Ecclesiastes 2
1 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.
I said in my heart: 'Come now, I will try thee with mirth, and enjoy pleasure'; and, behold, this also was vanity.
2 Of laughter I said, It maketh one mad: and of joy, What doth this do?
I said of laughter: 'It is mad'; and of mirth: 'What doth it accomplish?'
3 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.
I searched in my heart how to pamper my flesh with wine, and, my heart conducting itself with wisdom, how yet to lay hold on folly, till I might see which it was best for the sons of men that they should do under the heaven the few days of their life.
4 I made great works: I built myself houses; I planted myself vineyards;
I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards;
5 I made myself gardens and orchards, and I planted therein trees of all kinds of fruit;
I made me gardens and parks, and I planted trees in them of all kinds of fruit;
6 I made myself pools of water, to water therewith the forest overgrown with trees;
I made me pools of water, to water therefrom the wood springing up with trees;
7 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.
I acquired men-servants and maid-servants, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all that were before me in Jerusalem;
8 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.
I gathered me also silver and gold, and treasure such as kings and the provinces have as their own; I got me men-singers and women-singers, and the delights of the sons of men, women very many.
9 So was I great, and obtained more than all that had been before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.
So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem; also my wisdom stood me in stead.
10 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.
And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them; I withheld not my heart from any joy, for my heart had joy of all my labour; and this was my portion from all my labour.
11 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.
Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do; and, behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.
12 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.
And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness and folly; for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.
13 But I saw indeed that wisdom hath the advantage over folly, as great as the advantage of light over darkness.
Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.
14 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.
The wise man, his eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness. And I also perceived that one event happeneth to them all.
15 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.
Then said I in my heart: 'As it happeneth to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise?' Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity.
16 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!
For of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no remembrance for ever; seeing that in the days to come all will long ago have been forgotten. And how must the wise man die even as the fool!
17 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.
So I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun was grievous unto me; for all is vanity and a striving after wind.
18 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.
And I hated all my labour wherein I laboured under the sun, seeing that I must leave it unto the man that shall be after me.
19 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.
And who knoweth whether he will be a wise man or a fool? yet will he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.
20 Therefore I turned about to cause my heart to give up thinking of all the toil wherewith I had toiled under the sun.
Therefore I turned about to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labour wherein I had laboured under the sun.
21 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.
For there is a man whose labour is with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skill; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.
22 For what doth a man obtain of all his toil, and of the torture of his heart, wherewith he toileth under the sun?
For what hath a man of all his labour, and of the striving of his heart, wherein he laboureth under the sun?
23 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.
For all his days are pains, and his occupation vexation; yea, even in the night his heart taketh not rest. This also is vanity.
24 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.
There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy pleasure for his labour. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God.
25 For who can well eat, or who can enjoy earthly things more than I?
For who will eat, or who will enjoy, if not I?
26 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.
For to the man that is good in His sight He giveth wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner He giveth the task, to gather and to heap up, that he may leave to him that is good in the sight of God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
