¹⁷ And I give my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I have known that even this `is' vexation of spirit;

³ I have sought in my heart to draw out with wine my appetite, (and my heart leading in wisdom), and to take hold on folly till that I see where `is' this -- the good to the sons of man of that which they do under the heavens, the number of the days of their lives.

¹⁰ And all that mine eyes asked I kept not back from them; I withheld not my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced because of all my labour, and this hath been my portion, from all my labour,

¹¹ and I have looked on all my works that my hands have done, and on the labour that I have laboured to do, and lo, the whole `is' vanity and vexation of spirit, and there is no advantage under the sun!

¹² And I turned to see wisdom, and madness, and folly, but what `is' the man who cometh after the king? that which `is' already -- they have done it!

²¹ all things prove; that which is good hold fast;

¹³ And I have given my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that hath been done under the heavens. It `is' a sad travail God hath given to the sons of man to be humbled by it.

¹⁴ I have seen all the works that have been done under the sun, and lo, the whole `is' vanity and vexation of spirit!

²³ All this I have tried by wisdom; I have said, `I am wise,' and it `is' far from me.

²⁴ Far off `is' that which hath been, and deep, deep, who doth find it?

²⁵ I have turned round, also my heart, to know and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and reason, and to know the wrong of folly, and of foolishness the madness.