1 I|strong="H0589" said|strong="H0559" to|strong="H0559" myself|strong="H0589", “I|strong="H0589" should|strong="H0559" have|strong="H1571" fun—I|strong="H0589" should|strong="H0559" enjoy|strong="H7200" everything as|strong="H1571" much as|strong="H1571" I|strong="H0589" can|strong="H7200".” But|strong="H7200" I|strong="H0589" learned that|strong="H7200" this|strong="H1931" is|strong="H1931" also|strong="H1571" useless|strong="H1892".
2 It|strong="H6213" is|strong="H4100" foolish to|strong="H0559" laugh all the|strong="H0559" time. Having fun does|strong="H6213" not do|strong="H6213" any good.
3 So|strong="H6213" I|strong="H0834" decided to|strong="H5704" fill my|strong="H7200" body|strong="H1320" with|strong="H3117" wine|strong="H3196" while|strong="H5704" I|strong="H0834" filled my|strong="H7200" mind|strong="H3820" with|strong="H3117" wisdom|strong="H2451". I|strong="H0834" tried this|strong="H2088" foolishness|strong="H5531" because|strong="H0834" I|strong="H0834" wanted to|strong="H5704" find|strong="H7200" a|strong="H7200" way|strong="H2088" to|strong="H5704" be|strong="H1121" happy|strong="H2896". I|strong="H0834" wanted to|strong="H5704" see|strong="H7200" what|strong="H0834" was|strong="H0834" good|strong="H2896" for|strong="H8478" people|strong="H0120" to|strong="H5704" do|strong="H6213" during|strong="H3117" their|strong="H7200" few|strong="H4557" days|strong="H3117" of|strong="H1121" life|strong="H3117".
4 Then|strong="H1129" I began doing great|strong="H1431" things|strong="H4639". I built|strong="H1129" houses|strong="H1004", and|strong="H1004" I planted|strong="H5193" vineyards|strong="H3754" for|strong="H1004" myself.
5 I planted|strong="H5193" gardens|strong="H1593", and|strong="H6086" I made|strong="H6213" parks|strong="H6508". I planted|strong="H5193" all|strong="H3605" kinds|strong="H3605" of|strong="H3605" fruit|strong="H6529" trees|strong="H6086".
6 I|strong="H6779" made|strong="H6213" pools|strong="H1295" of|strong="H4325" water|strong="H4325" for|strong="H4325" myself, and|strong="H6086" I|strong="H6779" used|strong="H6213" them|strong="H1992" to|strong="H4325" water|strong="H4325" my growing|strong="H6779" trees|strong="H6086".
7 I|strong="H5650" bought|strong="H7069" men|strong="H1121" and|strong="H1121" women|strong="H8198" slaves|strong="H5650", and|strong="H1121" there|strong="H1961" were|strong="H1961" slaves|strong="H5650" born|strong="H1121" in|strong="H1004" my|strong="H3605" house|strong="H1004". I|strong="H5650" owned many|strong="H7235" great things|strong="H3605". I|strong="H5650" had|strong="H1961" herds|strong="H1241" of|strong="H1121" cattle|strong="H1241" and|strong="H1121" flocks|strong="H6629" of|strong="H1121" sheep|strong="H6629". I|strong="H5650" owned more|strong="H7235" things|strong="H3605" than|strong="H7235" any|strong="H3605" other|strong="H3605" person in|strong="H1004" Jerusalem|strong="H3389" did.
8 I|strong="H1571" also|strong="H1571" gathered|strong="H3664" silver|strong="H3701" and|strong="H1121" gold|strong="H2091" for|strong="H4428" myself|strong="H1571". I|strong="H1571" took treasures from|strong="H1121" kings|strong="H4428" and|strong="H1121" their|strong="H1571" nations. I|strong="H1571" had|strong="H4428" men|strong="H0120" and|strong="H1121" women singing|strong="H7891" for|strong="H4428" me|strong="H1121". I|strong="H1571" had|strong="H4428" everything any|strong="H1571" man|strong="H0120" could|strong="H1571" want.
9 I|strong="H1961" became|strong="H1961" very rich|strong="H1431" and|strong="H3389" famous. I|strong="H1961" was|strong="H1961" greater|strong="H1431" than|strong="H3605" anyone|strong="H3605" who|strong="H3605" lived|strong="H1961" in|strong="H5975" Jerusalem|strong="H3389" before|strong="H6440" me|strong="H6440". My|strong="H3605" wisdom|strong="H2451" was|strong="H1961" always there|strong="H1961" to|strong="H1961" help me|strong="H6440".
