Ecclesiastes 2:3-23

3I explored with my 1mind how to 2stimulate my body with wine while my 3mind was guiding me wisely, and how to take hold of 4folly, until I could see 5what good there is for the sons of men 6to do under heaven the few 7years of their lives. 4I enlarged my works: I 8built houses for myself, I planted 9vineyards for myself; 5I made 10gardens and 11parks for myself and I planted in them all kinds of fruit trees; 6I made 12ponds of water for myself from which to irrigate a forest of growing trees. 7I bought male and female slaves and I had 1314homeborn slaves. Also I possessed flocks and 15herds larger than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. 8Also, I collected for myself silver and 16gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I provided for myself 17male and female singers and the pleasures of men--many concubines.

9Then I became 18great and increased more than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also stood by me. 1019All 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 20reward for all my labor. 11Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had 21exerted, and behold all was 2223vanity and striving after wind and there was 24no profit under the sun.

12So I turned to 25consider wisdom, madness and folly; for what will the man do who will come after the king except 26what has already been done? 13And I saw that 27wisdom excels folly as light excels darkness. 14The wise man’s eyes are in his head, but the 28fool walks in darkness. And yet I know that 29one fate befalls them both. 15Then I said 30to myself, “31As is the fate of the fool, it will also befall me. 32Why then have I been extremely wise?” So 33I said to myself, “This too is vanity.” 16For there is 34no 35lasting remembrance of the wise man as with the fool, inasmuch as in the coming days all will be forgotten. And 36how the wise man and the fool alike die! 17So I 37hated life, for the work which had been done under the sun was 38grievous to me; because everything is futility and striving after wind.

18Thus I hated 39all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun, for I must 40leave it to the man who will come after me. 19And who knows whether he will be a wise man or 41a fool? Yet he will have 42control over all the fruit of my labor for which I have labored by acting wisely under the sun. This too is 43vanity. 20Therefore I 44completely 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 45skill, then he 46gives his 47legacy to one who has not labored with them. This too is vanity and a great evil. 22For what does a man get in 48all his labor and in 49his striving with which he labors under the sun? 23Because all his days his task is painful and 50grievous; even at night his 51mind 52does not rest. This too is vanity.