Ecclesiastes 2:3-10

³I made a search with my heart to give pleasure to my flesh with wine, still guiding my heart with wisdom, and to go after foolish things, so that I might see what was good for the sons of men to do under the heavens all the days of their life.

⁴I undertook great works, building myself houses and planting vine-gardens.

⁵I made myself gardens and fruit gardens, planting in them fruit-trees of all sorts.

⁶I made pools to give water for the woods with their young trees.

⁷I got men-servants and women-servants, and they gave birth to sons and daughters in my house. I had great wealth of herds and flocks, more than all who were in Jerusalem before me.

⁸I got together silver and gold and the wealth of kings and of countries. I got makers of song, male and female; and the delights of the sons of men — girls of all sorts to be my brides.

⁹And I became great; increasing more than all who had been before me in Jerusalem, and my wisdom was still with me.

¹⁰And nothing which was desired by my eyes did I keep from them; I did not keep any joy from my heart, because my heart took pleasure in all my work, and this was my reward.