[[Ecclesiastes 1|<< Ecclesiastes 1]] | [[Ecclesiastes|Ecclesiastes]] | [[Ecclesiastes 3|Ecclesiastes 3 >>]] ### Ecclesiastes 2 1 I SAID in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also _is_ vanity. ^1 2 I said of laughter, _It_ _is_ mad: and of mirth, What does it? ^2 3 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. ^3 4 I made me great works; I built me houses; I planted me vineyards: ^4 5 I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all _kind_ _of_ fruits: ^5 6 I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that brings forth trees: ^6 7 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: ^7 8 I 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 sons of men, _as_ musical instruments, and that of all sorts. ^8 9 So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me. ^9 10 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 labor: and this was my portion of all my labor. ^10 11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labor that I had labored to do: and, behold, all _was_ vanity and vexation of spirit, and _there_ _was_ no profit under the sun. ^11 12 ¶ And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what _can_ the man _do_ that comes after the king? _even_ that which has been already done. ^12 13 Then I saw that wisdom excels folly, as far as light excels darkness. ^13 14 The wise man's eyes _are_ in his head; but the fool walks in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happens to them all. ^14 15 Then said I in my heart, As it happens to the fool, so it happens even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also _is_ vanity. ^15 16 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 dies the wise _man?_ as the fool. ^16 17 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. ^17 18 ¶ Yea, I hated all my labor which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me. ^18 19 And who knows whether he shall be a wise _man_ or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labor wherein I have labored, and wherein I have showed myself wise under the sun. This _is_ also vanity. ^19 20 Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labor which I took under the sun. ^20 21 For there is a man whose labor _is_ in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that has not labored therein shall he leave it _for_ his portion. This also _is_ vanity and a great evil. ^21 22 For what has man of all his labor, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he has labored under the sun? ^22 23 For all his days _are_ sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart takes not rest in the night. This is also vanity. ^23 24 ¶ _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 labor. This also I saw, that it _was_ from the hand of God. ^24 25 For who can eat, or who else can hasten _hereunto_, more than I? ^25 26 For _God_ gives to a man that _is_ good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he gives 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. ^26