1 I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with mirth:
therefore enjoy pleasure;” and, behold, this also was vanity. 2 I said of
laughter, “It is foolishness;” and of mirth, “What does it accomplish?”
3 I searched in my heart how to cheer my flesh with wine, my heart yet
guiding me with wisdom, and how to lay hold of folly, until I might see what
it was good for the sons of men that they should do under heaven all the days
of their lives. 4 I made myself great works. I built myself houses. I
planted myself vineyards. 5 I made myself gardens and parks, and I planted
trees in them of all kinds of fruit. 6 I made myself pools of water, to
water from it the forest where trees were reared. 7 I bought men-servants
and maid-servants, and had servants born in my house. I also had great
possessions of herds and flocks, above all who were before me in Jerusalem;
8 I also gathered silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings
and of the provinces. I got myself men-singers and women-singers, and the
delights of the sons of men — musical instruments, and that of all sorts.
9 So I was great, and increased more than all who were before me in
Jerusalem. My wisdom also remained with me. 10 Whatever my eyes desired, I
didn’t keep from them. I didn’t withhold my heart from any joy, for my heart
rejoiced because of all my labor, and this was my portion from all my labor.
11 Then I looked at all the works that my hands had worked, and at the
labor that I had labored to do; and, behold, all was vanity and a chasing
after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.
12 I turned myself to consider wisdom, madness, and folly: for what can
the king’s successor do? Just that which has been done long ago. 13 Then I
saw that wisdom excels folly, as far as light excels darkness. 14 The wise
man’s eyes are in his head, and the fool walks in darkness — and yet I
perceived that one event happens to them all. 15 Then said I in my heart,
“As it happens to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then
more wise?” Then said I in my heart that this also is vanity. 16 For of
the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no memory for ever, seeing that
in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. Indeed, the wise man
must die just like the fool!
17 So I hated life, because the work that is worked under the sun was
grievous to me; for all is vanity and a chasing after wind. 18 I hated all
my labor in which I labored under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to the
man who comes after me. 19 Who knows whether he will be a wise man or a
fool? Yet he will have rule over all of my labor in which I have labored, and
in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.
20 Therefore I began to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor
in which I had labored under the sun. 21 For there is a man whose labor is
with wisdom, with knowledge, and with skillfulness; yet he shall leave it for
his portion to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a
great evil. 22 For what has a man of all his labor, and of the striving of
his heart, in which he labors under the sun? 23 For all his days are
sorrows, and his travail is grief; yes, even in the night his heart takes no
rest. This also is vanity. 24 There is nothing better for a man than that
he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also
I saw, that it is from the hand of God. 25 For who can eat, or who can
have enjoyment, more than I? 26 For to the man who pleases him, God gives
wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and
to heap up, that he may give to him who pleases God. This also is vanity and
a chasing after wind.
World English Bible - Public Domain |
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