Ecclesiastes 2
1 I said in my heart, Come now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and behold, this also [is] vanity.
I said in my heart, Come now, I will prove you with mirth, and behold you good: and, behold, this is also vanity.
2 I said of laughter, [It is] mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?
I said to laughter, Madness: and to mirth, Why do you this:
3 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.
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.
4 I made me great works; I built me houses; I planted me vineyards:
I enlarged my work; I built me houses; I planted me vineyards.
5 I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all [kind of] fruits:
I made me gardens and orchards, and planted in them every kind of fruit tree.
6 I made me pools of water, to water with them the wood that bringeth forth trees:
I made me pools of water, to water from them the timber-bearing wood.
7 I procured [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:
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.
8 I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings, and of the provinces: I procured me men-singers and women-singers, and the delights of the sons of men, [as] musical instruments, and of all sorts.
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.
9 So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.
So I became great, and advanced beyond all that were before in Jerusalem: also my wisdom was established to me.
10 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.
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 labour; and this was my portion of all my labour.
11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, 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.
And I looked on all my works which my hands had wrought, and on my labour which I laboured to perform: and behold, all was vanity and waywardness of spirit, and there is no advantage under the sun.
12 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.
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?
13 Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.
And I saw that wisdom excels folly, as much as light excels darkness.
14 The wise man's eyes [are] in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all.
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.
15 Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also [is] vanity.
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.
16 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 dieth the wise [man]? as the fool.
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?
17 Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun [is] grievous to me: for all [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.
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.
18 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.
And I hated the whole of my labour which I took under the sun; because I must leave it to the man who will come after me.
19 And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise [man] or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labor in which I have labored, and in which I have showed myself wise under the sun. This [is] also vanity.
And who knows whether he will be a wise [man] or a fool? and whether he will have power over all my labour in which I laboured, and wherein I grew wise under the sun? this is also vanity.
20 Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labor which I took under the sun.
so I went about to dismiss from my heart all my labour wherein I had laboured under the sun.
21 For there is a man whose labor is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not labored in it, shall he leave it [for] his portion. This also [is] vanity and a great evil.
For there is [such] a man that his labour 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.
22 For what hath man of all his labor, and of the vexation of his heart, in which he hath labored under the sun?
For it happens to a man in all his labour, and in the purpose of his heart wherein he labours under the sun.
23 For all his days [are] sorrows, and his labor grief; yes, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity.
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.
24 [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.
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.
25 For who can eat, or who else can hasten [to it] more than I?
For who shall eat, or who shall drink, without him?
26 For [God] giveth to a man who [is] good in his sight, wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth toil, to gather, and to amass, that he may give to [him that is] good before God. This also [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.
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.
