Ecclesiastes 2

1I SAIDH559 in mine heartH3820, GoH4994 to nowH4994, I will prove thee with mirthH8057; therefore enjoyH7200 pleasureH8057: and, beholdH2009, this also was vanityH1892. 2I saidH559 of laughterH7814, It is mad: and of mirthH8057, WhatH4100 doeth it? 3I searched in mineH8478 heartH3820 howH834 to cheer my fleshH1320 with wineH3196, mineH8478 heartH3820 yet guiding meH7200 with wisdomH2451, and howH834 to layH1121 holdH270 on follyH5531, tillH5704 I might seeH7200 whatH834 it was goodH2896 for the sonsH1121 of menH120 that they should doH6213 underH8478 the heavenH8064 allH5704 the daysH3117 of their lifeH3117. 4I madeH4639 meH1004 greatH1431 worksH4639; I builded meH1004 housesH1004; I plantedH5193 meH1004 vineyardsH3754; 5I madeH6213 meH3605 gardensH1593 and parksH6508, and I plantedH5193 treesH6086 in them of allH3605 kindsH3605 of fruitH6529: 6I madeH6213 meH8248 poolsH1295 of waterH4325, to waterH4325 therefrom the forestH3293 where treesH6086 were reared: 7I boughtH7069 menservants and maidens, and had servantsH5650 bornH1121 in my houseH1004; also I had great possessionsH4735 of herdsH1241 and flocksH6629, aboveH6440 allH3605 that were beforeH6440 meH6440 in JerusalemH3389: 8I gatheredH3664 meH1121 also silverH3701 and goldH2091, and the peculiar treasureH5459 of kingsH4428 and of the provincesH4082: I gat meH1121 menH120 singersH7891 and women singersH7891, and the delights of the sonsH1121 of menH120, concubinesH7705 veryH1571 manyH7705. 9SoH1961 I was greatH1431, and increasedH3254 moreH3254 thanH3605 allH3605 that were beforeH6440 meH6440 in JerusalemH3389: also my wisdomH2451 remainedH1961 with meH6440. 10And whatsoeverH3605 mine eyesH5869 desiredH7592 I keptH4513 notH3808 from them: I withheldH4513 notH3808 my heartH3820 from anyH3605 joyH8057, for my heartH3820 rejoicedH8055 becauseH3588 of allH3605 my labour; and this was my portionH2506 from allH3605 my labour. 11Then I lookedH6437 on allH3605 the worksH4639 that my handsH3027 had wroughtH4639, and on the labour that I had laboured to doH6213: and, beholdH2009, allH3605 was vanityH1892 and a strivingH7469 afterH7469 windH7307, and there was noH369 profitH3504 underH8478 the sunH8121. 12And I turnedH6437 myselfH589 to beholdH7200 wisdomH2451, and madnessH1947 and follyH5531; for whatH4100 canH4100 the manH120 doH6213 that cometh afterH310 the kingH4428? evenH3588 that whichH834 hath been alreadyH3528 doneH6213. 13Then I sawH7200 that wisdomH2451 excelleth follyH5531, as far as lightH216 excelleth darknessH2822. 14The wiseH2450 man’sH2450 eyesH5869 are in his headH7218, and the foolH3684 walketh in darknessH2822: and yet I perceivedH3045 that one event happeneth to them allH3605. 15Then saidH559 I in my heartH3820, As it happeneth to the foolH3684, soH1571 will it happen evenH1571 to meH589; and whyH4100 was I then moreH3148 wiseH2449? Then I saidH559 in my heartH3820, that this also was vanityH1892. 16For of the wiseH2450 manH2450, evenH3588 as of the foolH3684, there is noH369 remembranceH2146 for everH5769; seeingH3588 that in the daysH3117 to comeH935 allH3605 will have been alreadyH3528 forgottenH7911. And howH349 doth the wiseH2450 manH2450 dieH4191 evenH3588 as the foolH3684! 17SoH6213 I hatedH8130 lifeH2416; becauseH3588 the workH4639 that is wroughtH4639 underH8478 the sunH8121 was grievous unto meH5921: for allH3605 is vanityH1892 and a strivingH7469 afterH5921 windH7307. 18And I hatedH8130 allH3605 my labour wherein I laboured underH8478 the sunH8121: seeing that I mustH853 leaveH3240 it unto the manH120 that shall be afterH310 meH8130. 19And who knoweth whetherH176 he shall be a wiseH2450 manH2450 or a foolH5530? yet shall he have rule over allH3605 my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed wisdomH2449 underH8478 the sunH8121. This also is vanityH1892. 20Therefore I turnedH5437 aboutH5921 to cause my heartH3820 to despairH2976 concerning allH3605 the labour wherein I had laboured underH8478 the sunH8121. 21For there is a manH120 whoseH120 labour is with wisdomH2451, and with knowledgeH1847, and with skilfulness; yet to a manH120 that hath notH3808 laboured therein shall he leave it for his portionH2506. This also is vanityH1892 and a greatH7227 evilH7451. 22For whatH4100 hath a manH120 of allH3605 his labour, and of the strivingH7475 of his heartH3820, wherein he laboureth underH8478 the sunH8121? 23For allH3605 his daysH3117 are but sorrowsH4341, and his travail is grief; yeaH3588, evenH1571 in the nightH3915 his heartH3820 taketh noH3808 restH7901. This also is vanityH1892. 24There is nothingH369 betterH2896 for a manH120 thanH2896 that he should eatH398 and drinkH8354, and makeH7200 his soulH5315 enjoyH7200 goodH2896 in his labour. This also I sawH7200, that it is from the handH3027 of GodH430. 25For who canH4310 eatH398, or who canH4310 have enjoyment, moreH4480 thanH4480 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 heapH5414 upH5414, that he may giveH5414 to him that pleaseth GodH430. This also is vanityH1892 and a strivingH7469 afterH7469 windH7307.