Ecclesiastes 2

¹I said in my heart: “I will go forth and overflow with delights, and I will enjoy good things.” And I saw that this, too, is emptiness.

²Laughter, I considered an error. And to rejoicing, I said: “Why are you being deceived, to no purpose?”

³I decided in my heart to withdraw my flesh from wine, so that I might bring my mind to wisdom, and turn away from foolishness, until I see what is useful for the sons of men, and what they ought to do under the sun, during the number of the days of their life.

⁴I magnified my works. I built houses for myself, and I planted vineyards.

⁵I made gardens and orchards. And I planted them with trees of every kind.

⁶And I dug out fishponds of water, so that I might irrigate the forest of growing trees.

⁷I obtained men and women servants, and I had a great family, as well as herds of cattle and great flocks of sheep, beyond all who were before me in Jerusalem.

⁸I amassed for myself silver and gold, and the wealth of kings and governors. I chose men and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, bowls and pitchers for the purpose of pouring wine.

⁹And I surpassed in opulence all who were before me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also persevered with me.

¹⁰And all that my eyes desired, I did not refuse them. Neither did I prohibit my heart from enjoying every pleasure, and from amusing itself in the things that I had prepared. And I regarded this as my share, as if I were making use of my own labors.

¹¹But when I turned myself toward all the works that my hands had made, and to the labors in which I had perspired to no purpose, I saw emptiness and affliction of the soul in all things, and that nothing is permanent under the sun.

¹²I continued on, so as to contemplate wisdom, as well as error and foolishness. “What is man,” I said, “that he would be able to follow his Maker, the King?”

¹³And I saw that wisdom surpasses foolishness, so much so that they differ as much as light from darkness.

¹⁴The eyes of a wise man are in his head. A foolish man walks in darkness. Yet I learned that one would pass away like the other.

¹⁵And I said in my heart: “If the death of both the foolish and myself will be one, how does it benefit me, if I have given myself more thoroughly to the work of wisdom?” And as I was speaking within my own mind, I perceived that this, too, is emptiness.

¹⁶For there will not be a remembrance in perpetuity of the wise, nor of the foolish. And the future times will cover everything together, with oblivion. The learned die in a manner similar to the unlearned.

¹⁷And, because of this, my life wearied me, since I saw that everything under the sun is evil, and everything is empty and an affliction of the spirit.

¹⁸Again, I detested all my efforts, by which I had earnestly labored under the sun, to be taken up by an heir after me,

¹⁹though I know not whether he will be wise or foolish. And yet he will have power over my labors, in which I have toiled and been anxious. And is there anything else so empty?

²⁰Therefore, I ceased, and my heart renounced further laboring under the sun.

²¹For when someone labors in wisdom, and doctrine, and prudence, he leaves behind what he has obtained to one who is idle. So this, too, is emptiness and a great burden.

²²For how can a man benefit from all his labor and affliction of spirit, by which he has been tormented under the sun?

²³All his days have been filled with sorrows and hardships; neither does he rest his mind, even in the night. And is this not emptiness?

²⁴Is it not better to eat and drink, and to show his soul the good things of his labors? And this is from the hand of God.

²⁵So who will feast and overflow with delights as much as I have?

²⁶God has given, to the man who is good in his sight, wisdom, and knowledge, and rejoicing. But to the sinner, he has given affliction and needless worrying, so as to add, and to gather, and to deliver, to him who has pleased God. But this, too, is emptiness and a hollow worrying of the mind.

Ecclesiastes 2

¹I said in my heart: I will go, and abound with delights, and enjoy good things. And I saw that this also was vanity.

²Laughter I counted error: and to mirth I said: Why art thou vainly deceived?

³I thought in my heart, to withdraw my flesh from wine, that I might turn my mind to wisdom, and might avoid folly, till I might see what was profitable for the children of men: and what they ought to do under the sun, all the days of their life.

⁴I made me great works, I built me houses, and planted vineyards,

⁵I made gardens, and orchards, and set them with trees of all kinds,

⁶And I made me ponds of water, to water therewith the wood of the young trees,

⁷I got me menservants, and maidservants, and had a great family: and herds of oxen, and great flocks of sheep, above all that were before me in Jerusalem:

⁸I heaped together for myself silver and gold, and the wealth of kings, and provinces: I made me singing men, and singing women, and the delights of the sons of men, cups and vessels to serve to pour out wine:

⁹And I surpassed in riches all that were before me in Jerusalem: my wisdom also remained with me.

¹⁰And whatsoever my eyes desired, I refused them not: and I withheld not my heart from enjoying every pleasure, and delighting itself in the things which I had prepared: and esteemed this my portion, to make use of my own labour.

¹¹And when I turned myself to all the works which my hands had wrought, and to the labours wherein I had laboured in vain, I saw in all things vanity, and vexation of mind, and that nothing was lasting under the sun.

¹²I passed further to behold wisdom, and errors and folly, (What is man, said I that he can follow the King his maker?)

¹³And I saw that wisdom excelled folly, as much as light differeth from darkness.

¹⁴The eyes of a wise man are in his head: the fool walketh in darkness: and I learned that they were to die both alike.

¹⁵And I said in my heart: If the death of the fool and mine shall be one, what doth it avail me, that I have applied myself more to the study of wisdom? And speaking with my own mind, I perceived that this also was vanity.

¹⁶For there shall be no remembrance of the wise no more than of the fool forever, and the times to come shall cover all things together with oblivion: the learned dieth in like manner as the unlearned.

¹⁷And therefore I was weary of my life, when I saw that all things under the sun are evil, and all vanity and vexation of spirit.

¹⁸Again I hated all my application wherewith I had earnestly laboured under the sun, being like to have an heir after me,

¹⁹Whom I know not whether he will be a wise man or a fool, and he shall have rule over all my labours with which I have laboured and been solicitous: and is there anything so vain?

²⁰Wherefore I left off and my heart renounced labouring anymore under the sun.

²¹For when a man laboureth in wisdom, and knowledge, and carefulness, he leaveth what he hath gotten to an idle man: so this also is vanity, and a great evil.

²²For what profit shall a man have of all his labour, and vexation of spirit, with which he hath been tormented under the sun?

²³All his days are full of sorrows and miseries, even in the night he doth not rest in mind: and is not this vanity?

²⁴Is it not better to eat and drink, and to shew his soul good things of his labours? and this is from the hand of God.

²⁵Who shall so feast and abound with delights as I?

²⁶God hath given to a man that is good in his sight, wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he hath given vexation, and superfluous care, to heap up and to gather together, and to give it to him that hath pleased God: but this also is vanity, and a fruitless solicitude of the mind.