I sought in my heart to gratify my flesh with wine, while leading my heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, until I might find out what was good for the sons of men to do under the heavens all the days of their life.

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments; for this is for every man.

There are many who say, Who will show us any good? Jehovah, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us.

Jehovah is the portion of my inheritance and of my cup; You shall uphold my lot.

As for me, I will behold Your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with the image of You.

He will choose our inheritance for us, the majesty of Jacob whom He has loved. Selah.

Jehovah is my portion, says my soul; therefore I will hope in Him.

It is good that one should hope for the salvation of Jehovah, even in silence.

O man, He has declared to you what is good. And what does Jehovah require of you, but to do justice, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.

But it shall not be well with the wicked, nor shall he prolong his days, which are like a shadow; because he does not fear before God.

Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, have now perished; nor do they ever any longer have a part in anything that is done under the sun.

For we are strangers and sojourners before You, as were all our fathers; our days on earth are as a shadow, and there is no hope.

for we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days on earth are a shadow.

He comes forth like a flower and is cut off; he flees like a shadow and does not remain.

Behold, You have made my days as a handbreadth, and my age is as nothing before You. Surely every man, even though standing tall, is total vanity. Selah.

Surely every man walks about like a shadow! Surely they are stirred up in vain. He heaps up the produce, and does not know who shall gather it.

Remember the time of life; why have you created the sons of men for vanity?

The days of our years are seventy years; and if by reason of vigor they are eighty years, yet their boast is toil and wickedness; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.

So teach us to number our days, that we may bring about a heart of wisdom.

My days are like a shadow that lengthens, and I am dried up like grass.

I am gone like a shadow when it lengthens; I am shaken off like a locust.

Man is like a breath; his days are like a shadow that vanishes.

whereas you do not know what will be tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.

Therefore I have seen that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion; for who can bring him to see what shall be after him?

For he does not know what shall be; so who can tell him when it shall be?

His sons come to honor, and he does not recognize them; they are diminished, and he does not perceive it.