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 heart, “Come now, I will test you with mirth: therefore enjoy pleasure”; and behold, this also was vanity.

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

I said of laughter, “It is foolishness”; and of mirth, “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 heart how to cheer my flesh with wine, my heart yet guiding me with wisdom, and how to lay hold of folly, until I might see what it was good for the sons of men that they should 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 myself great works. I built myself houses. I planted myself vineyards.

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

I made myself gardens and parks, and I planted trees in them of all kinds of fruit.

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

I made myself pools of water, to water from it the forest where trees were reared.

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 male servants and female servants, and had servants born in my house. I also had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all who were 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 silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and of the provinces. I got myself male and female singers, and the delights of the sons of men—musical instruments, and that of all sorts.

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

So I was great, and increased more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also remained with 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.

Whatever my eyes desired, I didn’t keep from them. I didn’t withhold my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced because of all my labor, and this was my portion from all my labor.

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 at all the works that my hands had worked, and at the labor that I had labored to do; and behold, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, 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?

I turned myself to consider wisdom, madness, and folly: for what can the king’s successor do? Just that which has been done long ago.

13 A nd I saw that wisdom is better than what is foolish, as light is better than darkness.

Then I saw that wisdom excels folly, as far as light excels 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, and the fool walks in darkness—and yet I perceived that one event happens to them all.

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 I said in my heart, “As it happens to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise?” Then I said in my heart that this also is vanity.

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, even as of the fool, there is no memory for ever, since in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. Indeed, the wise man must die just like 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 the work that is worked under the sun was grievous to me; for all is vanity and a chasing after wind.

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.

I hated all my labor in which I labored under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes after 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.

Who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have rule over all of my labor in which I have labored, and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.

20 S o I was filled with sorrow for all I had worked for under the sun.

Therefore I began to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor in which I had labored 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 there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, with knowledge, and with skillfulness; yet he shall leave it for his portion to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity 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 of all his labor, and of the striving of his heart, in which he labors 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 sorrows, and his travail is grief; yes, even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.

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 his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it 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, more than I?

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 man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who pleases God. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.