Ecclesiastes 2
1 I said in my heart, Come now, I will prove you with mirth, and behold you good: and, behold, this is also vanity.
I said in my heart: “I will go forth and overflow with delights, and I will enjoy good things.” And I saw that this, too, is emptiness.
2 I said to laughter, Madness: and to mirth, Why do you this:
Laughter, I considered an error. And to rejoicing, I said: “Why are you being deceived, to no purpose?”
3 And I examined whether my heart would excite my flesh as [with] wine, (though my heart guided [me] in wisdom, ) and [I desired] to lay hold of mirth, until I should see of what kind is the good to the sons of men, which they should do under the sun all the days of their life.
I decided in my heart to withdraw my flesh from wine, so that I might bring my mind to wisdom, and turn away from foolishness, until I see what is useful for the sons of men, and what they ought to do under the sun, during the number of the days of their life.
4 I enlarged my work; I built me houses; I planted me vineyards.
I magnified my works. I built houses for myself, and I planted vineyards.
5 I made me gardens and orchards, and planted in them every kind of fruit tree.
I made gardens and orchards. And I planted them with trees of every kind.
6 I made me pools of water, to water from them the timber-bearing wood.
And I dug out fishponds of water, so that I might irrigate the forest of growing trees.
7 I got servants and maidens, and servants were born to me in the house: also I had abundant possession of flocks and herds, beyond all who were before me in Jerusalem.
I obtained men and women servants, and I had a great family, as well as herds of cattle and great flocks of sheep, beyond all who were before me in Jerusalem.
8 Moreover I collected for myself both silver and gold also, and the peculiar treasures of kings and provinces: I procured me singing men and singing women, and delights of the sons of men, a butler and female cupbearers.
I amassed for myself silver and gold, and the wealth of kings and governors. I chose men and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, bowls and pitchers for the purpose of pouring wine.
9 So I became great, and advanced beyond all that were before in Jerusalem: also my wisdom was established to me.
And I surpassed in opulence all who were before me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also persevered with me.
10 And whatever mine eyes desired, I withheld not from them, I withheld not my heart from all my mirth: for my heart rejoiced in all my labor; and this was my portion of all my labor.
And all that my eyes desired, I did not refuse them. Neither did I prohibit my heart from enjoying every pleasure, and from amusing itself in the things that I had prepared. And I regarded this as my share, as if I were making use of my own labors.
11 And I looked on all my works which my hands had wrought, and on my labor which I laboured to perform: and behold, all was vanity and waywardness of spirit, and there is no advantage under the sun.
But when I turned myself toward all the works that my hands had made, and to the labors in which I had perspired to no purpose, I saw emptiness and affliction of the soul in all things, and that nothing is permanent under the sun.
12 Then I looked on to see wisdom, and madness, and folly: for who is the man who will follow after counsel, in all things where in he employs it?
I continued on, so as to contemplate wisdom, as well as error and foolishness. “What is man,” I said, “that he would be able to follow his Maker, the King?”
13 And I saw that wisdom excels folly, as much as light excels darkness.
And I saw that wisdom surpasses foolishness, so much so that they differ as much as light from darkness.
14 The wise man's eyes are in his head; but the fool walks in darkness: and I perceived, even I, that one event shall happen to them all.
The eyes of a wise man are in his head. A foolish man walks in darkness. Yet I learned that one would pass away like the other.
15 And I said in my heart, As the event of the fool is, so shall it be to me, even to me: and to what purpose have I gained wisdom? I said moreover in my heart, This is also vanity, because the fool speaks of his abundance.
And I said in my heart: “If the death of both the foolish and myself will be one, how does it benefit me, if I have given myself more thoroughly to the work of wisdom?” And as I was speaking within my own mind, I perceived that this, too, is emptiness.
16 For there is no remembrance of the wise man with the fool for ever; forasmuch as now [in] the coming days all things are forgotten: and how shall the wise man die with the fool?
For there will not be a remembrance in perpetuity of the wise, nor of the foolish. And the future times will cover everything together, with oblivion. The learned die in a manner similar to the unlearned.
17 So I hated life; because the work that was wrought under the sun was evil before me: for all is vanity and waywardness of spirit.
And, because of this, my life wearied me, since I saw that everything under the sun is evil, and everything is empty and an affliction of the spirit.
18 And I hated the whole of my labor which I took under the sun; because I must leave it to the man who will come after me.
Again, I detested all my efforts, by which I had earnestly labored under the sun, to be taken up by an heir after me,
19 And who knows whether he will be a wise [man] or a fool? and whether he will have power over all my labor in which I laboured, and wherein I grew wise under the sun? this is also vanity.
though I know not whether he will be wise or foolish. And yet he will have power over my labors, in which I have toiled and been anxious. And is there anything else so empty?
20 so I went about to dismiss from my heart all my labor wherein I had laboured under the sun.
Therefore, I ceased, and my heart renounced further laboring under the sun.
21 For there is [such] a man that his labor is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in fortitude; [yet] this man shall give his portion to one who has not laboured therein. This is also vanity and great evil.
For when someone labors in wisdom, and doctrine, and prudence, he leaves behind what he has obtained to one who is idle. So this, too, is emptiness and a great burden.
22 For it happens to a man in all his labor, and in the purpose of his heart wherein he labors under the sun.
For how can a man benefit from all his labor and affliction of spirit, by which he has been tormented under the sun?
23 For all his days [are days] of sorrows, and vexation of spirit is his; in the night also his heart rests not. This is also vanity.
All his days have been filled with sorrows and hardships; neither does he rest his mind, even in the night. And is this not emptiness?
24 A man has nothing [really] good to eat, and to drink, and to show his soul [as] good in his trouble. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God.
Is it not better to eat and drink, and to show his soul the good things of his labors? And this is from the hand of God.
25 For who shall eat, or who shall drink, without him?
So who will feast and overflow with delights as much as I have?
26 For [God] has given to the man who is good in his sight, wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but he has given to the sinner trouble, to add and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God; for this is also vanity and waywardness of spirit.
God has given, to the man who is good in his sight, wisdom, and knowledge, and rejoicing. But to the sinner, he has given affliction and needless worrying, so as to add, and to gather, and to deliver, to him who has pleased God. But this, too, is emptiness and a hollow worrying of the mind.
