1 I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you 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 foolishness”; and of mirth, “What does it accomplish?”

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 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.

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 myself great works. I built myself houses. I planted myself vineyards.

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

5 I made myself 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 myself pools of water, to water from it 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 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;

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 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.

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 who were before me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also remained with me.

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

10 W hatever 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 excels folly, as far as light excels 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 walks in darkness—and yet I perceived that one event happens 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 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.

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 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!

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 worked under the sun was grievous to me; for all is vanity and a chasing 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 I hated all my labor in which I labored under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes 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 W ho 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.

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 began to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor in which 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, 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.

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 has a man of all his labor, and of the striving of his heart, in which he labors 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 sorrows, and his travail is grief; yes, even in the night his heart takes 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 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.

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.