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, “Come, now, I will try thee with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure!” But, lo! this also was 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 availeth 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 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 undertook great works, building myself houses and planting vine-gardens.
I made me great works. I builded 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 parks, and planted in them fruit-trees of every kind.
6 I made pools to give water for the woods with their young trees.
I made me pools of water, with which to water the grove shooting up 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 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 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 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 And I became great; increasing more than all who had been before me in Jerusalem, and my wisdom was still with me.
So I became greater than all that were before me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also 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 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 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 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 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.
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 Then I saw that wisdom is better than foolish ways — as the light is better than the dark.
I saw, indeed, that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth 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 walketh in darkness; yet I perceived also that one event happeneth 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 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 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 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 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 what is done under the sun appeared evil to me. For all is vanity, and striving after wind.
18 Hate had I for all my work which I had done, because the man who comes after me will have its fruits.
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 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 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 mind was turned to grief for all the trouble I had taken and all my wisdom 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 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 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 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 hath man of all his labor, and the striving of his spirit, with which he wearieth himself 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 grief, and his occupation trouble; even in the night his heart taketh no rest. This also is 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 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 Who may take food or have pleasure without him?
For who can eat, or hasten thereunto 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 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.
