Ecclesiastes 2:4–11

⁴I made my works great, I built myself ^fhouses, and planted myself vineyards. ⁵I made myself gardens and orchards, and I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. ⁶I made myself water pools from which to ³water the growing trees of the grove. ⁷I acquired male and female servants, and had ⁴servants born in my house. Yes, I had greater possessions of herds and flocks than all who were in Jerusalem before me. ^8gI also gathered for myself silver and gold and the special treasures of kings and of the provinces. I acquired male and female singers, the delights of the sons of men, and ⁵musical instruments of all kinds.

^9hSo I became great and ⁶excelled ⁱmore than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me.

¹⁰Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them.

I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure,

For my heart rejoiced in all my labor;

And ^jthis was my ⁷reward from all my labor.

¹¹Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done

And on the labor in which I had toiled;

And indeed all was ^kvanity and grasping for the wind.

There was no profit under the sun.