¶ I said¹ in mine heart, Go to² now, I will³ prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.

I said⁴ of laughter, It is⁵ mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?

I sought⁶ in mine heart to give myself unto wine⁷, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay⁸ hold on folly, till⁹ I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all¹⁰ the days of their life.

I made¹¹ me great works; I builded¹² me houses; I planted¹³ me vineyards:

I made me¹⁴ gardens and orchards, and I planted¹⁵ trees in them of all kind of fruits:

I made me pools¹⁶ of water, to water¹⁷ therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees:

I got me servants¹⁸ and maidens, and had¹⁹ servants born in my house²⁰; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me:

I gathered me also silver²¹ and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers²² and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments²³, and that of all sorts.

²⁴So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.

¶ And whatsoever²⁵ mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced²⁶ in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.

Then I looked²⁷ on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold,²⁸ all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.

¶ And I turned²⁹ 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 saw³¹ that wisdom excelleth folly³², as far as light excelleth darkness.

The wise³³ man's eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one³⁴ event happeneth to them all.

Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me³⁵; and why was I then more wise? Then I³⁶ said in my heart, that this also is vanity.

For there is³⁷ 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 how³⁸ dieth the wise man? as the fool.

¶ Therefore I hated³⁹ life; because the work⁴⁰ that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for⁴¹ all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

Yea, I hated⁴² all my labour which I had taken⁴³ under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me.

And who knoweth⁴⁴ 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 under⁴⁵ the sun. This is also vanity.

¶⁴⁶Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun.

For there is a man whose⁴⁷ labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave⁴⁸ it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.

For what hath man⁴⁹ of all his labour, and of the⁵⁰ vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun?

For all⁵¹ his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart⁵² taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity.

There is nothing⁵³ better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good⁵⁴ in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.

For who can⁵⁵ eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I?

For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight⁵⁶ wisdom⁵⁷, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner⁵⁸ 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.