Chapter 2

I said¹ in mine heart, Go to³ now, I will prove¹⁷ thee with mirth, therefore enjoy³ pleasure: and, behold, this also [is] vanity.

I said¹ of laughter, [It is] mad:²⁶ and of mirth, What doeth⁶ it?

I sought¹ in mine heart to give² myself unto wine, yet acquainting⁶ mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold² on folly, till I might see⁴ what [was] that good for the sons of men, which they should do⁴ under the heaven all the days of their life.

I made me great⁵² works; I builded¹ me houses; I planted¹ me vineyards:

I made¹ me gardens and orchards, and I planted¹ trees in them of all [kind of] fruits:

I made¹ me pools of water, to water⁵³ therewith the wood that bringeth forth⁶ trees:

I got¹ [me] servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great⁵³ possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me:

I gathered¹ me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat¹ me men singers⁶ and women singers,⁶ and the delights of the sons of men, [as] musical instruments, and that of all sorts.

So I was great,¹ and increased⁵² more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained¹ with me.

And whatsoever mine eyes desired¹ I kept¹ not from them, I withheld¹ not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.

Then I looked¹ on all the works that my hands had wrought,¹ and on the labour that I had laboured¹ to do:² and, behold, all [was] vanity and vexation of spirit, and [there was] no profit under the sun.

And I turned¹ myself to behold² wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what [can] the man [do] that cometh⁴ after the king? [even] that which hath been already done.¹

Then I saw¹ that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.

The wise man's eyes [are] in his head; but the fool walketh⁶ in darkness: and I myself perceived¹ also that one event happeneth⁴ to them all.

Then said¹ I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth⁴ even to me; and why was I then more wise?¹ Then I said¹⁴ in my heart, that this also [is] vanity.

For [there is] no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now [is] in the days to come⁶ shall all be forgotten.⁸ And how dieth⁴ the wise [man]? as the fool.

Therefore I hated¹ life; because the work that is wrought⁸ under the sun [is] grievous unto me: for all [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.

Yea, I hated¹ all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave⁵⁵ it unto the man that shall be after me.

And who knoweth⁶ whether he shall be a wise [man] or a fool? yet shall he have rule⁴ over all my labour wherein I have laboured,¹ and wherein I have shewed myself wise¹ under the sun. This [is] also vanity.

Therefore I went about¹ to cause my heart to despair¹⁵ of all the labour which I took¹ under the sun.

For there is a man whose labour [is] in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured¹ therein shall he leave⁴ it [for] his portion. This also [is] vanity and a great evil.

For what hath⁶ man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun?

For all his days [are] sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest¹ in the night. This is also vanity.

[There is] nothing better for a man, [than] that he should eat⁴ and drink,¹ and [that] he should make his soul enjoy⁵² good in his labour. This also I saw,¹ that it [was] from the hand of God.

For who can eat,⁴ or who else can hasten⁴ [hereunto], more than I?

For [God] giveth¹ to a man that [is] good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner⁶ he giveth¹ travail, to gather² and to heap up,² that he may give² to [him that is] good before God. This also [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.