Ecclesiastes 2
1 I said in my heart, I will give you joy for a test; so take your pleasure — but it was to no purpose.
I said in my heart, Go to now, I will prove you with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.
2 Of laughing I said, It is foolish; and of joy — What use is it?
I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What does it?
3 I made a search with my heart to give pleasure to my flesh with wine, still guiding my heart with wisdom, and to go after foolish things, so that I might see what was good for the sons of men to do under the heavens all the days of their life.
I sought in my heart to give myself to wine, yet acquainting my 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 undertook great works, building myself houses and planting vine-gardens.
I made me great works; I built me houses; I planted me vineyards:
5 I made myself gardens and fruit gardens, planting in them fruit-trees of all sorts.
I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits:
6 I made pools to give water for the woods with their young trees.
I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that brings forth trees:
7 I got men-servants and women-servants, and they gave birth to sons and daughters in my house. I had great wealth of herds and flocks, more than all who were in Jerusalem before me.
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 got together silver and gold and the wealth of kings and of countries. I got makers of song, male and female; and the delights of the sons of men — girls of all sorts to be my brides.
I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I got me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts.
9 And I became great; increasing more than all who had been before me in Jerusalem, and my wisdom was still with me.
So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.
10 And nothing which was desired by my eyes did I keep from them; I did not keep any joy from my heart, because my heart took pleasure in all my work, and this was my reward.
And whatever my eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labor: and this was my portion of all my labor.
11 Then I saw all the works which my hands had made, and everything I had been working to do; and I saw that all was to no purpose and desire for wind, and there was no profit under the sun.
Then I looked on all the works that my hands had worked, and on the labor that I had labored to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.
12 And I went again in search of wisdom and of foolish ways. What may the man do who comes after the king? The thing which he has done before.
And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that comes after the king? even that which has been already done.
13 Then I saw that wisdom is better than foolish ways — as the light is better than the dark.
Then I saw that wisdom excels folly, as far as light excels darkness.
14 The wise man's eyes are in his head, but the foolish man goes walking in the dark; but still I saw that the same event comes to them all.
The wise man’s eyes are in his head; but the fool walks in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happens to them all.
15 Then said I in my heart: As it comes to the foolish man, so will it come to me; so why have I been wise overmuch? Then I said in my heart: This again is to no purpose.
Then said I in my heart, As it happens to the fool, so it happens even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity.
16 Of the wise man, as of the foolish man, there is no memory for ever, seeing that those who now are will have gone from memory in the days to come. See how death comes to the wise as to the foolish!
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 dies the wise man? as the fool.
17 So I was hating life, because everything under the sun was evil to me: all is to no purpose and desire for wind.
Therefore I hated life; because the work that is worked under the sun is grievous to me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
18 Hate had I for all my work which I had done, because the man who comes after me will have its fruits.
Yes, I hated all my labor which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it to the man that shall be after me.
19 And who is to say if that man will be wise or foolish? But he will have power over all my work which I have done and in which I have been wise under the sun. This again is to no purpose.
And who knows whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labor wherein I have labored, and wherein I have showed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity.
20 So my mind was turned to grief for all the trouble I had taken and all my wisdom under the sun.
Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labor which I took under the sun.
21 Because there is a man whose work has been done with wisdom, with knowledge, and with an expert hand; but one who has done nothing for it will have it for his heritage. This again is to no purpose and a great evil.
For there is a man whose labor is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that has not labored therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.
22 What does a man get for all his work, and for the weight of care with which he has done his work under the sun?
For what has man of all his labor, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he has labored under the sun?
23 All his days are sorrow, and his work is full of grief. Even in the night his heart has no rest. This again is to no purpose.
For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yes, his heart takes not rest in the night. This is also vanity.
24 There is nothing better for a man than taking meat and drink, and having delight in his work. This again I saw was from the hand of God.
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 labor. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.
25 Who may take food or have pleasure without him?
For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I?
26 To the man with whom he is pleased, God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy; but to the sinner he gives the work of getting goods together and storing up wealth, to give to him in whom God has pleasure. This again is to no purpose and desire for wind.
For God gives to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he gives 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.
