2 I said to myself, ‘I will enjoy the good things of life. I will see if that helps me to be happy.’ But I realized that this too had no purpose. 2 I said, ‘It is foolish to laugh all the time. If I only try to please myself, it does not really help me.’
3 I thought about wine. If I drink a lot of wine, I thought that might make me happy. I might enjoy foolish things. I used wisdom to think about this. People only live for a short time on the earth. I thought this might be the best way for people to enjoy life.
4 I also did a lot of great things for myself. I built houses. I planted vineyards. 5 I made gardens and fields of trees. I planted many different kinds of fruit trees in them. 6 I made large pools of water. I used the water to help my trees to grow well. 7 I bought male slaves and female slaves. Their children became my slaves too. I had many animals, including sheep, goats and cows. I had more animals than any of the rulers in Jerusalem who lived before me. 8 I stored a lot of silver and gold for myself. Other kings and rulers paid me with many valuable things. I had men and women who would sing for me. I had many beautiful slave wives to give me as much pleasure as any man could want. 9 As a result, I was greater than anyone who had ever lived in Jerusalem before me. And I continued to follow the way of wisdom.
10 If I saw something that I wanted
I took it for myself.
If something would give me pleasure,
I did it.
So all my work made me very happy.
My hard work gave me things to enjoy.
11 Then I thought about everything that I had done,
and all my hard work.
After all that, I realized that none of these things had a purpose.
I was like somebody who tries to catch the wind.
None of the things on earth have any value.
12 Then I decided to think about wisdom.
I also thought about foolish ways to live.
I thought, ‘The next king will not do any more
than I have already done.’
13 I realized that it is better to be wise than foolish.
In the same way, the light is better than the dark.
14 Wise people can see where they are going.
Foolish people walk in the dark.
But at the end of their lives, there is no difference.
They both die.
15 Then I thought, ‘I will also die, as foolish people do.
So what value have I received from my great wisdom?’
I said to myself, ‘Wisdom too has no purpose.’
16 People forget about wise people
as quickly as they forget about fools.
One day, nobody will remember any of them.
It is true! As fools all have to die, wise people will also die.
17 So I hated life. Everything that happens on the earth only brings me trouble. Nothing has any purpose. It is as useless as somebody who tries to catch the wind.
18 I thought about all the hard work that I have done here on the earth. When I die, all the things that I worked so hard to get will belong to the next king. So I hated all my hard work. 19 The next king may be a wise man, or he may be a foolish man. Nobody knows! But all the things that I used my wisdom and hard work to get will belong to him. All this has no purpose. 20 So I was very upset when I thought about all my hard work on the earth. 21 Some people are very wise and clever. They use their knowledge to provide good things for themselves. But after they die, someone else will have all their things. Their good things will belong to someone who did not have to work to get them. This also has no purpose. It only brings trouble.
22 People have to do a lot of hard work on this earth and it causes them to worry. But in the end, they have nothing. 23 Every day, their work causes their bodies to suffer. At night, their minds do not have any rest. All this has no purpose.
24 So I decided what is best for us to do. We should be happy to eat and to drink. And we should enjoy our work. I realized that all these things are gifts from God. 25 Without God's help, nobody can eat anything or enjoy anything. 26 God gives wisdom, knowledge and joy to people who please him. Wicked people may work hard and become rich. But God takes away their valuable things and he gives them to someone who pleases him. So their hard work has no purpose. It is like somebody who tries to catch the wind.
2 I said to myself, “I should have fun—I should enjoy everything as much as I can.” But I learned that this is also useless. 2 It is foolish to laugh all the time. Having fun does not do any good.
3 So I decided to fill my body with wine while I filled my mind with wisdom. I tried this foolishness because I wanted to find a way to be happy. I wanted to see what was good for people to do during their few days of life.
4 Then I began doing great things. I built houses, and I planted vineyards for myself. 5 I planted gardens, and I made parks. I planted all kinds of fruit trees. 6 I made pools of water for myself, and I used them to water my growing trees. 7 I bought men and women slaves, and there were slaves born in my house. I owned many great things. I had herds of cattle and flocks of sheep. I owned more things than any other person in Jerusalem did.
8 I also gathered silver and gold for myself. I took treasures from kings and their nations. I had men and women singing for me. I had everything any man could want.
