Ecclesiastes 2:17-26

¹⁷So I hated life; because the work that was wrought under the sun was evil before me: for all is vanity and waywardness of spirit.

¹⁸And I hated the whole of my labour which I took under the sun; because I must leave it to the man who will come after me.

¹⁹And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? and whether he will have power over all my labour in which I laboured, and wherein I grew wise under the sun? this is also vanity.

²⁰So I went about to dismiss from my heart all my labour wherein I had laboured under the sun.

²¹For there is such a man that his labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in fortitude; yet this man shall give his portion to one who has not laboured therein. This is also vanity and great evil.

²²For it happens to a man in all his labour, and in the purpose of his heart wherein he labours under the sun.

²³For all his days are days of sorrows, and vexation of spirit is his; in the night also his heart rests not. This is also vanity.

²⁴A man has nothing really good to eat, and to drink, and to shew his soul as good in his trouble. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God.

²⁵For who shall eat, or who shall drink, without him?

²⁶For God has given to the man who is good in his sight, wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but he has given to the sinner trouble, to add and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God; for this is also vanity and waywardness of spirit.