Ecclesiastes 2:1-11

¹I said in my heart, “Come, now, I will try thee with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure!” But, lo! this also was vanity.

²I said of laughter, “It is mad;” and of mirth, “What availeth it?”

³I thought in my heart to strengthen my body with wine, and, while my heart cleaved to wisdom, to lay hold on folly, till I should see what was good for the sons of men, which they should do under heaven all the days of their life.

⁴I made me great works. I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards.

⁵I made me gardens and parks, and planted in them fruit-trees of every kind.

⁶I made me pools of water, with which to water the grove shooting up trees.

⁷I got me men-servants and maid-servants, and had servants born in my house. I had also great possessions of herds and flocks, more than all who were in Jerusalem before me.

⁸I heaped me up also silver and gold, and the wealth of kings and of provinces. I got me men-singers and women-singers, and the delight of the sons of men, a chosen woman and chosen women.

⁹So I became greater than all that were before me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also remained with me.

¹⁰And whatever mine eyes desired I kept not from them; I withheld not my heart from any joy. For my heart rejoiced by means of all my labor, and this was my portion from all my labor.

¹¹Then I looked upon all the works which my hands had wrought, and upon all the labor which I had toiled in performing; and, behold, it was all vanity, and striving after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.