1 I said in my heart, Come now, I will prove thee with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also was vanity.

I said in my mind, Come now, I will prove you with mirth and test you with pleasure; so have a good time. But this also was vanity (emptiness, falsity, and futility)!

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

I said of laughter, It is mad, and of pleasure, 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 on folly, till I might see what it was good for the sons of men that they should do under heaven all the days of their life.

I searched in my mind how to cheer my body with wine—yet at the same time having my mind hold its course and guide me with wisdom—and how to lay hold of folly, till I might see what was good for the sons of men to do under heaven all the days of their lives.

4 I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards;

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

5 I made me gardens and parks, and I planted trees in them of all kinds of fruit;

I made for myself gardens and orchards and I planted in them all kinds of fruit trees.

6 I made me pools of water, to water therefrom the forest where trees were reared;

I made for myself pools of water from which to water the forest and make the trees bud.

7 I bought men-servants and maid-servants, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all that were before me in Jerusalem;

I bought menservants and maidservants and had servants born in my house. Also I had great possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem.

8 I gathered me also silver and gold, and the treasure of kings and of the provinces; I gat me men-singers and women-singers, and the delights of the sons of men, musical instruments, and that of all sorts.

I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and of the provinces. I got for myself men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men— concubines very many.

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 became great and increased more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me and stood by 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 because of all my labor; and this was my portion from all my labor.

And whatever my eyes desired I kept not from them; I withheld not my heart from any pleasure, for my heart rejoiced in all my labor, and this was my portion and reward for all my toil.

11 T hen I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labor that I had labored to do; and, behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

Then I looked on all that my hands had done and the labor I had spent in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after the wind and a feeding on it, 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 done long ago.

So I turned to consider wisdom and madness and folly; for what can the man do who succeeds the king? Nothing but what has been done already.

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

Then I saw that even wisdom is better than folly as far as light is better than darkness.

14 T he wise man's eyes are in his head, and the fool walketh in darkness: and yet I perceived that one event happeneth to them all.

The wise man’s eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness; and yet I perceived that one event happens to them both.

15 T hen said I in my heart, As it happeneth 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.

Then said I in my heart, As it happens to the fool, so it will happen even to me. And of what use is it then for me to be more wise? Then I said in my heart, This also is vanity (emptiness, vainglory, and futility)!

16 F or of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no remembrance for ever; seeing that in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. And how doth the wise man die even as the fool!

For of the wise man, the same as of the fool, there is no permanent remembrance, since in the days to come all will be long forgotten. And how does the wise man die? Even as the fool!

17 S o I hated life, because the work that is wrought under the sun was grievous unto me; for all is vanity and a striving after wind.

So I hated life, because what is done under the sun was grievous to me; for all is vanity and a striving after the wind and a feeding on it.

18 A nd I hated all my labor wherein I labored under the sun, seeing that I must leave it unto the man that shall be after me.

And I hated all my labor in which I had toiled under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to the man who will succeed me.

19 A nd who knoweth whether he will be a wise man or a fool? yet will he have rule over all my labor wherein I have labored, and wherein I have showed myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.

And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have dominion over all my labor in which I have toiled and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity (emptiness, falsity, and futility)!

20 T herefore I turned about to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor wherein I had labored under the sun.

So I turned around and gave my heart up to despair over all the labor of my efforts under the sun.

21 F or there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skilfulness; yet to a man that hath not labored therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.

For here is a man whose labor is with wisdom and knowledge and skill; yet to a man who has not toiled for it he must leave it all as his portion. This also is vanity (emptiness, falsity, and futility) and a great evil!

22 F or what hath a man of all his labor, and of the striving of his heart, wherein he laboreth under the sun?

For what has a man left from all his labor and from the striving and vexation of his heart in which he has toiled under the sun?

23 F or all his days are but sorrows, and his travail is grief; yea, even in the night his heart taketh no rest. This also is vanity.

For all his days are but pain and sorrow, and his work is a vexation and grief; his mind takes no rest even at night. This is also vanity (emptiness, falsity, and futility)!

24 T here 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.

There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink and make himself enjoy good in his labor. Even this, I have seen, is from the hand of God.

25 F or who can eat, or who can have enjoyment, more than I?

For who can eat or who can have enjoyment any more than I can— apart from Him ?

26 F or to the man that pleaseth him God giveth 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 pleaseth God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

For to the person who pleases Him God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy; but to the sinner He gives the work of gathering and heaping up, that he may give to one who pleases God. This also is vanity and a striving after the wind and a feeding on it.