Ecclesiastes 2

1 I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy what is good!” But it proved to be futile.

2 I said of laughter, “It is folly,” and of pleasure, “What does it accomplish?”

3 I sought to cheer my body with wine and to embrace folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom—until I could see what was worthwhile for men to do under heaven during the few days of their lives.

4 I expanded my pursuits. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself.

5 I made gardens and parks for myself, where I planted all kinds of fruit trees.

6 I built reservoirs to water my groves of flourishing trees.

7 I acquired menservants and maidservants, and servants were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me,

8 and I accumulated for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I gathered to myself male and female singers, and the delights of the sons of men—many concubines.

9 So I became great and surpassed all in Jerusalem who had preceded me; and my wisdom remained with me.

10 Anything my eyes desired, I did not deny myself. I refused my heart no pleasure. For my heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor.

11 Yet when I considered all the works that my hands had accomplished and what I had toiled to achieve, I found everything to be futile, a pursuit of the wind; there was nothing to be gained under the sun.

12 Then I turned to consider wisdom and madness and folly; for what more can the king’s successor do than what has already been accomplished?

13 And I saw that wisdom exceeds folly, just as light exceeds darkness:

14 The wise man has eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also came to realize that one fate overcomes them both.

15 So I said to myself, “The fate of the fool will also befall me. What then have I gained by being wise?” And I said to myself that this too is futile.

16 For there is no lasting remembrance of the wise, just as with the fool, seeing that both will be forgotten in the days to come. Alas, the wise man will die just like the fool!

17 So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. For everything is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

18 I hated all for which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes after me.

19 And who knows whether that man will be wise or foolish? Yet he will take over all the labor at which I have worked skillfully under the sun. This too is futile.

20 So my heart began to despair over all the labor that I had done under the sun.

21 When there is a man who has labored with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, and he must give his portion to a man who has not worked for it, this too is futile and a great evil.

22 For what does a man get for all the toil and striving with which he labors under the sun?

23 Indeed, all his days are filled with grief, and his task is sorrowful; even at night, his mind does not rest. This too is futile.

24 Nothing is better for a man than to eat and drink and enjoy his work. I have also seen that this is from the hand of God.

25 For apart from Him, who can eat and who can find enjoyment?

26 To the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner He assigns the task of gathering and accumulating that which he will hand over to one who pleases God. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

1 ¶ I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also [is] vanity.

2 I said of laughter, [It is] mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?

3 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.

4 I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards:

5 I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all [kind of] fruits:

6 I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees:

7 I got [me] servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me:

8 I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, [as] musical instruments, and that of all sorts.

9 So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.

10 And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.

11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all [was] vanity and vexation of spirit, and [there was] no profit under the sun.

12 ¶ And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what [can] the man [do] that cometh after the king? [even] that which hath been already done.

13 Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.

14 The wise man's eyes [are] in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all.

15 Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also [is] vanity.

16 For [there is] no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now [is] in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise [man]? as the fool.

17 ¶ Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun [is] grievous unto me: for all [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.

18 Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me.

19 And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise [man] or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This [is] also vanity.

20 Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun.

21 For there is a man whose labour [is] in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it [for] his portion. This also [is] vanity and a great evil.

22 For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun?

23 For all his days [are] sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity.

24 [There is] nothing better for a man, [than] that he should eat and drink, and [that] he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it [was] from the hand of God.

25 For who can eat, or who else can hasten [hereunto], more than I?

26 For [God] giveth to a man that [is] good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to [him that is] good before God. This also [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.

1 I said in mine heart, Well, I will live well, and have good days. But, behold, this also was vain.

2 I spoke to the laughter: You are great and to joy: What are you doing?

3 Then thought I in mine heart to draw my body from wine, and to draw my heart unto wisdom, to lay hold on that which is foolishness, until I should learn what is good for men to do, as long as they live under heaven.

4 I did great things; I built houses, I planted vineyards,

5 I made me gardens and pleasure gardens, and planted therein all manner of fruitful trees;

6 I made me pools to water the forest of green trees.

7 I had menservants, and maidservants, and servants; I had a greater substance of oxen and sheep than all that were before me in Jerusalem.

8 I also gathered me silver, and gold, and treasure of kings and of countries. I made me singers, and singers, and the lust of men, and all manner of strings,

9 And increased upon all them that were before me in Jerusalem: wisdom also abode with me.

10 And all things whatsoever mine eyes desired I left them, and withheld no joy from my heart, that it should rejoice in all my labour: and this I counted my portion in all my labour.

11 And when I had considered all my works that my hand had done, and the labour that I had laboured under, behold, it was all vain and pitiful, and there was nothing left under the sun.

12 Then turned I to see wisdom, and prudence, and folly. For who knoweth what manner of man he shall be after the king whom they have made ready?

13 Then I saw that wisdom surpassed folly, as light surpasseth darkness,

14 That the wise man's eyes are in his head, but fools walk in darkness; and yet he perceiveth that one is like another.

15 Then thought I in mine heart, Because the fool is like me, why then have I sought wisdom? Then thought I in mine heart, That these things also are vanity.

16 For the wise man is not remembered for ever, neither is the fool: and the days to come forget all things: and as the wise dieth, so dieth the fool.

17 Wherefore I was displeased to live: for I was displeased with the things that are done under the sun, that they were so vain and troublesome.

18 And all my labour that I had under the sun grieved me, that I should leave the same unto a man that should be after me.

19 For who knoweth whether he shall be wise or foolish? And yet shall reign in all my work, Which I have wisely done under the sun. That also is vain.

20 Therefore I turned, that my heart might depart from all the work that I have done under the sun.

21 For a man that hath wrought his work with wisdom, and understanding, and skill, must leave it for an inheritance to another that hath not wrought it. This also is vain, and a great misfortune.

22 For what shall a man get of all his labour and toil of his heart that he hath under the sun?

23 For all the days of his life he hath sorrow, and grief, and his heart hath not rested at night? This also is vain.

24 Is it not better for a man to eat and drink, and for his soul to be in good health in his work? But these things also have I seen, that they are of the hand of God.

25 For who hath more gladly eaten and rejoiced than I?

26 For to the man that pleaseth him he giveth wisdom, and understanding, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth calamity, that he may gather and heap, and yet be given to him that pleaseth God. Therefore this also is a vain sorrow.