Ecclesiastes 2:4-14

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.