Ecclesiastes 2:1–19

1  I said in my heart, Come now, I will try thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure. But behold, this also is vanity. 2  I said of laughter, Madness! and of mirth, What availeth 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. 4  I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards; 5  I made me gardens and parks, and I planted trees in them of every kind of fruit; 6  I made me ponds of water, to water therewith the wood, where the trees are reared. 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. 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. 9  And I became great, and increased more than all that had been before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me. 10  And 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. 11  Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that it had cost me to do them; and behold, all was vanity and pursuit of the wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

12  And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly; for what shall the man do that cometh after the king? —that which hath already been done. 13  And I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as light excelleth darkness. 14  The 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. 15  And 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. 16  For 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?

17  And 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. 18  And 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. 19  And who knoweth whether he will be a wise man 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.