9 I became very rich and famous. I was greater than anyone who lived in Jerusalem before me. My wisdom was always there to help me. 10 Anything my eyes saw and wanted, I got for myself. My mind was pleased with everything I did. And this happiness was the reward for all my hard work.
11 But then I looked at everything I had done and the wealth I had gained. I decided it was all a waste of time! It was like trying to catch the wind. [ a ] There is nothing to gain from anything we do in this life. [ b ]
12 Then I decided to think about what it means to be wise or to be foolish or to do crazy things. And I thought about the one who will be the next king. The new king will do the same as the kings before him. [ c ] 13 I saw that wisdom is better than foolishness in the same way that light is better than darkness. 14 Wise people use their minds like eyes to see where they are going. But for fools, it is as if they are walking in the dark.
I also saw that fools and wise people both end the same way. 15 I thought to myself, “The same thing that happens to a fool will also happen to me. So why have I tried so hard to become wise?” I said to myself, “Being wise is also useless.” 16 Whether people are wise or foolish, they will still die, and no one will remember either one of them forever. In the future, people will forget everything both of them did. So the two are really the same.
17 This made me hate life. It was depressing to think that everything in this life is useless, like trying to catch the wind.
18 I began to hate all the hard work I had done, because I saw that the people who live after me would get the things that I worked for. I will not be able to take them with me. 19 Some other person will control everything I worked and studied for. And I don’t know if that person will be wise or foolish. This is also senseless.
20 So I became sad about all the work I had done. 21 People can work hard using all their wisdom and knowledge and skill. But they will die and other people will get the things they worked for. They did not do the work, but they will get everything. That makes me very sad. It is also not fair and is senseless.
22 What do people really have after all their work and struggling in this life? 23 Throughout their life, they have pain, frustrations, and hard work. Even at night, a person’s mind does not rest. This is also senseless.
24-25 There is no one who has tried to enjoy life more than I have. And this is what I learned: The best thing people can do is eat, drink, and enjoy the work they must do. I also saw that this comes from God. [ d ] 26 If people do good and please God, he will give them wisdom, knowledge, and joy. But those who sin will get only the work of gathering and carrying things. God takes from the bad person and gives to the good person. But all this work is useless. It is like trying to catch the wind.
2 I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.
2 I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?
3 I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life.
4 I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards:
5 I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits:
6 I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees:
7 I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me:
8 I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts.
9 So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.
10 And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.
11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.
12 And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.
13 Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.
14 The wise man's eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all.
15 Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity.
16 For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? as the fool.
17 Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
18 Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me.
19 And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity.
20 Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun.
21 For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.
22 For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun?
23 For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity.
24 There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.
25 For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I?
26 For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.
2 I said [ a ] to myself, “Come now, I will test you with ( A ) pleasure. So [ b ] enjoy yourself.” And behold, it too was futility. 2 ( B ) I said of laughter, “ It is senseless,” and of pleasure, “What does this accomplish?” 3 I explored with my [ c ] mind how to ( C ) refresh my body with wine while my [ d ] mind was guiding me wisely; and how to seize ( D ) foolishness, until I could see ( E ) what good there is for the sons of mankind [ e ] to do under heaven for the few [ f ] years of their lives. 4 I enlarged my works: I ( F ) built houses for myself, I planted ( G ) vineyards for myself; 5 I made ( H ) gardens and ( I ) parks for myself, and I planted in them all kinds of fruit trees; 6 I made ( J ) ponds of water for myself from which to irrigate a forest of growing trees. 7 I bought male and female slaves, and I had [ g ] ( K ) slaves born at home. I also possessed flocks and ( L ) herds larger than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. 8 I also amassed for myself silver and ( M ) gold, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I provided for myself ( N ) male and female singers, and the pleasures of the sons of mankind: many concubines.
9 Then I became ( O ) great and increased more than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also stood by me. 10 ( P ) All that my eyes desired, I did not refuse them. I did not restrain my heart from any pleasure, for my heart was pleased because of all my labor; and this was my ( Q ) reward for all my labor. 11 So I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had [ h ] exerted, and behold, all was ( R ) futility and striving after wind, and there was ( S ) no benefit under the sun.
