1 I said H559 in my heart בְּלִבִּ֔י be.li.Bi H3820 , Come now , I will prove thee with mirth ; therefore enjoy pleasure בְשִׂמְחָ֖ה ve.sim.Chah H8057 : and , behold , this also גַם־ gam- H1571 was vanity H1892 . 2 I said H559 of laughter לִשְׂח֖וֹק lis.Chok H7814 , It is mad; and of mirth , What doeth it ? 3 I searched in my heart בְלִבִּ֔י ve.li.Bi H3820 how to cheer my flesh בְּשָׂרִ֑י be.sa.Ri H1320 with wine בַּיַּ֖יִן bai.Ya.yin H3196 , my heart וְלִבִּ֞י ve.li.Bi H3820 yet guiding me with wisdom בַּֽחָכְמָה֙ ba.cha.khe.Mah H2451 , and how to lay hold וְלֶאֱחֹ֣ז ve.le.'e.Choz H270 on folly בְּסִכְל֔וּת be.sikh.Lut H5531 , till I might see H7200 what it was good ט֜וֹב Tov H2896 for the sons H1121 of men H120 that they should do under heaven הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם ha.sha.Ma.yim H8064 all the days יְמֵ֥י ye.Mei H3117 of their life . 4 I made me great הִגְדַּ֖לְתִּי hig.Dal.ti H1431 works מַעֲשָׂ֑י ma.'a.Sai H4639 ; I builded me houses H1004 ; I planted נָטַ֥עְתִּי na.Ta'.ti H5193 me vineyards כְּרָמִֽים׃ ke.ra.Mim H3754 ; 5 I made H6213 me gardens גַּנּ֖וֹת ga.Not H1593 and parks , and I planted וְנָטַ֥עְתִּי ve.na.Ta'.ti H5193 trees עֵ֥ץ 'etz H6086 in them of all kinds of fruit פֶּֽרִי׃ Pe.ri H6529 ; 7 I bought H7069 men-servants and maid-servants, and had servants H5650 born in my house בַ֖יִת Va.yit H1004 ; also גַּ֣ם gam H1571 I had great possessions of herds בָקָ֨ר va.Kar H1241 and flocks וָצֹ֤אן va.Tzon H6629 , above all that were H1961 before me in Jerusalem בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ bi.ru.sha.Lim H3389 ; 8 I gathered H3664 me also גַּם־ gam- H1571 silver כֶּ֣סֶף Ke.sef H3701 and gold וְזָהָ֔ב ve.za.Hav H2091 , and the treasure וּסְגֻלַּ֥ת u.se.gu.Lat H5459 of kings מְלָכִ֖ים me.la.Khim H4428 and of the provinces H4082 ; I gat me men-singers and women-singers, and the delights of the sons H1121 of men H120 , musical instruments, and that of all sorts. 9 So I was H1961 great וְגָדַ֣לְתִּי ve.ga.Dal.ti H1431 , and increased H3254 more than all that were H1961 before me in Jerusalem בִּירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם bi.ru.sha.Lim H3389 : also אַ֥ף 'af H637 my wisdom חָכְמָתִ֖י cha.khe.ma.Ti H2451 remained with me . 11 Then I looked on all the works מַעֲשַׂי֙ ma.'a.Sai H4639 that my hands יָדַ֔י ya.Dai H3027 had wrought , and on the labor H5999 that I had labored to do ; and , behold , all was vanity H1892 and a striving after wind ר֔וּחַ Ru.ach H7307 , and there was no profit יִתְר֖וֹן yit.Ron H3504 under the sun הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ ha.Sha.mesh H8121 . 12 And I turned וּפָנִ֤יתִֽי u.fa.Ni.ti H6437 myself to behold wisdom חָכְמָ֔ה chokh.mah H2451 , and madness וְהוֹלֵל֖וֹת ve.ho.le.Lot H1947 , and folly וְסִכְל֑וּת ve.sikh.Lut H5531 : for what can the man H120 do that cometh after the king הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ ha.Me.lekh H4428 ? even that which hath been done long ago. 13 Then I saw H7200 that wisdom לַֽחָכְמָ֖ה la.cha.khe.Mah H2451 excelleth folly הַסִּכְל֑וּת ha.sikh.Lut H5531 , as far as light הָא֖וֹר ha.'Or H216 excelleth darkness הַחֹֽשֶׁךְ׃ ha.Cho.shekh H2822 . Read all of Ecclesiastes 2 ← Ecclesiastes 1 Ecclesiastes 3 → Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 2 American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
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