1 I said|strong="H0559" in mine heart|strong="H3820", Go to now|strong="H3212", I will prove|strong="H5254" thee with mirth|strong="H8057", therefore enjoy|strong="H7200" pleasure|strong="H2896": and, behold, this also is vanity|strong="H1892".
2 I said|strong="H0559" of laughter|strong="H7814", It is mad|strong="H1984": and of mirth|strong="H8057", What|strong="H2090" doeth|strong="H6213" it?
3 I sought|strong="H8446" in mine heart|strong="H3820" to give|strong="H4900" myself|strong="H1320" unto wine|strong="H3196", yet acquainting|strong="H5090" mine heart|strong="H3820" with wisdom|strong="H2451"; and to lay hold|strong="H0270" on folly|strong="H5531", till I might see|strong="H7200" what was that good|strong="H2896" for the sons|strong="H1121" of men|strong="H0120", which they should do|strong="H6213" under the heaven|strong="H8064" all|strong="H4557" the days|strong="H3117" of their life|strong="H2416".
4 I made me great|strong="H1431" works|strong="H4639"; I builded|strong="H1129" me houses|strong="H1004"; I planted|strong="H5193" me vineyards|strong="H3754":
5 I made|strong="H6213" me gardens|strong="H1593" and orchards|strong="H6508", and I planted|strong="H5193" trees|strong="H6086" in them of all kind of fruits|strong="H6529":
6 I made|strong="H6213" me pools|strong="H1295" of water|strong="H4325", to water|strong="H8248" therewith the wood|strong="H3293" that bringeth forth|strong="H6779" trees|strong="H6086":
7 I got|strong="H7069" me servants|strong="H5650" and maidens|strong="H8198", and had servants born|strong="H1121" in my house|strong="H1004"; also I had great|strong="H7235" possessions|strong="H4735" of great|strong="H1241" and small cattle|strong="H6629" above all that were in Jerusalem|strong="H3389" before|strong="H6440" me:
8 I gathered|strong="H3664" me also silver|strong="H3701" and gold|strong="H2091", and the peculiar treasure|strong="H5459" of kings|strong="H4428" and of the provinces|strong="H4082": I gat|strong="H6213" me men singers|strong="H7891" and women singers|strong="H7891", and the delights|strong="H8588" of the sons|strong="H1121" of men|strong="H0120", as musical instruments|strong="H7705", and that of all sorts.
9 So I was great|strong="H1431", and increased|strong="H3254" more than all that were before|strong="H6440" me in Jerusalem|strong="H3389": also my wisdom|strong="H2451" remained|strong="H5975" with me.
10 And whatsoever mine eyes|strong="H5869" desired|strong="H7592" I kept|strong="H0680" not from them, I withheld|strong="H4513" not my heart|strong="H3820" from any joy|strong="H8057"; for my heart|strong="H3820" rejoiced|strong="H8056" in all my labour|strong="H5999": and this was my portion|strong="H2506" of all my labour|strong="H5999".
11 Then I looked|strong="H6437" on all the works|strong="H4639" that my hands|strong="H3027" had wrought|strong="H6213", and on the labour|strong="H5999" that I had laboured|strong="H5998" to do|strong="H6213": and, behold, all was vanity|strong="H1892" and vexation|strong="H7469" of spirit|strong="H7307", and there was no profit|strong="H3504" under the sun|strong="H8121".
12 And I turned|strong="H6437" myself to behold|strong="H7200" wisdom|strong="H2451", and madness|strong="H1947", and folly|strong="H5531": for what can the man|strong="H0120" do that cometh|strong="H0935" after|strong="H0310" the king|strong="H4428"? even that which hath been already|strong="H3528" done|strong="H6213".
13 Then I saw|strong="H7200" that|strong="H3426" wisdom|strong="H2451" excelleth|strong="H3504" folly|strong="H5531", as far as light|strong="H0216" excelleth|strong="H3504" darkness|strong="H2822".
