Study Desk

I said to myself, "Come now, I will test you with pleasure. So enjoy yourself." And behold, it too was futility.

I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.

I said of laughter, "It is senseless," and of pleasure, "What does this accomplish?"

I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?

I explored with my mind how to refresh my body with wine while my mind was guiding me wisely; and how to seize foolishness, until I could see what good there is for the sons of mankind to do under heaven for the few years of their lives.

I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life.

I enlarged my works: I built houses for myself, I planted vineyards for myself;

I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards:

I made gardens and parks for myself, and I planted in them all kinds of fruit trees;

I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits:

I made ponds of water for myself from which to irrigate a forest of growing trees.

I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees:

I bought male and female slaves, and I had slaves born at home. I also possessed flocks and herds larger than all who preceded me in Jerusalem.

I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me:

I also amassed for myself silver and gold, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I provided for myself male and female singers, and the pleasures of the sons of mankind: many concubines.

I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts.

Then I became great and increased more than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also stood by me.

So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.

All that my eyes desired, I did not refuse them. I did not restrain my heart from any pleasure, for my heart was pleased because of all my labor; and this was my reward for all my labor.

And 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 of all my labour.

So I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold, all was futility and striving after wind, and there was no benefit under the sun.

Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.

So I turned to consider wisdom, insanity, and foolishness; for what will the man do who will come after the king, except what has already been done?

And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.

Then I saw that wisdom surpasses foolishness as light surpasses darkness.

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

The wise person's eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. And yet I know that one and the same fate happens to both of them.

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

Then I said to myself, "As is the fate of the fool, it will also happen to me. Why then have I been extremely wise?" So I said to myself, "This too is futility."

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

For there is no lasting remembrance of the wise, along with the fool, since in the coming days everything will soon be forgotten. And how the wise and the fool alike die!

For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? as the fool.

So I hated life, for the work which had been done under the sun was unhappy to me; because everything is futility and striving after wind.

Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

So I hated all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who will come after me.

Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me.

And who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the fruit of my labor for which I have labored by acting wisely under the sun. This too is futility.

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

Therefore I completely despaired over all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun.

Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun.

When there is a person who has labored with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, and then gives his legacy to one who has not labored for it; this too is futility and a great evil.

For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.

For what does a person get in all his labor and in his striving with which he labors under the sun?

For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun?

Because all his days his activity is painful and irritating; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is futility.

For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity.

There is nothing better for a person than to eat and drink, and show himself some good in his trouble. This too I have seen, that it is from the hand of God.

There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.

For who can eat and who can have enjoyment without Him?

For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I?

For to a person who is good in His sight, He has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, while to the sinner He has given the task of gathering and collecting so that he may give to one who is good in God's sight. This too is futility and striving after wind.

For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.