Ecclesiastes 2:4–11

The Spokesman Studies Personal Achievements

⁴I accomplished some great things: 

I built houses for myself. 

I planted vineyards for myself. 

⁵I made gardens and parks for myself. 

I planted every kind of fruit tree in them. 

⁶I made pools to water the forest of growing trees. 

⁷I bought male and female slaves. 

In addition, slaves were born in my household. 

I owned more herds and flocks 

than anyone in Jerusalem before me. 

⁸I also gathered silver and gold for myself. 

I gathered the treasures of kings and provinces. 

I provided myself with male and female singers 

and the pleasures men have with one concubine^aafter another. 

⁹So I grew richer than anyone in Jerusalem before me. Yet, my wisdom remained with me. ¹⁰If something appealed to me, I did it. I allowed myself to have any pleasure I wanted, since I found pleasure in my work. This was my reward for all my hard work. 

¹¹But when I turned to look at all that I had accomplished and all the hard work I had put into it, I saw that it was all pointless. ⸤It was like⸥ trying to catch the wind. I gained nothing ⸤from any of my accomplishments⸥ under the sun.