14 The wise man’s|strong="H2450" eyes|strong="H5869" are in his head|strong="H7218"; but the fool|strong="H3684" walketh|strong="H1980" in darkness|strong="H2822": and I myself perceived|strong="H3045" also that one|strong="H0259" event|strong="H4745" happeneth|strong="H7136" to them all.
15 Then|strong="H0227" said|strong="H0559" I in my heart|strong="H3820", As it happeneth|strong="H4745" to the fool|strong="H3684", so it happeneth|strong="H7136" even to me|strong="H1571"; and why was I then more|strong="H3148" wise|strong="H2449"? Then I said|strong="H1696" in my heart|strong="H3820", that this also is vanity|strong="H1892".
16 For there is no remembrance|strong="H2146" of the wise|strong="H2450" more than|strong="H5973" of the fool|strong="H3684" for ever|strong="H5769"; seeing that which now|strong="H3528" is in the days|strong="H3117" to come|strong="H0935" shall all be forgotten|strong="H7911". And how dieth|strong="H4191" the wise|strong="H2450" man? as the fool|strong="H3684".
17 Therefore I hated|strong="H8130" life|strong="H2416"; because the work|strong="H4639" that is wrought|strong="H6213" under the sun|strong="H8121" is grievous|strong="H7451" unto me: for all is vanity|strong="H1892" and vexation|strong="H7469" of spirit|strong="H7307".
18 Yea, I hated|strong="H8130" all my labour|strong="H5999" which I had taken|strong="H6001" under the sun|strong="H8121": because I should leave|strong="H3240" it unto the man|strong="H0120" that shall be after|strong="H0310" me.
19 And who knoweth|strong="H3045" whether he shall be a wise|strong="H2450" man or a fool|strong="H5530"? yet shall he have rule|strong="H7980" over all my labour|strong="H5999" wherein I have laboured|strong="H5998", and wherein I have shewed myself wise|strong="H2449" under the sun|strong="H8121". This is also vanity|strong="H1892".
20 Therefore I went about|strong="H5437" to cause|strong="H2976" my heart|strong="H3820" to despair|strong="H2976" of all the labour|strong="H5999" which I took|strong="H5998" under the sun|strong="H8121".
21 For there is|strong="H3426" a man|strong="H0120" whose labour|strong="H5999" is in wisdom|strong="H2451", and in knowledge|strong="H1847", and in equity|strong="H3788"; yet to a man|strong="H0120" that hath not laboured|strong="H5998" therein shall he leave|strong="H5414" it for his portion|strong="H2506". This also is vanity|strong="H1892" and a great|strong="H7227" evil|strong="H7451".
22 For what hath|strong="H1933" man|strong="H0120" of all his labour|strong="H5999", and of the vexation|strong="H7475" of his heart|strong="H3820", wherein|strong="H1931" he hath laboured|strong="H6001" under the sun|strong="H8121"?
23 For all his days|strong="H3117" are sorrows|strong="H4341", and his travail|strong="H6045" grief|strong="H3708"; yea, his heart|strong="H3820" taketh not rest|strong="H7901" in the night|strong="H3915". This is also vanity|strong="H1892".
24 There is nothing better|strong="H2896" for a man|strong="H0120", than that he should eat|strong="H0398" and drink|strong="H8354", and that he should make his soul|strong="H5315" enjoy|strong="H7200" good|strong="H2896" in his labour|strong="H5999". This|strong="H2090" also I saw|strong="H7200", that it was from the hand|strong="H3027" of God|strong="H0430".
25 For who can eat|strong="H0398", or who else can hasten|strong="H2363" hereunto, more|strong="H2351" than I?
26 For God giveth|strong="H5414" to a man|strong="H0120" that is good|strong="H2896" in his sight|strong="H6440" wisdom|strong="H2451", and knowledge|strong="H1847", and joy|strong="H8057": but to the sinner|strong="H2398" he giveth|strong="H5414" travail|strong="H6045", to gather|strong="H0622" and to heap up|strong="H3664", that he may give|strong="H5414" to him that is good|strong="H2896" before|strong="H6440" God|strong="H0430". This also is vanity|strong="H1892" and vexation|strong="H7469" of spirit|strong="H7307".