⁴I accomplished great things.^k I built for myself houses; I planted for myself vineyards. ⁵I made for myself gardens and parks, and I planted all sorts of fruit trees in them. ⁶I made for myself pools of water from which to irrigate a grove of flourishing trees. ⁷I acquired male slaves and female slaves, as well as children born in my house. I also had livestock, cattle, and flocks more than anyone who was before me in Jerusalem. ⁸I also gathered to myself silver and gold—the royal and provincial treasuries. I acquired for myself male and female singers, as well as the delight of men,^l voluptuous concubines.^m

⁹Thus, I accomplished far moreⁿ than anyone who was before me in Jerusalem—indeed, my wisdom stood by me. ¹⁰I neither withheld anything from my eyes that they desired, nor did I deprive any pleasure from my heart. My heart rejoiced in all my toil, for this was my reward from all my toil. ¹¹Yet when I considered^o all the effort which I expended and the toil with which I toiled to do, then behold, “Everything is vanity and chasing wind! There is nothing profitable under the sun!”

Read in Logos

Footnotes

kLiterally “I made great my works”
lLiterally “the sons of the man”
mLiterally “a breast and breasts,” as a synecdoche for beautiful women in the king’s harem
nLiterally “I became great and I surpassed”
oOr “turned to”