I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life.

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

There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.

The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.

As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.

He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom he loved. Selah.

The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.

He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.

Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.

For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding.

(For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow:)

He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.

Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah.

Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.

Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain?

The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass.

I am gone like the shadow when it declineth: I am tossed up and down as the locust.

Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away.

Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?

For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be?

His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.