10 Anything|strong="H3605" my|strong="H3605" eyes|strong="H5869" saw and|strong="H5869" wanted, I|strong="H0834" got for|strong="H3588" myself|strong="H3820". My|strong="H3605" mind|strong="H3820" was|strong="H1961" pleased|strong="H5869" with|strong="H3605" everything|strong="H3605" I|strong="H0834" did|strong="H0834". And|strong="H5869" this|strong="H2088" happiness|strong="H8057" was|strong="H1961" the|strong="H3605" reward|strong="H2506" for|strong="H3588" all|strong="H3605" my|strong="H3605" hard work|strong="H5999".
11 But|strong="H0369" then|strong="H2009" I|strong="H0589" looked|strong="H6437" at|strong="H0369" everything|strong="H3605" I|strong="H0589" had|strong="H0369" done|strong="H6213" and|strong="H3027" the|strong="H3605" wealth I|strong="H0589" had|strong="H0369" gained|strong="H3504". I|strong="H0589" decided|strong="H6437" it|strong="H6213" was|strong="H0369" all|strong="H3605" a|strong="H0369" waste of|strong="H3027" time! It|strong="H6213" was|strong="H0369" like|strong="H8478" trying to|strong="H0369" catch the|strong="H3605" wind|strong="H7307". There|strong="H0369" is|strong="H0369" nothing|strong="H0369" to|strong="H0369" gain from|strong="H3027" anything|strong="H3605" we|strong="H0589" do|strong="H6213" in|strong="H3027" this|strong="H3605" life.
12 Then|strong="H0853" I|strong="H0589" decided|strong="H6437" to|strong="H0935" think|strong="H7200" about|strong="H4428" what|strong="H4100" it|strong="H3588" means to|strong="H0935" be|strong="H4428" wise|strong="H2451" or|strong="H0120" to|strong="H0935" be|strong="H4428" foolish|strong="H5531" or|strong="H0120" to|strong="H0935" do|strong="H6213" crazy things|strong="H0834". And|strong="H0935" I|strong="H0589" thought about|strong="H4428" the|strong="H0853" one|strong="H0120" who|strong="H0834" will|strong="H0834" be|strong="H4428" the|strong="H0853" next|strong="H7200" king|strong="H4428". The|strong="H0853" new king|strong="H4428" will|strong="H0834" do|strong="H6213" the|strong="H0853" same|strong="H0853" as|strong="H0834" the|strong="H0853" kings|strong="H4428" before him|strong="H0853".
13 I|strong="H0589" saw|strong="H7200" that|strong="H7200" wisdom|strong="H2451" is|strong="H3426" better than|strong="H4480" foolishness|strong="H5531" in|strong="H7200" the|strong="H7200" same|strong="H4480" way that|strong="H7200" light|strong="H0216" is|strong="H3426" better than|strong="H4480" darkness|strong="H2822".
14 Wise|strong="H2450" people|strong="H5869" use their|strong="H3605" minds like|strong="H1980" eyes|strong="H5869" to|strong="H1980" see|strong="H5869" where they|strong="H1571" are|strong="H5869" going|strong="H1980". But|strong="H1571" for|strong="H3605" fools|strong="H3684", it|strong="H3045" is|strong="H1571" as|strong="H1571" if they|strong="H1571" are|strong="H5869" walking|strong="H1980" in|strong="H1980" the|strong="H3605" dark|strong="H2822".
15 I|strong="H0589" thought|strong="H0559" to|strong="H0559" myself|strong="H0589", “The|strong="H0559" same|strong="H2088" thing|strong="H2088" that|strong="H2088" happens|strong="H7136" to|strong="H0559" a|strong="H1696" fool|strong="H3684" will|strong="H1571" also|strong="H1571" happen to|strong="H0559" me|strong="H0589". So|strong="H1571" why|strong="H4100" have|strong="H1571" I|strong="H0589" tried so|strong="H1571" hard to|strong="H0559" become wise|strong="H2449"?” I|strong="H0589" said|strong="H0559" to|strong="H0559" myself|strong="H0589", “Being wise|strong="H2449" is|strong="H2088" also|strong="H1571" useless|strong="H1892".”
16 Whether people are|strong="H3117" wise|strong="H2450" or|strong="H0369" foolish|strong="H3684", they|strong="H3588" will|strong="H0369" still die|strong="H4191", and|strong="H0935" no|strong="H0369" one|strong="H0369" will|strong="H0369" remember either|strong="H3588" one|strong="H0369" of|strong="H3117" them|strong="H0935" forever|strong="H5769". In|strong="H0935" the|strong="H3605" future, people will|strong="H0369" forget|strong="H7911" everything|strong="H3605" both|strong="H3605" of|strong="H3117" them|strong="H0935" did|strong="H3117". So|strong="H0935" the|strong="H3605" two are|strong="H3117" really the|strong="H3605" same.
