I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
Then I turned my thoughts to consider wisdom, and also madness and folly. What more can the king's successor do than what has already been done?
Man's fate is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath [ 3:19 Or [ spirit ] ] ; man has no advantage over the animal. Everything is meaningless.
In this meaningless life of mine I have seen both of these: a righteous man perishing in his righteousness, and a wicked man living long in his wickedness.
Now all has been heard;
here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the whole duty of man.
For the full description read Ecclesiastes.
