Ecclesiastes 2

1I saidH559 in my heartH3820, Come now, I will prove thee with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasureH8057: and, behold, this alsoH1571 was vanityH1892. 2I saidH559 of laughterH7814, It is mad; and of mirth, What doeth it? 3I searched in my heartH3820 how to cheer my fleshH1320 with wineH3196, my heartH3820 yet guiding me with wisdomH2451, and how to lay holdH270 on follyH5531, till I might seeH7200 what it was goodH2896 for the sonsH1121 of menH120 that they should do under heavenH8064 all the daysH3117 of their life. 4I made me greatH1431 worksH4639; I builded me housesH1004; I plantedH5193 me vineyardsH3754; 5I madeH6213 me gardensH1593 and parks, and I plantedH5193 treesH6086 in them of all kinds of fruitH6529; 6I madeH6213 me poolsH1295 of waterH4325, to waterH4325 therefrom the forestH3293 where treesH6086 were reared; 7I boughtH7069 men-servants and maid-servants, and had servantsH5650 born in my houseH1004; alsoH1571 I had great possessions of herdsH1241 and flocksH6629, above all that wereH1961 before me in JerusalemH3389; 8I gatheredH3664 me alsoH1571 silverH3701 and goldH2091, and the treasureH5459 of kingsH4428 and of the provincesH4082; I gat me men-singers and women-singers, and the delights of the sonsH1121 of menH120, musical instruments, and that of all sorts. 9So I wasH1961 greatH1431, and increasedH3254 more than all that wereH1961 before me in JerusalemH3389: alsoH637 my wisdomH2451 remained with me. 10And whatsoever mine eyesH5869 desired I kept not from them; I withheldH4513 not my heartH3820 from any joyH8057; for my heartH3820 rejoicedH8055 because of all my laborH5999; and this wasH1961 my portionH2506 from all my laborH5999. 11Then I looked on all the worksH4639 that my handsH3027 had wrought, and on the laborH5999 that I had labored to do; and, behold, all was vanityH1892 and a striving after windH7307, and there was no profitH3504 under the sunH8121.

12And I turnedH6437 myself to behold wisdomH2451, and madnessH1947, and follyH5531: for whatcanthe manH120dothat cometh after the kingH4428? even that which hath been done long ago. 13Then I sawH7200 that wisdomH2451 excelleth follyH5531, as far as lightH216 excelleth darknessH2822. 14The wiseH2450 man’s eyesH5869 are in his headH7218, and the foolH3684 walketh in darknessH2822: and yet I perceived that oneH259 event happeneth to them all. 15ThenH227 saidH559 I in my heartH3820, As it happeneth to the foolH3684, so will it happen even to me; and whyH4100 was I thenH227 more wiseH2449? ThenH227 saidH559 I in my heartH3820, that this alsoH1571 is vanityH1892. 16For of the wiseH2450 man, even as of the foolH3684, there is no remembranceH2146 for everH5769; seeing that in the daysH3117 to comeH935 all will have been long forgottenH7911. And howH349 doth the wiseH2450 man dieH4191 even as the foolH3684! 17So I hatedH8130 lifeH2416, because the workH4639 that is wrought under the sunH8121 was grievous unto me; for all is vanityH1892 and a striving after windH7307.

18And I hatedH8130 all my laborH5999 wherein I labored under the sunH8121, seeing that I must leave it unto the manH120 that shall beH1961 after me. 19And who knoweth whether he will beH1961 a wiseH2450 man or a foolH5530? yet will he have rule over all my laborH5999 wherein I have labored, and wherein I have showed myself wiseH2450 under the sunH8121. This alsoH1571 is vanityH1892. 20Therefore I turnedH5437 about to cause my heartH3820 to despairH2976 concerning all the laborH5999 wherein I had labored under the sunH8121. 21For there is a manH120 whose laborH5999 is with wisdomH2451, and with knowledgeH1847, and with skilfulness; yet to a manH120 that hath not labored therein shall he leave it for his portionH2506. This alsoH1571 is vanityH1892 and a greatH7227 evilH7451. 22For what hath a manH120 of all his laborH5999, and of the striving of his heartH3820, wherein he laboreth under the sunH8121? 23For all his daysH3117 are but sorrows, and his travail is grief; yea, even in the nightH3915 his heartH3820 taketh no restH7901. This alsoH1571 is vanityH1892.

24There is nothingH369 betterH2896 for a manH120thanthat he should eatH398 and drinkH8354, and make his soulH5315 enjoy goodH2896 in his laborH5999. This alsoH1571 I sawH7200, that it is from the handH3027 of GodH430. 25For who can eatH398, or who can have enjoyment, moreH4480 than I? 26For to the manH120 that pleaseth him GodH430 giveth wisdomH2451, and knowledgeH1847, and joyH8057; but to the sinnerH2398 he giveth travail, to gatherH622 and to heap up, that he may giveH5414 to him that pleaseth GodH430. This alsoH1571 is vanityH1892 and a striving after windH7307.