Ecclesiastes 2:18–26

¹⁸And 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. ¹⁹And 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. ²⁰Then I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour wherewith I had laboured under the sun. ²¹For there is a man whose labour hath been with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skill, and who leaveth it to a man that hath not laboured therein, to be his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil. ²²For what will man have of all his labour and of the striving of his heart, wherewith he hath wearied himself under the sun? ²³For all his days are sorrows, and his travail vexation: even in the night his heart taketh no rest. This also is vanity. ²⁴There is nothing good for man, but that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God. ²⁵For who can eat, or who be eager, more than I? ²⁶For he giveth to a man that is good in his sight 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 is good in God’s sight. This also is vanity and pursuit of the wind.