Study Desk

He will drink and forget his poverty, and his misery he will not remember any more.

Her husband is known at the gates, in his seat among the elders of the land.

What does a person gain in all his toil with which he toils under the sun?

For although a person may toil with great wisdom and skill, he must leave his reward to someone who has not toiled for it. This also is vanity and a great calamity.

For what does a person receive for all his toil and in the longing of his heart with which he toils under the sun?

All his days are painful, his labor brings grief, and his heart cannot rest at night. This also is vanity!

There is nothing better for a person than to eat and drink and find delight in his toil. For I also realized that this is from the hand of God!

For to the person who is good in his eyes, he gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and heaping up only to give it to him who is pleasing to him. This also is vanity and chasing wind!

What does the worker gain in his toil?

And for anyone to eat and drink, that is, to enjoy the fruit of all his toil, this also is a gift of God.

So I concluded that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy the fruit of his labor, for this is his lot in life. For no one knows what will happen in the future.

The fool refuses to work with his hands, so he has nothing to eat except his own skin!

Sometimes a man is all alone with no companion; he also has neither son nor brother. Yet there is no end to all his toil, and his eye is not satisfied with wealth. He laments, "For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?" This also is vanity—it is an unhappy business!

For if one falls, his companion may help him up. But pity the one who falls and there is no one to help him up.

For he came out of the prison house to reign, since he was born poor in his kingdom.

I saw all the living who move about under the sun with the youth; the second who will stand in his place.

When prosperity increases, those who consume it increase. So its owner gains nothing, except to see his wealth before it is spent.

There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: wealth hoarded by its owner to his harm.

Just as he came from his mother's womb naked, he will depart just as he came; he will take nothing with him for his toil.

This also is a grievous illness. Exactly as he came, so he will go. What profit does he gain for all his toil for the wind?