1
I said[H559] in mine heart[H3820], Go to now[H3212], I will prove[H5254] thee with mirth[H8057], therefore enjoy[H7200]pleasure[H2896]: and, behold, this also is vanity[H1892].
2
I said[H559] of laughter[H7814], It is mad[H1984]: and of mirth[H8057], What[H2090]doeth[H6213] it?
3
I sought[H8446] in mine heart[H3820] to give[H4900]myself[H1320] unto wine[H3196], yet acquainting[H5090] mine heart[H3820] with wisdom[H2451]; and to lay hold[H270] on folly[H5531], till I might see[H7200] what was that good[H2896] for the sons[H1121] of men[H120], which they should do[H6213] under the heaven[H8064]all[H4557] the days[H3117] of their life[H2416].
4
I made me great[H1431]works[H4639]; I builded[H1129] me houses[H1004]; I planted[H5193] me vineyards[H3754]:
5
I made[H6213] me gardens[H1593] and orchards[H6508], and I planted[H5193]trees[H6086] in them of all kind of fruits[H6529]:
6
I made[H6213] me pools[H1295] of water[H4325], to water[H8248] therewith the wood[H3293] that bringeth forth[H6779]trees[H6086]:
7
I got[H7069] me servants[H5650] and maidens[H8198], and had servants[H5650]born[H1121] in my house[H1004]; also I had great[H7235]possessions[H4735] of great[H1241] and small cattle[H6629] above all that were in Jerusalem[H3389]before[H6440] me:
8
I gathered[H3664] me also silver[H3701] and gold[H2091], and the peculiar treasure[H5459] of kings[H4428] and of the provinces[H4082]: I gat[H6213] me men[H120]singers[H7891] and women singers[H7891], and the delights[H8588] of the sons[H1121] of men[H120], as musical instruments[H7705], and that of all sorts.
9
So I was great[H1431], and increased[H3254] more than all that were before[H6440] me in Jerusalem[H3389]: also my wisdom[H2451]remained[H5975] with me.
10
And whatsoever mine eyes[H5869]desired[H7592] I kept[H680] not from them, I withheld[H4513] not my heart[H3820] from any joy[H8057]; for my heart[H3820]rejoiced[H8056] in all my labour[H5999]: and this was my portion[H2506] of all my labour[H5999].
11
Then I looked[H6437] on all the works[H4639] that my hands[H3027] had wrought[H6213], and on the labour[H5999] that I had laboured[H5998] to do[H6213]: and, behold, all was vanity[H1892] and vexation[H7469] of spirit[H7307], and there was no profit[H3504] under the sun[H8121].
12
And I turned[H6437] myself to behold[H7200]wisdom[H2451], and madness[H1947], and folly[H5531]: for what can the man[H120] do that cometh[H935]after[H310] the king?[H4428] even that which hath been already[H3528]done[H6213].
13
Then I saw[H7200]that[H3426]wisdom[H2451]excelleth[H3504]folly[H5531], as far as light[H216]excelleth[H3504]darkness[H2822].
14
The wise man's eyes[H5869] are in his head[H7218]; but the fool[H3684]walketh[H1980] in darkness[H2822]: and I myself perceived[H3045] also that one[H259]event[H4745]happeneth[H7136] to them all.
15Then[H227]said[H559] I in my heart[H3820], As it happeneth[H4745] to the fool[H3684], so it happeneth[H7136] even to me[H1571]; and why was I then[H227]more[H3148]wise?[H2449]Then[H227] I said[H1696] in my heart[H3820], that this also is vanity[H1892].
16
For there is no remembrance[H2146] of the wise[H2450] more than[H5973] of the fool[H3684] for ever[H5769]; seeing that which now[H3528] is in the days[H3117] to come[H935] shall all be forgotten[H7911]. And how dieth[H4191] the wise[H2450] man? as the fool[H3684].
17
Therefore I hated[H8130]life[H2416]; because the work[H4639] that is wrought[H6213] under the sun[H8121] is grievous[H7451] unto me: for all is vanity[H1892] and vexation[H7469] of spirit[H7307].
18
Yea, I hated[H8130] all my labour[H5999] which I had taken[H6001] under the sun[H8121]: because I should leave[H3240] it unto the man[H120] that shall be after[H310] me.
19
And who knoweth[H3045] whether he shall be a wise[H2450] man or a fool?[H5530] yet shall he have rule[H7980] over all my labour[H5999] wherein I have laboured[H5998], and wherein I have shewed myself wise[H2449] under the sun[H8121]. This is also vanity[H1892].
20
Therefore I went about[H5437] to cause[H2976] my heart[H3820] to despair[H2976] of all the labour[H5999] which I took[H5998] under the sun[H8121].
21
For there is[H3426] a man[H120] whose labour[H5999]is[H3426] in wisdom[H2451], and in knowledge[H1847], and in equity[H3788]; yet to a man[H120] that hath not laboured[H5998] therein shall he leave[H5414] it for his portion[H2506]. This also is[H3426]vanity[H1892] and a great[H7227]evil[H7451].
22
For what hath[H1933]man[H120] of all his labour[H5999], and of the vexation[H7475] of his heart[H3820], wherein[H1931] he hath[H1933]laboured[H6001] under the sun?[H8121]
23
For all his days[H3117] are sorrows[H4341], and his travail[H6045]grief[H3708]; yea, his heart[H3820] taketh not rest[H7901] in the night[H3915]. This is also vanity[H1892].
24
There is nothing better[H2896] for a man[H120], than that he should eat[H398] and drink[H8354], and that he should make his soul[H5315]enjoy[H7200]good[H2896] in his labour[H5999]. This[H2090] also I saw[H7200], that it was from the hand[H3027] of God[H430].
25
For who can eat[H398], or who else can hasten[H2363] hereunto, more[H2351] than I?
26
For God[H430]giveth[H5414] to a man[H120] that is good[H2896] in his sight[H6440]wisdom[H2451], and knowledge[H1847], and joy[H8057]: but to the sinner[H2398] he giveth[H5414]travail[H6045], to gather[H622] and to heap up[H3664], that he may give[H5414] to him that is good[H2896]before[H6440]God[H430]. This also is vanity[H1892] and vexation[H7469] of spirit[H7307].