1:8 All this monotony is tiresome; no one can bear to describe it:
The eye is never satisfied with seeing, nor is the ear ever content with hearing.
1:11 No one remembers the former events,
nor will anyone remember the events that are yet to happen;
they will not be remembered by the future generations.
4:3 But better than both is the one who has not been born
and has not seen the evil things that are done on earth.
4:11 Furthermore, if two lie down together, they can keep each other warm,
but how can one person keep warm by himself?
4:12 Although an assailant may overpower one person,
two can withstand him.
Moreover, a three-stranded cord is not quickly broken.
5:10 The one who loves money will never be satisfied with money,
he who loves wealth will never be satisfied with his income.
This also is futile.
8:9 While applying my mind to everything that happens in this world, I have seen all this:
Sometimes one person dominates other people to their harm.
9:15 However, a poor but wise man lived in the city,
and he could have delivered the city by his wisdom,
but no one listened to that poor man.
9:16 So I concluded that wisdom is better than might,
but a poor man’s wisdom is despised; no one ever listens to his advice.
10:1 One dead fly makes the perfumer’s ointment give off a rancid stench,
so a little folly can outweigh much wisdom.
10:14 yet a fool keeps on babbling.
No one knows what will happen;
who can tell him what will happen in the future?
12:11 The words of the sages are like prods,
and the collected sayings are like firmly fixed nails;
they are given by one shepherd.