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.
I said in my heart, “Come, now, I will try thee with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure!” But, lo! this also was vanity.
2 I said of laughter, “It is folly,” and of pleasure, “What does it accomplish?”
I said of laughter, “It is mad;” and of mirth, “What availeth it?”
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.
I thought in my heart to strengthen my body with wine, and, while my heart cleaved to wisdom, to lay hold on folly, till I should see what was good for the sons of men, which they should do under heaven all the days of their life.
4 I expanded my pursuits. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself.
I made me great works. I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards.
5 I made gardens and parks for myself, where I planted all kinds of fruit trees.
I made me gardens and parks, and planted in them fruit-trees of every kind.
6 I built reservoirs to water my groves of flourishing trees.
I made me pools of water, with which to water the grove shooting up 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,
I got me men-servants and maid-servants, and had servants born in my house. I had also great possessions of herds and flocks, more than all who were 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.
I heaped me up also silver and gold, and the wealth of kings and of provinces. I got me men-singers and women-singers, and the delight of the sons of men, a chosen woman and chosen women.
9 So I became great and surpassed all in Jerusalem who had preceded me; and my wisdom remained with me.
So I became greater than all that were before me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also 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.
And whatever mine eyes desired I kept not from them; I withheld not my heart from any joy. For my heart rejoiced by means of all my labor, and this was my portion from 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.
Then I looked upon all the works which my hands had wrought, and upon all the labor which I had toiled in performing; and, behold, it was all vanity, and striving after wind, and there was no profit 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?
Then I turned myself to behold wisdom and senselessness and folly. For what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.
13 And I saw that wisdom exceeds folly, just as light exceeds darkness:
I saw, indeed, that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth 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.
The wise man's eyes are in his head, but the fool walketh in darkness; yet I perceived also that one event happeneth to them all.
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.
Then I said in my heart, “As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth to me. Why, then, became I wiser than others?” Then I said in my heart, “This also is vanity.”
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!
For there is no remembrance of the wise man more than of the fool for ever; for in the days to come shall all have long been forgotten; and, alas! the wise man dieth, as well as 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.
Therefore I hated life, because what is done under the sun appeared evil to me. For all is vanity, and striving after 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.
Yea, I hated all my labor which I had performed under the sun, because I must leave it to the man that shall be 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.
And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? Yet shall he be lord of all the labor with which I have wearied myself, and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.
20 So my heart began to despair over all the labor that I had done under the sun.
Therefore I turned to give up my heart to despair in regard to all the labor with which I had wearied myself 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.
For there is a man whose labor has been with wisdom and knowledge and skill; yet to a man who hath not labored for it must he leave it as his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.
22 For what does a man get for all the toil and striving with which he labors under the sun?
For what hath man of all his labor, and the striving of his spirit, with which he wearieth himself 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.
For all his days are grief, and his occupation trouble; even in the night his heart taketh no rest. This also is vanity.
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.
There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink, and let his soul enjoy good in his labor. But this, as I have seen, cometh from the hand of God.
25 For apart from Him, who can eat and who can find enjoyment?
For who can eat, or hasten thereunto more than I?
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.
For to a man who is good in his sight God giveth wisdom and knowledge and joy; but to the sinner he giveth the wearisome business of gathering and heaping up, to give it to him who is good before God. This also is vanity, and striving after wind.
