Ecclesiastes 2:8-19

⁸I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces; I got me men-singers and women-singers, and the delights of the children of men, a wife and concubines.

⁹And I became great, and increased more than all that had been before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.

¹⁰And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them: I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour, and this was my portion from all my labour.

¹¹Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that it had cost me to do them; and behold, all was vanity and pursuit of the wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

¹²And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly; for what shall the man do that cometh after the king? — that which hath already been done.

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

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

¹⁵And I said in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool so will it happen even to me; and why was I then so wise? Then I said in my heart that this also is vanity.

¹⁶For there shall be no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; because everything is already forgotten in the days which come. And how dieth the wise even as the fool?

¹⁷And I hated life; for the work that is wrought under the sun was grievous unto me; for all is vanity and pursuit of the wind.

¹⁸And I hated all my labour wherewith I had been toiling under the sun, because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me.

¹⁹And who knoweth whether he will be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour at which I have laboured, and wherein I have been wise under the sun. This also is vanity.