Ecclesiastes 2:7-25

⁷I got me men-servants and maid-servants, and had servants born in my house. I had also great possessions of herds and flocks, more than all who were in Jerusalem before me.

⁸I heaped me up also silver and gold, and the wealth of kings and of provinces. I got me men-singers and women-singers, and the delight of the sons of men, a chosen woman and chosen women.

⁹So I became greater than all that were before me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also remained with me.

¹⁰And whatever mine eyes desired I kept not from them; I withheld not my heart from any joy. For my heart rejoiced by means of all my labor, and this was my portion from all my labor.

¹¹Then I looked upon all the works which my hands had wrought, and upon all the labor which I had toiled in performing; and, behold, it was all vanity, and striving after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

¹²Then I turned myself to behold wisdom and senselessness and folly. For what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.

¹³I saw, indeed, that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.

¹⁴The wise man's eyes are in his head, but the fool walketh in darkness; yet I perceived also that one event happeneth to them all.

¹⁵Then I said in my heart, “As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth to me. Why, then, became I wiser than others?” Then I said in my heart, “This also is vanity.”

¹⁶For there is no remembrance of the wise man more than of the fool for ever; for in the days to come shall all have long been forgotten; and, alas! the wise man dieth, as well as the fool.

¹⁷Therefore I hated life, because what is done under the sun appeared evil to me. For all is vanity, and striving after wind.

¹⁸Yea, I hated all my labor which I had performed under the sun, because I must leave it to the man that shall be after me.

¹⁹And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? Yet shall he be lord of all the labor with which I have wearied myself, and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.

²⁰Therefore I turned to give up my heart to despair in regard to all the labor with which I had wearied myself under the sun.

²¹For there is a man whose labor has been with wisdom and knowledge and skill; yet to a man who hath not labored for it must he leave it as his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.

²²For what hath man of all his labor, and the striving of his spirit, with which he wearieth himself under the sun?

²³For all his days are grief, and his occupation trouble; even in the night his heart taketh no rest. This also is vanity.

²⁴There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink, and let his soul enjoy good in his labor. But this, as I have seen, cometh from the hand of God.

²⁵For who can eat, or hasten thereunto more than I?