Study Desk

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.