Chapter 2
1: I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.
2: I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?
3: I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and tolay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life.
4: I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards:
5: I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits:
6: I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees:
7: I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me:
8: I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts.
9: So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.
10: And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.
11: Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all wasvanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.
12: And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.
13: Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.
14: The wise man's eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and Imyself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all.
15: Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then morewise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity.
16: For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? as the fool.
17: Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all isvanity and vexation of spirit.
18: Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me.
19: And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I havelaboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity.
20: Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun.
21: For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also isvanity and a great evil.
22: For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun?
23: For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity.
24: There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.
25: For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I?
26: For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heapup, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity andvexation of spirit.
