2Laughter I counted error: and to mirth I said: Why art thou vainly deceived?
3I thought in my heart, to withdraw my flesh from wine, that I might turn my mind to wisdom, and might avoid folly, till I might see what was profitable for the children of men: and what they ought to do under the sun, all the days of their life.
4I made me great works, I built me houses, and planted vineyards,
5I made gardens, and orchards, and set them with trees of all kinds,
6And I made me ponds of water, to water therewith the wood of the young trees,
7I got me menservants, and maidservants, and had a great family: and herds of oxen, and great flocks of sheep, above all that were before me in Jerusalem:
8I heaped together for myself silver and gold, and the wealth of kings, and provinces: I made me singing men, and singing women, and the delights of the sons of men, cups and vessels to serve to pour out wine:
9And I surpassed in riches all that were before me in Jerusalem: my wisdom also remained with me.
10And whatsoever my eyes desired, I refused them not: and I withheld not my heart from enjoying every pleasure, and delighting itself in the things which I had prepared: and esteemed this my portion, to make use of my own labour.
11And when I turned myself to all the works which my hands had wrought, and to the labours wherein I had laboured in vain, I saw in all things vanity, and vexation of mind, and that nothing was lasting under the sun.
12I passed further to behold wisdom, and errors and folly, (What is man, said I, that he can follow the King his maker?)
13And I saw that wisdom excelled folly, as much as light differeth from darkness.
14The eyes of a wise man are in his head: the fool walketh in darkness: and I learned that they were to die both alike.
15And I said in my heart: If the death of the fool and mine shall be one, what doth it avail me, that I have applied myself more to the study of wisdom? And speaking with my own mind, I perceived that this also was vanity.
16For there shall be no remembrance of the wise no more than of the fool for ever, and the times to come shall cover all things together with oblivion: the learned dieth in like manner as the unlearned.
17And therefore I was weary of my life, when I saw that all things under the sun are evil, and all vanity and vexation of spirit.