1 I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.

¶ I said in my heart, Come now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy good things; and, behold, this also is vanity.

2 I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?

I said of laughter, It is mad, and of mirth, What does it do?

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.

I proposed in my heart to regale my flesh with wine and that my heart would walk in wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, until 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:

I made myself great works; I built myself houses; I planted myself vineyards;

5 I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits:

I made myself 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:

I made myself pools of water, to water with them the forest that brings 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:

I got myself slaves and maidens and had sons born in my house; also I had great possessions of cattle and sheep 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.

I gathered unto myself also silver and gold and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces; I obtained men singers and women singers and all the delights of the sons of men, musical instruments, and those of all sorts.

9 S o I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.

So I was great and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem, and more than that, my wisdom remained with me.

10 A nd 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.

And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them; I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour, and this was my portion of all my labour.

11 T hen 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.

At last 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 A nd 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.

¶ And I turned myself to behold wisdom and those who are mad, and folly; for what can the man do that comes after the king? even that which has already been done.

13 T hen I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.

And I have seen that wisdom excels folly as far as light excels darkness.

14 T he 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.

The wise man has his eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness: And I myself also understood that one event happens to the one and to the other.

15 T hen 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.

Then I said in my heart, As it shall happen to the fool, so it shall happen even to me. Why have I worked until now to make myself wiser? Then I said in my heart that this also is vanity.

16 F or 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.

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 also the wise man shall die the same as the fool.

17 T herefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

¶ Therefore I hated life because every work that is wrought under the sun was grievous unto me; for all was vanity and vexation of spirit.

18 Y ea, 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.

Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun, which I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me.

19 A nd 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.

And who knows whether he shall be a wise man or a fool, he who shall have rule over all my labour in which I have laboured and in which I have showed myself wise under the sun? This is also vanity.

20 T herefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun.

Therefore my heart began to despair again regarding all the labour which I took under the sun.

21 F or 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.

That the man who worked with wisdom and with knowledge and with uprightness would have to leave his portion to a man that has not laboured therein. This also is vanity and a great evil.

22 F or what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun?

For what does man have of all his labour and of the vexation of his heart in which he has laboured under the sun?

23 F or all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity.

For all his days are only sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart does not take rest in the night. This is also vanity.

24 T here 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.

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. I also have seen that this is from the hand of God.

25 F or who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I?

For who can eat, or who can care for himself better than I?

26 F or 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.

For God gives to the man that is good in his sight wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to the one that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.