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 to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure. So enjoy yourself.” And behold, it too was futility.

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

I said of laughter, “It is madness,” 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 explored with my mind how to stimulate my body with wine while my mind was guiding me wisely, and how to take hold of folly, until I could see what good there is for the sons of men to do under heaven the few years of their lives.

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

I enlarged my works: I built houses for myself, I planted vineyards for myself;

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

I made gardens and parks for myself 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 ponds of water for myself from which to irrigate a forest of growing trees.

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 male and female slaves and I had homeborn slaves. Also I possessed flocks and herds larger than all who preceded 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.

Also, I collected for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I provided for myself male and female singers and the pleasures of men—many concubines.

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

Then I became great and increased more than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also 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.

All that my eyes desired I did not refuse them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my heart was pleased because of all my labor and this was my reward for all my labor.

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.

Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun. Wisdom Excels Folly

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, madness and folly; for what will the man do who will come after the king except what has already been done?

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

And I saw that wisdom excels folly as light excels 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 know that one fate befalls 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 I said to myself, “ As is the fate of the fool, it will also befall me. Why then have I been extremely wise?” So I said to myself, “This too is vanity.”

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 there is no lasting remembrance of the wise man as with the fool, inasmuch as in the coming days all will be forgotten. And how the wise man and the fool alike die!

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, for the work which had been done under the sun was grievous to me; because everything is futility and striving after wind. The Futility of Labor

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.

Thus I hated all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun, for I must leave it to the man who will come after 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 control over all the fruit of my labor for which I have labored by acting wisely under the sun. This too is vanity.

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

Therefore I completely despaired of all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored 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.

When there is a man who has labored with wisdom, knowledge and skill, then he gives his legacy to one who has not labored with them. This too is vanity 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 does a man get in all his labor and in his striving with which he labors 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.

Because all his days his task is painful and grievous; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is vanity.

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 to eat and drink and tell himself that his labor is good. This also I have seen that it is from the hand of God.

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

For who can eat and who can have enjoyment without 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 a person who is good in His sight 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 give to one who is good in God’s sight. This too is vanity and striving after wind.