I said 1to myself
, "Come
now
, I will test
you with apleasure
. So 2enjoy
yourself." And behold
, it too
was futility
.
aI said of laughter
, "It is madness
," and of pleasure
, "What
does it accomplish
?"
I explored with my 1mind
how to astimulate
my body
with wine
while my 1mind
was guiding
me wisely
, and how to take
hold
of bfolly
, until
I could see
cwhat
good
there is for the sons
of men
2to do
under
heaven
the few
3years
of their lives
.
I enlarged my works
: I abuilt
houses
for myself, I planted
bvineyards
for myself;
I made agardens
and bparks
for myself and I planted
in them all
kinds of fruit
trees
;
I made aponds
of water
for myself from which to irrigate
a forest
of growing
trees
.
I bought male
and female
slaves
and I had
1 ahomeborn
slaves
. Also
I possessed flocks
and bherds
larger
than
all
who
preceded
me in Jerusalem
.
Also, I collected
for myself silver
and agold
and the treasure
of kings
and provinces
. I provided
for myself bmale and female singers
and the pleasures
of men
--many
concubines
.
Then I became agreat
and increased
more
than
all
who
preceded
me in Jerusalem
. My wisdom
also
stood
by me.
aAll that my eyes
desired
I did not refuse
them. I did not withhold
my heart
from any
pleasure
, for my heart
was pleased
because
of all
my labor
and this
was my breward
for all
my labor
.
Thus I considered all
my activities
which
my hands
had done
and the labor
which
I had 1exerted
, and behold
all
was 2 avanity
and striving
after wind
and there
was bno
profit
under
the sun
.
So I turned to aconsider
wisdom
, madness
and folly
; for what
will the man
do who
will come
after
the king
except bwhat
has already
been done
?
And I saw that awisdom
excels
folly
as light
excels
darkness
.
The wise man's
eyes
are in his head
, but the afool
walks
in darkness
. And yet
I know
that bone
fate
befalls
them both
.
Then I said 1to myself
, " aAs is the fate
of the fool
, it will also
befall
me. bWhy
then
have I been
extremely
wise
?" So 2I said
to myself
, "This
too
is vanity
."
For there is ano
1lasting
remembrance
of the wise
man
as with the fool
, inasmuch
as in the coming
days
all
will be forgotten
. And bhow
the wise
man
and the fool
alike
die
!
So I ahated life
, for the work
which
had been done
under
the sun
was 1grievous
to me; because
everything
is futility
and striving
after wind
.
Thus I hated aall
the fruit
of my labor
for which
I had labored
under
the sun
, for I must bleave
it to the man
who
will come
after
me.
And who knows
whether he will be a wise
man
or
aa fool
? Yet he will have 1control
over
all
the fruit
of my labor
for which
I have labored
by acting
wisely
under
the sun
. This
too
is bvanity
.
Therefore I 1completely despaired
of all
the fruit
of my labor
for which
I had labored
under
the sun
.
When there
is a man
who
has labored
with wisdom
, knowledge
and askill
, then he bgives
his 1legacy
to one
who
has not labored
with them. This
too
is vanity
and a great
evil
.
For what does a man
get
in aall
his labor
and in 1his striving
with which
he labors
under
the sun
?
Because all
his days
his task
is painful
and agrievous
; even
at night
his 1mind
bdoes not rest
. This
too
is vanity
.
There is anothing
better
for a man
than to eat
and drink
and 1tell
himself
that his labor
is good
. This
also
I have seen
that it is bfrom the hand
of God
.
For who can eat
and who
can have
enjoyment
without
1Him?
For to a person who
is good
in His sight
aHe has given
wisdom
and knowledge
and joy
, while to the sinner
He has given
the task
of gathering
and collecting
so that he may bgive
to one
who
is good
in God's
sight
. This
too
is cvanity
and striving
after wind
.