Ecclesiastes 2

The Futility of Pleasure and Possessions

1I said 1to myself, “Come now, I will test you with 2pleasure. So 3enjoy yourself.” And behold, it too was futility. 24I said of laughter, “It is madness,” and of pleasure, “What does it accomplish?” 3I explored with my 5mind how to 6stimulate my body with wine while my 7mind was guiding me wisely, and how to take hold of 8folly, until I could see 9what good there is for the sons of men 10to do under heaven the few 11years of their lives. 4I enlarged my works: I 12built houses for myself, I planted 13vineyards for myself; 5I made 14gardens and 15parks for myself and I planted in them all kinds of fruit trees; 6I made 16ponds of water for myself from which to irrigate a forest of growing trees. 7I bought male and female slaves and I had 1718homeborn slaves. Also I possessed flocks and 19herds larger than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. 8Also, I collected for myself silver and 20gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I provided for myself 21male and female singers and the pleasures of men--many concubines.

9Then I became 22great and increased more than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also stood by me. 1023All that my eyes desired I did not refuse them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my heart was pleased because of all my labor and this was my 24reward for all my labor. 11Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had 25exerted, and behold all was 2627vanity and striving after wind and there was 28no profit under the sun.

Wisdom Excels Folly

12So I turned to 29consider wisdom, madness and folly; for what will the man do who will come after the king except 30what has already been done? 13And I saw that 31wisdom excels folly as light excels darkness. 14The wise man’s eyes are in his head, but the 32fool walks in darkness. And yet I know that 33one fate befalls them both. 15Then I said 34to myself, “35As is the fate of the fool, it will also befall me. 36Why then have I been extremely wise?” So 37I said to myself, “This too is vanity.” 16For there is 38no 39lasting remembrance of the wise man as with the fool, inasmuch as in the coming days all will be forgotten. And 40how the wise man and the fool alike die! 17So I 41hated life, for the work which had been done under the sun was 42grievous to me; because everything is futility and striving after wind.

The Futility of Labor

18Thus I hated 43all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun, for I must 44leave it to the man who will come after me. 19And who knows whether he will be a wise man or 45a fool? Yet he will have 46control over all the fruit of my labor for which I have labored by acting wisely under the sun. This too is 47vanity. 20Therefore I 48completely despaired of all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun. 21When there is a man who has labored with wisdom, knowledge and 49skill, then he 50gives his 51legacy to one who has not labored with them. This too is vanity and a great evil. 22For what does a man get in 52all his labor and in 53his striving with which he labors under the sun? 23Because all his days his task is painful and 54grievous; even at night his 55mind 56does not rest. This too is vanity.

24There is 57nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and 58tell himself that his labor is good. This also I have seen that it is 59from the hand of God. 25For who can eat and who can have enjoyment without 60Him? 26For to a person who is good in His sight 61He has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, while to the sinner He has given the task of gathering and collecting so that he may 62give to one who is good in God’s sight. This too is 63vanity and striving after wind.