Ecclesiastes 2
1 I said in my heart, I will give you joy for a test; so take your pleasure — but it was to no purpose.
I said in my heart: I will go, and abound with delights, and enjoy good things. And I saw that this also was vanity.
2 Of laughing I said, It is foolish; and of joy — What use is it?
Laughter I counted error: and to mirth I said: Why art thou vainly deceived?
3 I made a search with my heart to give pleasure to my flesh with wine, still guiding my heart with wisdom, and to go after foolish things, so that I might see what was good for the sons of men to do under the heavens all the days of their life.
I thought in my heart, to withdraw my flesh from wine, that I might turn my mind to wisdom, and might avoid folly, till I might see what was profitable for the children of men: and what they ought to do under the sun, all the days of their life.
4 I undertook great works, building myself houses and planting vine-gardens.
I made me great works, I built me houses, and planted vineyards,
5 I made myself gardens and fruit gardens, planting in them fruit-trees of all sorts.
I made gardens, and orchards, and set them with trees of all kinds,
6 I made pools to give water for the woods with their young trees.
And I made me ponds of water, to water therewith the wood of the young trees,
7 I got men-servants and women-servants, and they gave birth to sons and daughters in my house. I had great wealth of herds and flocks, more than all who were in Jerusalem before me.
I got me menservants, and maidservants, and had a great family: and herds of oxen, and great flocks of sheep, above all that were before me in Jerusalem:
8 I got together silver and gold and the wealth of kings and of countries. I got makers of song, male and female; and the delights of the sons of men — girls of all sorts to be my brides.
I heaped together for myself silver and gold, and the wealth of kings, and provinces: I made me singing men, and singing women, and the delights of the sons of men, cups and vessels to serve to pour out wine:
9 And I became great; increasing more than all who had been before me in Jerusalem, and my wisdom was still with me.
And I surpassed in riches all that were before me in Jerusalem: my wisdom also remained with me.
10 And nothing which was desired by my eyes did I keep from them; I did not keep any joy from my heart, because my heart took pleasure in all my work, and this was my reward.
And whatsoever my eyes desired, I refused them not: and I withheld not my heart from enjoying every pleasure, and delighting itself in the things which I had prepared: and esteemed this my portion, to make use of my own labour.
11 Then I saw all the works which my hands had made, and everything I had been working to do; and I saw that all was to no purpose and desire for wind, and there was no profit under the sun.
And when I turned myself to all the works which my hands had wrought, and to the labours wherein I had laboured in vain, I saw in all things vanity, and vexation of mind, and that nothing was lasting under the sun.
12 And I went again in search of wisdom and of foolish ways. What may the man do who comes after the king? The thing which he has done before.
I passed further to behold wisdom, and errors and folly, (What is man, said I, that he can follow the King his maker?)
13 Then I saw that wisdom is better than foolish ways — as the light is better than the dark.
And I saw that wisdom excelled folly, as much as light differeth from darkness.
14 The wise man's eyes are in his head, but the foolish man goes walking in the dark; but still I saw that the same event comes to them all.
The eyes of a wise man are in his head: the fool walketh in darkness: and I learned that they were to die both alike.
15 Then said I in my heart: As it comes to the foolish man, so will it come to me; so why have I been wise overmuch? Then I said in my heart: This again is to no purpose.
And I said in my heart: If the death of the fool and mine shall be one, what doth it avail me, that I have applied myself more to the study of wisdom? And speaking with my own mind, I perceived that this also was vanity.
16 Of the wise man, as of the foolish man, there is no memory for ever, seeing that those who now are will have gone from memory in the days to come. See how death comes to the wise as to the foolish!
For there shall be no remembrance of the wise no more than of the fool for ever, and the times to come shall cover all things together with oblivion: the learned dieth in like manner as the unlearned.
17 So I was hating life, because everything under the sun was evil to me: all is to no purpose and desire for wind.
And therefore I was weary of my life, when I saw that all things under the sun are evil, and all vanity and vexation of spirit.
18 Hate had I for all my work which I had done, because the man who comes after me will have its fruits.
Again I hated all my application wherewith I had earnestly laboured under the sun, being like to have an heir after me,
19 And who is to say if that man will be wise or foolish? But he will have power over all my work which I have done and in which I have been wise under the sun. This again is to no purpose.
Whom I know not whether he will be a wise man or a fool, and he shall have rule over all my labours with which I have laboured and been solicitous: and is there any thing so vain?
20 So my mind was turned to grief for all the trouble I had taken and all my wisdom under the sun.
Wherefore I left off and my heart renounced labouring any more under the sun.
21 Because there is a man whose work has been done with wisdom, with knowledge, and with an expert hand; but one who has done nothing for it will have it for his heritage. This again is to no purpose and a great evil.
For when a man laboureth in wisdom, and knowledge, and carefulness, he leaveth what he hath gotten to an idle man: so this also is vanity, and a great evil.
22 What does a man get for all his work, and for the weight of care with which he has done his work under the sun?
For what profit shall a man have of all his labour, and vexation of spirit, with which he bath been tormented under the sun?
23 All his days are sorrow, and his work is full of grief. Even in the night his heart has no rest. This again is to no purpose.
All his days axe full of sorrows and miseries, even in the night he doth not rest in mind: and is not this vanity?
24 There is nothing better for a man than taking meat and drink, and having delight in his work. This again I saw was from the hand of God.
Is it not better to eat and drink, and to shew his soul good things of his labours? and this is from the hand of God.
25 Who may take food or have pleasure without him?
Who shall so feast and abound with delights as I?
26 To the man with whom he is pleased, God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy; but to the sinner he gives the work of getting goods together and storing up wealth, to give to him in whom God has pleasure. This again is to no purpose and desire for wind.
God hath given to a man that is good in his sight, wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he hath given vexation, and superfluous care, to heap up and to gather together, and to give it to him that hath pleased God: but this also is vanity, and a fruitless solicitude of the mind.
