Ecclesiastes 2
1 I said in my heart, Come now, I will test 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 for myself great works; I built houses; I planted 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 male and female servants, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of herds and flocks 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 special treasure of kings and of the provinces: I procured me male and female 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 labour: and this was my portion of 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 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 Yea, I hated all my labour 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 labour in which I have laboured, 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 labour 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 labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured 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 labour, and of the vexation of his heart, in which he hath laboured 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 labour grief; yea, 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 labour. 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 store up wealth, 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.
