1 I said in my heart, Come now, I will try thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure. But behold, this also is vanity.

I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with things that are fun. So have a good time.” But see, this also was for nothing.

2 I said of laughter, Madness! and of mirth, What availeth it?

I said of laughing, “It is crazy,” and of fun, “What use is it?”

3 I searched in my heart how to cherish my flesh with wine, while practising my heart with wisdom; and how to lay hold on folly, till I should see what was that good for the children of men which they should do under the heavens all the days of their life.

I tried to find in my mind how to make my body happy with wine, yet at the same time having my mind lead me with wisdom. I tried to find how to take hold of what is foolish, until I could see what good there is for the sons of men to do under heaven during the few years of their lives.

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

I did great things. I built houses for myself. I planted grape-fields for myself.

5 I made me gardens and parks, and I planted trees in them of every kind of fruit;

I made gardens and beautiful places for myself, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees.

6 I made me ponds of water, to water therewith the wood, where the trees are reared.

I made pools of water for myself from which to water many new trees.

7 I acquired servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all that had been in Jerusalem before me.

I bought men and women servants, and had other servants who were born in my house. I had more flocks and cattle than anyone before me in Jerusalem.

8 I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces; I got me men-singers and women-singers, and the delights of the children of men, a wife and concubines.

I gathered for myself silver and gold and the riches of kings and lands. I got for myself male and female singers, and kept many women who acted as my wives, the joy of man.

9 A nd I became great, and increased more than all that had been before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.

Then I became great, greater than all who lived before me in Jerusalem. And my wisdom stayed 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 from all my labour.

Whatever my eyes wanted I did not keep away from them. I did not keep my heart from anything that was pleasing, for my heart was pleased with all my work. This was my reward for all my work.

11 T hen I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that it had cost me to do; and behold, all was vanity and pursuit of the wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

Then I thought about all that my hands had done, and the work I had done. I saw that it was all for nothing. It was like trying to catch the wind, and there was nothing to get for it under the sun. The End of the Wise Man or Fool

12 A nd I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly; for what shall the man that cometh after the king?—that which hath already been done.

So I turned to think about wisdom and what is crazy and foolish. For what can the man do who comes after the king, except what has already been done?

13 A nd I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as light excelleth darkness.

And I saw that wisdom is better than what is foolish, as light is better than darkness.

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

The wise man’s eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I know that one thing will happen to both of them.

15 A nd I said in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool so will it happen even to me; and why was I then so wise? Then I said in my heart that this also is vanity.

Then I said to myself, “What happens to the fool will happen to me also. Why then have I been so very wise?” So I said to myself, “This also is for nothing.”

16 F or there shall be no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; because everything is already forgotten in the days which come. And how dieth the wise even as the fool?

For the wise man will not be remembered forever any more than the fool. All will be forgotten in the days to come. The wise man dies just like the fool!

17 A nd I hated life; for the work that is wrought under the sun was grievous unto me; for all is vanity and pursuit of the wind.

So I hated life. For the work which had been done under the sun brought sorrow to me. Because everything is for nothing and is like trying to catch the wind.

18 A nd I hated all my labour wherewith I had been toiling under the sun, because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me.

I hated what came from all my work which I had done 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 or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour at which I have laboured, and wherein I have been wise under the sun. This also is vanity.

And who knows if he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will rule over all that I have worked for by acting with wisdom under the sun. This also is for nothing.

20 T hen I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour wherewith I had laboured under the sun.

So I was filled with sorrow for all I had worked for under the sun.

21 F or there is a man whose labour hath been with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skill, and who leaveth it to a man that hath not laboured therein, to be his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.

For here is a man who has worked with wisdom, much learning, and an able hand. Yet he must give this to one who has not worked for it. This also is for nothing, and very wrong.

22 F or what will man have of all his labour and of the striving of his heart, wherewith he hath wearied himself under the sun?

For what does a man get from all his work and trouble under the sun?

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

For his work brings pain and sorrow all his days. Even during the night his mind does not rest. This also is for nothing.

24 T here is nothing good for man, but 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 to eat and drink and find joy in his work. I have seen that this also is from the hand of God.

25 F or who can eat, or who be eager, more than I?

For who can eat and who can find joy without Him?

26 F or he 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 in God's sight. This also is vanity and pursuit of the wind.

For God has given wisdom and much learning and joy to the person who is good in God’s eyes. But to the sinner He has given the work of gathering and getting many riches together to give to the one who pleases God. This also is for nothing, like trying to catch the wind.