Study Desk

I made my works great; I built houses for myself; I planted vineyards for myself;

I made gardens and parks for myself; and I planted trees in them of every fruit;

I made pools of water for myself; to water from them the forest shooting forth trees;

I also gathered to me silver and gold, and the treasure of kings and of provinces. I made ready male singers and female singers for myself; and the delights of the sons of men, a concubine, and concubines.

And all that my eyes desired, I did not set aside from them. I withheld not my heart from all joy; for my heart rejoiced from all my labor; and this was my part from all my labor.

And I turned to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly. For what can a man do who comes after the king, when they have already done it?

For there is not a memory of the wise more than with the fool forever, in that already the days to come will be forgotten. And how does the wise die above the fool?

So then I hated life; because the work that is done under the sun is evil to me; for all is vanity and striving after wind.

When there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with advantage; yet he shall give it to a man who has not labored with it, for his share; this also is vanity and a great evil.

For what is there for man in all his labor, and in striving of his heart, which he did as a laborer under the sun?

For all his days are pains, and his task is grief; his heart does not even take rest in the night. Even this also is vanity.

For who can eat, or who can enjoy, apart from me?

For God gives wisdom, and knowledge and joy to a man who is good in His sight. But to the sinner He gives the task of gathering and to heap up, to give to him who is good before God. This also is vanity and striving after wind.

To all there is an appointed time, even a time for every purpose under the heavens:

I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice to do good in his life.

I said in my heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time there for every good purpose and for every work.

For that which happens to the sons of men, and that which happens to beasts, even one event is to them. As this one dies, so that one dies; yea, one breath is to all; so that there is to the man noadvantage over the beast; for all is vanity.

And I have seen that nothing is better than that the man should rejoice in his works; for that is his portion; for who can bring him to see what shall be after him?

There is one alone , and there is not a second; yea, he has neither son nor brother; and there is no end to all his labor; even his eyes are not satisfied with riches; and he says , For whom do I labor, and take good frommy soul? This is also vanity. Yes, it is an evil task.

Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor.