Ecclesiastes 2

I said in my heart, Come now, I will prove thee with mirth ; therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also was vanity.

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

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

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

I made me pools of water, to water therefrom the forest where trees were reared;

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 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.

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

And 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 .

Then 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.

And 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 .

Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.

The 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.

Then 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.

For 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 !

So 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 .

And 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.

And 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.

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

For 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.

For what hath a man of all his labor , and of the striving of his heart, wherein he laboreth under the sun?

For 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.

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.

For who can eat, or who can have enjoyment , more than I?

For 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 .