Ecclesiastes 2
1 So then I thought to myself, “Alright, let me examine pleasure and see how good that is.” But this too turned out to be something temporary that passes.
Come, then, I said in my heart, I will have a taste of joy, and thou shalt see what is good; but, behold, this also was vanity.
2 I conclude that laughing your way through life is stupid, and pleasure—what use is that?
Of laughter I said, It maketh one mad: and of joy, What doth this do?
3 Then I used my mind to examine the attraction of wine to my body. My mind still guiding me with wisdom, I took it until I acted like a fool, so that I might see whether this was good for people to do during their time here.
I resolved in my heart to indulge my body with wine, while my heart guideth itself with wisdom; and to lay fast hold on folly, till I might see what it is that is good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heavens during the number of the days of their life.
4 Then I tried great construction projects. I built houses for myself; I planted vineyards for myself.
I made great works: I built myself houses; I planted myself vineyards;
5 I made for myself gardens and parks, planting them with all kinds of fruit trees.
I made myself gardens and orchards, and I planted therein trees of all kinds of fruit;
6 I constructed for myself reservoirs to water all these growing trees.
I made myself pools of water, to water therewith the forest overgrown with trees;
7 I bought male and female slaves, and their children also belonged to me. I also owned many herds and flocks, more than anyone in Jerusalem before me.
I bought men-servants and maid-servants, and I had likewise those born in my house; I had also great possessions of cattle and flocks above all that had been before me in Jerusalem.
8 I collected for myself great quantities of silver and gold, paid to me as tribute by kings and provinces. I brought in for myself male and female singers, and enjoyed many concubines—all a man could want!
I gathered unto myself also silver and gold, and the choice treasures of kings and of the provinces: I procured myself male singers and female singers, and the delights of the sons of men, wagons and chariots.
9 I became great—greater than anyone in Jerusalem before me. All the while my wisdom stayed with me.
So was I great, and obtained more than all that had been before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.
10 I didn't stop myself trying anything I wanted. Whatever I felt like enjoying, I did. I even enjoyed everything I had accomplished, a reward for all my work.
And whatsoever my eyes desired I refused them not; I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart was rejoiced with all my toil, and this was my portion of all my toil.
11 But when I thought about what I had worked so hard to achieve, everything I'd done, it was so short-lived—as significant as someone trying to catch the wind. There really is no enduring benefit here on earth.
But when I turned myself [to look] on all my works that my hands had wrought, and on the toil that I had toiled to accomplish: then, behold, all was vanity and a torture of the spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.
12 So I started to think about wisdom—and madness and foolishness. For what can anyone who comes after the king do that hasn't already been done?
And then I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly; for what [can] the man [do] that cometh after the king? [only] that which [others] have done already.
13 I recognized that wisdom is better than foolishness just as light is better than darkness.
But I saw indeed that wisdom hath the advantage over folly, as great as the advantage of light over darkness.
14 The wise see where they're going, but fools walk in darkness. But I also realized that they all come to the same end.
The wise man hath his eyes in his head, while the fool walketh in darkness; but I myself perceived then also that one occurrence will befall all of them.
15 Then I thought to myself, “If I'm going to end up the same as a fool, what's the point of being so wise?” So I thought to myself, “This is also hard to understand!”
Then said I in my heart, The same that befalleth the fool will also befall even me: and why have I then been wiser? Then spoke I in my heart, that this is also vanity.
16 Nobody remembers the wise or the fool for very long—in the future everything will be forgotten. Whether wise or foolish, they both die.
For there is no recollection of the wise any more than of the fool for ever: seeing that which hath long ago been will, in the days that are coming, all be forgotten. And how doth the wise die equally with the fool!
17 So I ended up feeling disgusted with life because everything that happens here on earth is so distressing. It's so incomprehensible, like trying to control the wind.
Therefore I hated life; because I felt displeased with the work that is wrought under the sun; for all is vanity and a torture of the spirit.
18 I even ended up hating what I had achieved here on earth because I have to hand it over to whoever comes after me.
Yea, I hated also all my toil with which I had toiled under the sun; because I should have to leave it unto the man that will be after me.
19 And who knows whether he will be wise or foolish? Yet he will rule over everything I accomplished through my wisdom here on earth. This is just so frustrating, so hard to understand!
And who knoweth, whether he will be a wise man or a fool? yet will he have full sway over all my toil wherein I have toiled, and wherein I have shown myself wise under the sun. Also this is vanity.
20 I decided to give up, my mind in despair over the significance of all my life's achievements.
Therefore I turned about to cause my heart to give up thinking of all the toil wherewith I had toiled under the sun.
21 For you can work wisely, knowledgably, and with skill—and who benefits? Someone who hasn't worked for it! This is both frustrating and totally unjust!
For there is many a man whose toil is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and with energy; yet to a man that hath not toiled therefore must he give it as his portion. Also this is vanity and a great evil.
22 What do you get here on earth for all your hard work and worry?
For what doth a man obtain of all his toil, and of the torture of his heart, wherewith he toileth under the sun?
23 Your working life is full of trouble and strife—even at night your thoughts keep you awake. This is tough to comprehend!
For all his days are full of pains, and vexation is [mingled with] his employment: yea, even in the night his heart taketh not rest. Also this is vanity.
24 So what's the best thing to do? Eat, drink, and enjoy your work, recognizing as I did that these things are given to us by God,
It is not a good thing [inherent] in man that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy happiness for his toil. Also this have I seen, that it cometh out of the hand of God.
25 for who can eat or enjoy life apart from him?
For who can well eat, or who can enjoy earthly things more than I?
26 To those who are good, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy. But to the sinner God gives the task of gathering and collecting wealth, only to hand it over to someone who pleases God. This also shows how fleeting life is, and hard to understand—like trying to understand how the wind blows.
For to a man who is good in his presence [God] giveth wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he giveth employment, to gather up and to bring together, that he may give it to him that is good before God. Also this is vanity and a torture of the spirit.
