Ecclesiastes 2:1–11

The Vanity of Pleasure and Possessions

¹I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with ^agladness, so that you shall see good things.” And behold, it too was vanity.

^2aI said of laughter, “It is madness,” and of gladness, “What does it do?”

³I explored with my heart how to ^1astimulate my ²body with wine—while my heart was guiding me wisely—and how to seize ^bsimpleminded folly, until I could see ^cwhere is this good for the sons of men in what they do under heaven the few days of their lives.

⁴I made my works great: I ^abuilt houses for myself; I planted ^bvineyards for myself;

⁵I made for myself ^agardens and ^bparks, and I planted in them all kinds of fruit trees;

⁶I made for myself ^apools of water from which to water a forest of growing trees.

⁷I bought male and female slaves, and I had ^1ahomeborn slaves. Also I possessed flocks and ^bherds larger than all who preceded me in Jerusalem.

⁸Also, I collected for myself silver and ^agold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I provided for myself ^bmale and female singers and the pleasures of the sons of men—many concubines.

⁹Then I became ^agreat and increased more than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also stood by me.

^10aAll that my eyes asked for I did not refuse them. I did not withhold my heart from any gladness, for my heart was glad because of all my labor, and this was my ^breward for all my labor.

¹¹Thus I turned to all my works which my hands had done and the labor which I had labored to do, and behold, all was ^1avanity and striving after wind, and there was ^bno advantage under the sun.