Ecclesiastes 2:6-17

⁶I made me pools of water, To water from them the timber-bearing wood.

⁷I got servants and maidens, And servants were born to me in the house: Also I had abundant possession of flocks and herds, Beyond all who were before me in Jerusalem.

⁸Moreover I collected for myself both silver and gold also, And the peculiar treasures of kings and provinces: I procured me singing men and singing women, And delights of the sons of men, A butler and female cupbearers.

⁹So I became great, And advanced beyond all That were before me in Jerusalem: Also my wisdom was established to me.

¹⁰And whatever mine eyes desired, I withheld not from them, I withheld not my heart From all my mirth: For my heart rejoiced in all my labor; And this was my portion Of all my labor.

¹¹And I looked on all my works Which my hands had wrought, And on my labor which I labored to perform: And, behold, all was vanity and waywardness of spirit, And there is no advantage under the sun.

¹²Then I looked on to see wisdom, And madness, and folly: For who is the man who will follow after counsel, In all things wherein he employs it?

¹³And I saw that wisdom excels folly, As much as light excels darkness.

¹⁴The wise man’s eyes are in his head; But the fool walks in darkness: And I perceived, even I, That one event shall happen to them all.

¹⁵And I said in my heart, As the event of the fool is, So shall it be to me, even to me; And to what purpose have I gained wisdom? I said moreover in my heart, This is also vanity, Because the fool speaks of his abundance.

¹⁶For there is no remembrance of the wise man With the fool forever; Forasmuch as now in the coming days All things are forgotten: And how shall the wise man die with the fool?

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.