I said in mine heart
, Go to now
, I will prove
thee with mirth
, therefore enjoy
pleasure
: and, behold, this also is vanity
.
I said of laughter
, It is mad
: and of mirth
, What
doeth
it?
I sought in mine heart
to give
myself
unto wine
, yet acquainting
mine 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
.
I made me great works
; I builded
me houses
; I planted
me vineyards
:
I made me gardens
and orchards
, and I planted
trees
in them of all kind of fruits
:
I made me pools
of water
, to water
therewith the wood
that bringeth forth
trees
:
I got 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 gathered me also silver
and gold
, and the peculiar treasure
of kings
and of the provinces
: I gat
me men singers
and women singers
, and the delights
of the sons
of men
, as musical instruments
, and that of all sorts.
So I was great, and increased
more than all that were before
me in Jerusalem
: also my wisdom
remained
with me.
And whatsoever mine eyes desired
I kept
not from them, I withheld
not my heart
from any joy
; for my heart
rejoiced
in all my labour
: and this was my portion
of all my labour
.
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 vexation
of spirit
, and there was no profit
under the sun
.
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 saw that
wisdom
excelleth
folly
, as far as light
excelleth
darkness
.
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.
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
.
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
.
Therefore I hated life
; because the work
that is wrought
under the sun
is grievous
unto me: for all is vanity
and vexation
of spirit
.
Yea, I hated all my labour
which I had taken
under the sun
: because I should leave
it unto the man
that shall be after
me.
And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise
man or a fool
? yet shall he have rule
over all my labour
wherein I have laboured
, and wherein I have shewed myself wise
under the sun
. This is also vanity
.
Therefore I went about to cause
my heart
to despair
of all the labour
which I took
under the sun
.
For there is a man
whose labour
is in wisdom
, and in knowledge
, and in equity
; yet to a man
that hath not laboured
therein shall he leave
it for his portion
. This also is vanity
and a great
evil
.
For what hath man
of all his labour
, and of the vexation
of his heart
, wherein
he hath laboured
under the sun
?
For all his days are sorrows
, and his travail
grief
; yea, his heart
taketh not rest
in the night
. This is also vanity
.
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 labour
. This
also I saw
, that it was from the hand
of God
.
For who can eat, or who else can hasten
hereunto , more
than I?
For God giveth to a man
that is good
in his sight
wisdom
, and knowledge
, and joy
: but to the sinner
he giveth
travail
, to gather
and to heap up
, that he may give
to him that is good
before
God
. This also is vanity
and vexation
of spirit
.