n id="5" /> his righteousness,p> <p class="poetry">and sometimes<n id="6" /> a wicked person lives long<n id="7" /> in spite of his evil deeds.p>

<t /><p class="poetry">Not only that,<n id="1" /> but I have seen the wicked approaching<n id="2" /> and entering the temple,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">and as they left the holy temple,<n id="4" /> theyp> <p class="poetry">boasted<n id="5" /> in the city that they had done so.p> <p class="poetry">This also is an enigma.<n id="6" />p>

<t /><p class="poetry">I have seen personally what is the only beneficial and appropriate course of action for people:<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">to eat and drink,<n id="2" /> and find enjoyment in all their<n id="3" /> hard work<n id="4" /> on earth<n id="5" />p> <p class="poetry">during the few days of their life which God has given them,p> <p class="poetry">for this is their reward.<n id="6" />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>