2I said to myself, “I will try having fun. I will enjoy myself.” But I found that this is also useless. ²It is foolish to laugh all the time, and having fun doesn’t accomplish anything. ³I decided to cheer myself up with wine while my mind was still thinking wisely. I wanted to find a way to enjoy myself and see what was good for people to do during their few days of life.

Does Hard Work Bring Happiness?

⁴Then I did great things: I built houses and planted vineyards for myself. ⁵I made gardens and parks, and I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. ⁶I made pools of water for myself and used them to water my growing trees. ⁷I bought male and female slaves, and slaves were also born in my house. I had large herds and flocks, more than anyone in Jerusalem had ever had before. ⁸I also gathered silver and gold for myself, treasures from kings and other areas. I had male and female singers and all the women a man could ever want. ⁹I became very famous, even greater than anyone who had lived in Jerusalem before me. My wisdom helped me in all this.

¹⁰Anything I saw and wanted, I got for myself;

I did not miss any pleasure I desired.

I was pleased with everything I did,

and this pleasure was the reward for all my hard work.

¹¹But then I looked at what I had done,

and I thought about all the hard work.

Suddenly I realized it was useless, like chasing the wind.

There is nothing to gain from anything we do here on earth.

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