Ecclesiastes 2
1 I SAID in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also was vanity.
I said in my heart, Come now, I will prove thee with mirth, and behold thou 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 doest thou this:
3 I searched in mine heart how to cheer my flesh with wine, mine heart yet guiding [me] with wisdom, and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what it was good for the sons of men that 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 builded me houses; I planted me vineyards;
I enlarged my work; I built me houses; I planted me vineyards.
5 I made me gardens and parks, and I planted trees in them of all kinds of fruit:
I made me gardens and orchards, and planted in them every kind of fruit-tree.
6 I made me pools of water, to water therefrom the forest where trees were reared:
I made me pools of water, to water from them the timber-bearing wood.
7 I bought menservants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all that were before me in Jerusalem:
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 gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, concubines very many.
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 whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them: I withheld not my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced because of all my labour; and this was my portion from all my labour.
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 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.
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, and the fool walketh in darkness: and yet I perceived 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 will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also was 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 of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no remembrance for ever; seeing that in the days to come all will have been already forgotten. And how doth the wise man die even 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 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.
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 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.
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 labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed wisdom under the sun. This also is 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 turned about to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labour wherein I had laboured 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 labour is with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skilfulness; 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 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 a man of all his labour, and of the striving of his heart, wherein he laboureth 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 [but] sorrows, and his travail is grief; yea, even in the night his heart taketh no rest. This also is 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 make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God.
A man has nothing [really] good to eat, and to drink, and to shew 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 can have enjoyment, more than I?
For who shall eat, or who shall drink, without him?
26 For to the man that pleaseth him [God] giveth 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 pleaseth God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
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.
