1 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.

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

I said of laughter, It is mad, and of pleasure, What does it accomplish?

3 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

7 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.

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 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.

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 T hen I became great, greater than all who lived before me in Jerusalem. And my wisdom stayed 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 W hatever 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.

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 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

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 S o 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?

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 A nd I saw that wisdom is better than what is foolish, as light is better than 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, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I know that one thing will happen to both of them.

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 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.”

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 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!

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. 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 S o I was filled with sorrow for all I had worked for 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 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.

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 does a man get from all his work and trouble 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 his work brings pain and sorrow all his days. Even during the night his mind does not rest. This also is for nothing.

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 to eat and drink and find joy in his work. I have seen that this also 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 and who can find joy without Him?

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

26 F or 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.

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.