12 So I turned to ( T ) consider wisdom, insanity, and foolishness; for what will the man do who will come after the king, except ( U ) what has already been done? 13 Then I saw that ( V ) wisdom surpasses foolishness as light surpasses darkness. 14 The wise person’s eyes are in his head, but the ( W ) fool walks in darkness. And yet I know that ( X ) one and the same fate happens to [ i ] both of them. 15 Then I said [ j ] to myself, “ ( Y ) As is the fate of the fool, it will also happen to me. ( Z ) Why then have I been extremely wise?” So [ k ] I said to myself, “This too is futility.” 16 For there is ( AA ) no [ l ] lasting remembrance of the wise, along with the fool, since in the coming days everything will [ m ] soon be forgotten. And ( AB ) how the wise and the fool alike die! 17 So I ( AC ) hated life, for the work which had been done under the sun was [ n ] unhappy to me; because everything is futility and striving after wind.
18 So I hated ( AD ) all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun, because I must ( AE ) leave it to the man who will come after me. 19 And who knows whether he will be wise or ( AF ) a fool? Yet he will have control over all the fruit of my labor for which I have labored by acting wisely under the sun. This too is ( AG ) futility. 20 Therefore I [ o ] completely despaired over all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun. 21 When there is a person who has labored with wisdom, knowledge, and ( AH ) skill, and then ( AI ) gives his [ p ] legacy to one who has not labored for it; this too is futility and a great evil. 22 For what does a person get in ( AJ ) all his labor and in [ q ] his striving with which he labors under the sun? 23 Because all his days his activity is painful and ( AK ) irritating; even at night his [ r ] mind ( AL ) does not rest. This too is futility.
24 There is ( AM ) nothing better for a person than to eat and drink, and show [ s ] himself some good in his trouble. This too I have seen, that it is ( AN ) from the hand of God. 25 For who can eat and who can have enjoyment without [ t ] Him? 26 For to a person who is good in His sight, ( AO ) He has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, while to the sinner He has given the task of gathering and collecting so that he may ( AP ) give to one who is good in God’s sight. This too is ( AQ ) futility and striving after wind.
2 I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure ( A ) to find out what is good.” But that also proved to be meaningless. 2 “Laughter,” ( B ) I said, “is madness. And what does pleasure accomplish?” 3 I tried cheering myself with wine, ( C ) and embracing folly ( D ) —my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was good for people to do under the heavens during the few days of their lives.
4 I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself ( E ) and planted vineyards. ( F ) 5 I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. 6 I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. 7 I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves ( G ) who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. 8 I amassed silver and gold ( H ) for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. ( I ) I acquired male and female singers, ( J ) and a harem [ a ] as well—the delights of a man’s heart. 9 I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem ( K ) before me. ( L ) In all this my wisdom stayed with me.
10 I denied myself nothing my eyes desired;
I refused my heart no pleasure.
My heart took delight in all my labor,
and this was the reward for all my toil.
11 Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done
and what I had toiled to achieve,
everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; ( M )
nothing was gained under the sun. ( N )
12 Then I turned my thoughts to consider wisdom,
and also madness and folly. ( O )
What more can the king’s successor do
than what has already been done? ( P )
13 I saw that wisdom ( Q ) is better than folly, ( R )
just as light is better than darkness.
14 The wise have eyes in their heads,
while the fool walks in the darkness;
but I came to realize
that the same fate overtakes them both. ( S )
15 Then I said to myself,
“The fate of the fool will overtake me also.
What then do I gain by being wise?” ( T )
I said to myself,
“This too is meaningless.”
16 For the wise, like the fool, will not be long remembered; ( U )
the days have already come when both have been forgotten. ( V )
Like the fool, the wise too must die! ( W )
17 So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. ( X ) 18 I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. ( Y ) 19 And who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish? ( Z ) Yet they will have control over all the fruit of my toil into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless. 20 So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labor under the sun. 21 For a person may labor with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then they must leave all they own to another who has not toiled for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. 22 What do people get for all the toil and anxious striving with which they labor under the sun? ( AA ) 23 All their days their work is grief and pain; ( AB ) even at night their minds do not rest. ( AC ) This too is meaningless.
24 A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink ( AD ) and find satisfaction in their own toil. ( AE ) This too, I see, is from the hand of God, ( AF ) 25 for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? ( AG ) 26 To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, ( AH ) knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth ( AI ) to hand it over to the one who pleases God. ( AJ ) This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
