Ecclesiastes 2

1I saidH559 in my heartH3820, Come now, I will try thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasureH8057. But behold, this alsoH1571 is vanityH1892. 2I saidH559 of laughterH7814, Madness! and of mirth, What availeth it? 3I searched in my heartH3820 how to cherish my fleshH1320 with wineH3196, while practising my heartH3820 with wisdomH2451; and how to lay holdH270 on follyH5531, till I should seeH7200 what was that goodH2896 for the children of menH120 which they should do under the heavensH8064 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 every kind of fruitH6529; 6I madeH6213 me ponds of waterH4325, to waterH4325 therewith the woodH6086, where the treesH6086 are reared. 7I acquiredH7069 servantsH5650 and maidens, and had servantsH5650 born in my houseH1004; alsoH1571 I had great possessions of herdsH1241 and flocksH6629, above all that had beenH1961 in JerusalemH3389 before me. 8I gatheredH3664 me alsoH1571 silverH3701 and goldH2091, and the peculiar treasureH5459 of kingsH4428 and of the provincesH4082; I got me men-singers and women-singers, and the delights of the children of menH120, a wife and concubines. 9And I becameH1961 greatH1431, and increasedH3254 more than all that had beenH1961 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 in all my labour, and this wasH1961 my portionH2506 from all my labour. 11Then I looked on all the worksH4639 that my handsH3027 had wrought, and on the labour that it had cost me to do [them]; and behold, all was vanityH1892 and pursuit of the windH7307, and there was no profitH3504 under the sunH8121. 12And I turnedH6437 myself to behold wisdomH2451, and madnessH1947, and follyH5531; for what shall the manH120 [do] that cometh after the kingH4428? — that which hath alreadyH3528 been done. 13And I sawH7200 that wisdomH2451 excelleth follyH5531, as lightH216 excelleth darknessH2822. 14The wiseH2450 man's eyesH5869 are in his headH7218, and the foolH3684 walketh in darknessH2822; but I myself alsoH1571 perceived that oneH259 event happeneth to them all. 15And I saidH559 in my heartH3820, As it happeneth to the foolH3684 so will it happen even to me; and whyH4100 was I thenH227 so wiseH2449? ThenH227 I saidH559 in my heartH3820 that this alsoH1571 is vanityH1892. 16For there shall be no remembranceH2146 of the wiseH2450 more than of the foolH3684 for everH5769; because everythingH3605 is alreadyH3528 forgottenH7911 in the daysH3117 which comeH935. And howH349 dieth the wiseH2450 even as the foolH3684? 17And I hatedH8130 lifeH2416; for the workH4639 that is wrought under the sunH8121 was grievous unto me; for all is vanityH1892 and pursuit of the windH7307. 18And I hatedH8130 all my labour wherewith I had beenH1961 toiling under the sunH8121, because I should leave it unto the manH120 that shall beH1961 after me. 19And who knoweth whether he will beH1961 a wiseH2450 [man] or a foolH5530? yet shall he have rule over all my labour at which I have laboured, and wherein I have beenH1961 wiseH2450 under the sunH8121. This alsoH1571 is vanityH1892. 20Then I wentH5437 about to cause my heartH3820 to despairH2976 of all the labour wherewith I had laboured under the sunH8121. 21For there is a manH120 whose labour hath been with wisdomH2451, and with knowledgeH1847, and with skillH2451, and who leaveth it to a manH120 that hath not laboured therein, to be his portionH2506. This alsoH1571 is vanityH1892 and a greatH7227 evilH7451. 22For what will manH120 have of all his labour and of the striving of his heartH3820, wherewith he hath wearied himself under the sunH8121? 23For all his daysH3117 are sorrows, and his travail vexation: even in the nightH3915 his heartH3820 taketh no restH7901. This alsoH1571 is vanityH1892. 24There is nothingH369 goodH2896 for manH120, but that he should eatH398 and drinkH8354, and that he should make his soulH5315 enjoy goodH2896 in his labour. This alsoH1571 I sawH7200, that it was from the handH3027 of 1GodH430. 25For who can eatH398, or who be eager, moreH4480 than I? 26For he giveth to a manH120 that is goodH2896 in his sight 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 is goodH2896 in 2God's sight. This alsoH1571 is vanityH1892 and pursuit of the windH7307.