17 This|strong="H3588" made|strong="H6213" me|strong="H5921" hate|strong="H8130" life|strong="H2416". It|strong="H5921" was|strong="H7307" depressing to|strong="H5921" think|strong="H8130" that|strong="H3588" everything|strong="H3605" in|strong="H5921" this|strong="H3588" life|strong="H2416" is|strong="H3605" useless|strong="H1892", like|strong="H8478" trying to|strong="H5921" catch the|strong="H3605" wind|strong="H7307".
18 I|strong="H0589" began|strong="H1961" to|strong="H1961" hate|strong="H8130" all|strong="H3605" the|strong="H3605" hard work|strong="H5999" I|strong="H0589" had|strong="H1961" done|strong="H1961", because|strong="H8478" I|strong="H0589" saw that|strong="H3605" the|strong="H3605" people|strong="H0120" who|strong="H3605" live after|strong="H0310" me|strong="H8130" would|strong="H3605" get the|strong="H3605" things|strong="H3605" that|strong="H3605" I|strong="H0589" worked|strong="H6001" for|strong="H8478". I|strong="H0589" will|strong="H1961" not|strong="H1961" be|strong="H1961" able to|strong="H1961" take|strong="H1961" them|strong="H0853" with|strong="H3605" me|strong="H8130".
19 Some|strong="H3605" other|strong="H2088" person|strong="H3045" will|strong="H4310" control|strong="H7980" everything|strong="H3605" I|strong="H3045" worked|strong="H5998" and|strong="H3045" studied for|strong="H8478". And|strong="H3045" I|strong="H3045" don’t know|strong="H3045" if|strong="H0176" that|strong="H3045" person|strong="H3045" will|strong="H4310" be|strong="H1961" wise|strong="H2450" or|strong="H0176" foolish|strong="H5530". This|strong="H2088" is|strong="H2088" also|strong="H1571" senseless.
20 So|strong="H0589" I|strong="H0589" became sad about|strong="H5921" all|strong="H3605" the|strong="H3605" work|strong="H5999" I|strong="H0589" had|strong="H0853" done|strong="H3605".
21 People|strong="H0120" can|strong="H3426" work|strong="H5999" hard|strong="H5998" using all|strong="H1571" their|strong="H5414" wisdom|strong="H2451" and|strong="H0120" knowledge|strong="H1847" and|strong="H0120" skill|strong="H2451". But|strong="H3588" they|strong="H3588" will|strong="H1571" die and|strong="H0120" other|strong="H2088" people|strong="H0120" will|strong="H1571" get the|strong="H3588" things|strong="H3808" they|strong="H3588" worked|strong="H5998" for|strong="H3588". They|strong="H3588" did|strong="H3808" not|strong="H3808" do|strong="H2088" the|strong="H3588" work|strong="H5999", but|strong="H3588" they|strong="H3588" will|strong="H1571" get everything. That|strong="H3588" makes|strong="H5414" me|strong="H5414" very|strong="H2088" sad. It|strong="H5414" is|strong="H2088" also|strong="H1571" not|strong="H3808" fair and|strong="H0120" is|strong="H2088" senseless.
22 What|strong="H4100" do|strong="H4100" people|strong="H0120" really have|strong="H3605" after|strong="H3588" all|strong="H3605" their|strong="H3605" work|strong="H5999" and|strong="H0120" struggling in|strong="H8478" this|strong="H1931" life|strong="H3820"?
23 Throughout|strong="H3605" their|strong="H3605" life|strong="H3117", they|strong="H3588" have|strong="H1571" pain|strong="H4341", frustrations, and|strong="H3117" hard work. Even|strong="H1571" at|strong="H3117" night|strong="H3915", a|strong="H3588" person’s|strong="H3820" mind|strong="H3820" does|strong="H3808" not|strong="H3808" rest|strong="H7901". This|strong="H2088" is|strong="H2088" also|strong="H1571" senseless.
26 If|strong="H3588" people|strong="H0120" do|strong="H2088" good|strong="H2896" and|strong="H0430" please God|strong="H0430", he|strong="H3588" will|strong="H0430" give|strong="H5414" them|strong="H5414" wisdom|strong="H2451", knowledge|strong="H1847", and|strong="H0430" joy|strong="H8057". But|strong="H3588" those|strong="H3588" who|strong="H0120" sin|strong="H2398" will|strong="H0430" get only|strong="H1571" the|strong="H6440" work|strong="H5414" of|strong="H0430" gathering|strong="H0622" and|strong="H0430" carrying things. God|strong="H0430" takes|strong="H5414" from|strong="H6440" the|strong="H6440" bad person|strong="H0120" and|strong="H0430" gives|strong="H5414" to|strong="H5414" the|strong="H6440" good|strong="H2896" person|strong="H0120". But|strong="H3588" all|strong="H0622" this|strong="H2088" work|strong="H5414" is|strong="H2088" useless|strong="H1892". It|strong="H5414" is|strong="H2088" like|strong="H6440" trying to|strong="H5414" catch the|strong="H6440" wind|strong="H7307".