2
1 I said
in my heart, “Come
now, I will
test you with
mirth; therefore
enjoy pleasure;”
and behold, this
also was vanity.
2 I said
of laughter, “It
is foolishness;” and
of mirth, “What
does it
accomplish?”
3 I
searched in my
heart how to cheer
my flesh with
wine, my heart
yet guiding me
with wisdom, and
how to lay
hold of folly,
until I might
see what it
was good for
the sons of
men that they
should do under
heaven all the
days of their
lives.
4 I
made myself great
works. I
built myself houses.
I planted myself
vineyards.
5 I
made myself gardens
and parks, and
I planted trees
in them of
all kinds of
fruit.
6 I
made myself pools
of water, to
water the forest
where trees were
grown.
7 I
bought male
servants and
female servants,
and had servants
born in my
house. I also
had great
possessions of
herds and flocks,
above all who
were before me
in Jerusalem.
8 I
also gathered
silver and gold
for myself, and
the treasure of
kings and of
the provinces.
I got myself male
and female singers,
and the delights
of the sons
of men: musical
instruments of
all sorts.
9 So
I was great,
and increased more
than all who
were before me
in Jerusalem. My
wisdom also
remained with me.
10 Whatever
my eyes desired,
I didn’t keep from
them. I didn’t
withhold my heart
from any joy,
for my heart
rejoiced because
of all my
labor, and this
was my portion
from all my
labor.
11 Then
I looked at
all the works
that my hands
had worked, and
at the labor
that I had
labored to do;
and behold, all
was vanity and
a chasing after
wind, and there
was no profit
under the sun.
12 I
turned myself to
consider wisdom,
madness, and folly;
for what can
the king’s successor
do? Just that
which has been
done long ago.
13 Then
I saw that
wisdom excels
folly, as far
as light excels
darkness.
14 The
wise man’s eyes
are in his
head, and the
fool walks in
darkness—and yet
I perceived that
one event happens
to them all.
15 Then
I said in
my heart, “As
it happens to
the fool, so
will it happen
even to me;
and why was
I then more
wise?” Then I
said in my
heart that this
also is vanity.
16 For
of the wise
man, even as
of the fool,
there is no memory
forever, since in
the days to come
all will have
been long
forgotten. Indeed,
the wise man
must die just
like the fool!
17 So
I hated life,
because the work
that is worked
under the sun
was grievous to
me; for all
is vanity and
a chasing after
wind.
18 I
hated all my
labor in which
I labored under
the sun, because
I must leave it
to the man
who comes after
me.
19 Who
knows whether he
will be a
wise man or
a fool? Yet
he will have
rule over all
of my labor
in which I
have labored, and
in which I
have shown myself
wise under the
sun. This also
is vanity.
20 Therefore
I began to cause
my heart to
despair concerning
all the labor
in which I
had labored under
the sun.
21 For
there is a
man whose labor is
with wisdom, with
knowledge, and
with skillfulness; yet
he shall leave
it for his
portion to a
man who has
not labored for
it. This also
is vanity and
a great evil.
22 For
what does a
man have of
all his labor
and of the
striving of his
heart, in which
he labors under
the sun?
23 For
all his days
are sorrows, and
his travail is
grief; yes, even
in the night
his heart takes no
rest. This also
is vanity.
24 There
is nothing better
for a man
than that he
should eat and
drink, and make
his soul enjoy
good in his
labor. This also
I saw, that
it is from
the hand of
God.
25 For
who can eat, or
who can have
enjoyment, more
than I?
26 For
to the man
who pleases him,
God gives wisdom,
knowledge, and joy;
but to the
sinner he gives
travail, to gather
and to heap
up, that he
may give to
him who pleases
God. This also
is vanity and
a chasing after
wind.