Ecclesiastes 2

1IH589 saidH559 to myselfH3820, “ComeH1980 nowH4994, I will testH5254 you with pleasureH8057; enjoyH7200 what is goodH2896!”

But itH1931 provedH2009H1571 to be futileH1892.

2I saidH559 of laughterH7814, “It is follyH1984,” and of pleasureH8057, “WhatH4100 does itH2090 accomplishH6213?”

3I soughtH8446H3820 to cheer my bodyH1320H4900 with wineH3196 and to embraceH270 follyH5531—my mindH3820 still guiding meH5090 with wisdomH2451—untilH5704 I could seeH7200 whatH335 was worthwhileH2896 for menH1121H120 to doH6213 underH8478 heavenH8064 during the fewH4557 daysH3117 of their livesH2416.

4I expandedH1431 my pursuitsH4639. I builtH1129 housesH1004 and plantedH5193 vineyardsH3754 for myself. 5I madeH6213 gardensH1593 and parksH6508 for myself, where I plantedH5193 all kindsH3605 of fruitH6529 treesH6086. 6I builtH6213 reservoirsH1295H4325 to waterH8248 my grovesH3293 of flourishingH6779 treesH6086.

7I acquiredH7069 menservantsH5650 and maidservantsH8198, and servants were bornH1121 in my houseH1004. I alsoH1571 ownedH1961 moreH7235 herdsH1241H4735 and flocksH6629 than anyoneH3605H1961 in JerusalemH3389 before meH6440, 8and IH1571 accumulatedH3664 for myself silverH3701 and goldH2091 and the treasureH5459 of kingsH4428 and provincesH4082. I gatheredH6213 to myself male andH7891 female singersH7891, and the delightsH8588 of the sonsH1121 of menH120—manyH7705 concubinesH7705.

9So I became greatH1431 and surpassedH3254 allH3605 in JerusalemH3389 who had preceded meH1961H6440; andH637 my wisdomH2451 remainedH5975 with me. 10AnythingH3605 my eyesH5869 desiredH7592, I did notH3808 deny myselfH680. I refusedH4513 my heartH3820 noH3808H3605 pleasureH8057. ForH3588 my heartH3820 took delightH8056 in allH3605 my workH5999, and thisH2088 wasH1961 the rewardH2506 for allH3605 my laborH5999.

11Yet when IH589 consideredH6437 allH3605 the worksH4639 that my handsH3027 had accomplishedH6213 andH5999 what I had toiledH5998 to achieveH6213, I foundH2009 everythingH3605 to be futileH1892, a pursuitH7469 of the windH7307; there was nothingH369 to be gainedH3504 underH8478 the sunH8121.

The Wise and the Foolish

12Then IH589 turnedH6437 to considerH7200 wisdomH2451 and madnessH1947 and follyH5531; forH3588 whatH4100 more can the king’sH4428 successorH120H935H310 doH834 than what has alreadyH3528 been accomplishedH6213? 13And IH589 sawH7200 thatH3426 wisdomH2451 exceedsH3504H4480 follyH5531, just as lightH216 exceedsH3504H4480 darknessH2822:

Yet IH589 alsoH1571 came to realizeH3045 that oneH259 fateH4745 overcomesH7136 themH853 bothH3605. 15So IH589 saidH559 to myselfH3820, “The fateH4745 of the foolH3684 will alsoH1571 befallH7136 meH589. WhatH4100 thenH227 have IH589 gainedH3148 by being wiseH2449?”

And I saidH1696 to myselfH3820 that thisH2088 tooH1571 is futileH1892.

16ForH3588 there is noH369 lastingH5769 remembranceH2146 of the wiseH2450, just as withH5973 the foolH3684, seeing thatH3528 bothH3605 will be forgottenH7911 in the daysH3117 to comeH935. AlasH349, the wise manH2450 will dieH4191 just likeH5973 the foolH3684! 17So I hatedH8130 lifeH2416, becauseH3588 the workH4639 that is doneH6213 underH8478 the sunH8121 was grievousH7451 to meH5921. ForH3588 everythingH3605 is futileH1892 and a pursuitH7469 of the windH7307.

The Futility of Work

18IH589 hatedH8130 allH3605 for whichH589 I had toiledH5999H6001 underH8478 the sunH8121, because I must leave itH5117 to the manH120 who comesH1961 after meH310. 19And whoH4310 knowsH3045 whether that man will beH1961 wiseH2450 orH176 foolishH5530? Yet he will takeH7980 over allH3605 the laborH5999 at which I have workedH5998 skillfullyH2449 underH8478 the sunH8121. ThisH2088 tooH1571 is futileH1892.

20SoH589 my heartH3820 beganH5437 to despairH2976 overH5921 allH3605 the laborH5999 that I had doneH5998 underH8478 the sunH8121. 21WhenH3588 there isH3426 a manH120 who has laboredH5999 with wisdomH2451, knowledgeH1847, and skillH3788, and he must giveH5414 his portionH2506 to a manH120 who has notH3808 workedH5998 for it, thisH2088 tooH1571 is futileH1892 and a greatH7227 evilH7451. 22ForH3588 whatH4100 does a manH120 getH1933 for allH3605 the toilH5999 and strivingH7475 with whichH1931 he laborsH6001 underH8478 the sunH8121? 23IndeedH3588, allH3605 his daysH3117 are filled with griefH4341, and his taskH6045 is sorrowfulH3708; evenH1571 at nightH3915, his mindH3820 does notH3808 restH7901. ThisH2088 tooH1571 is futileH1892H1931.

24NothingH369 is betterH2896 for a manH120 than to eatH398 and drinkH8354 and enjoyH7200 his workH5999. IH589 have alsoH1571 seenH7200 thatH3588 thisH2090 is from the handH3027 of GodH430. 25ForH3588 apart fromH2351 HimH4480,1 whoH4310 can eatH398 and whoH4310 can find enjoymentH2363? 26ToH3588 the manH120 who is pleasingH2896 in His sightH6440, He givesH5414 wisdomH2451 and knowledgeH1847 and joyH8057, but to the sinnerH2398 He assignsH5414 the taskH6045 of gatheringH622 and accumulatingH3664 that which he will hand overH5414 to one who pleasesH2896H6440 GodH430. ThisH2088 tooH1571 is futileH1892 and a pursuitH7469 of the windH7307.