1 Pleasures Are Meaningless
1 I thought in my heart, "Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good." But that also proved to be meaningless. 2 "Laughter," I said, "is foolish. And what does pleasure accomplish?" 3 I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was worthwhile for men to do under heaven during the few days of their lives.
4 I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. 5 I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. 6 I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. 7 I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. 8 I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired men and women singers, and a harem[a] as well—the delights of the heart of man. 9 I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me.
10 I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; 10 I refused my heart no pleasure. 10 My heart took delight in all my work, 10 and this was the reward for all my labor.
11 Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done 11 and what I had toiled to achieve, 11 everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; 11 nothing was gained under the sun.
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12 Wisdom and Folly Are Meaningless
12 Then I turned my thoughts to consider wisdom, 12 and also madness and folly. 12 What more can the king's successor do 12 than what has already been done?
13 I saw that wisdom is better than folly, 13 just as light is better than darkness.
14 The wise man has eyes in his head, 14 while the fool walks in the darkness; 14 but I came to realize 14 that the same fate overtakes them both.
15 Then I thought in my heart, 15 "The fate of the fool will overtake me also. 15 What then do I gain by being wise?" 15 I said in my heart, 15 "This too is meaningless."
16 For the wise man, like the fool, will not be long remembered; 16 in days to come both will be forgotten. 16 Like the fool, the wise man too must die!
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17 Toil Is Meaningless
17 So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. 18 I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. 19 And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the work into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless. 20 So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labor under the sun. 21 For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then he must leave all he owns to someone who has not worked for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. 22 What does a man get for all the toil and anxious striving with which he labors under the sun? 23 All his days his work is pain and grief; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is meaningless.
24 A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, 25 for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? 26 To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
1 A Time for Everything
1 There is a time for everything, 1 and a season for every activity under heaven: 2 a time to be born and a time to die, 2 a time to plant and a time to uproot, 3 a time to kill and a time to heal, 3 a time to tear down and a time to build, 4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, 4 a time to mourn and a time to dance, 5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, 5 a time to embrace and a time to refrain, 6 a time to search and a time to give up, 6 a time to keep and a time to throw away, 7 a time to tear and a time to mend, 7 a time to be silent and a time to speak, 8 a time to love and a time to hate, 8 a time for war and a time for peace.
9 What does the worker gain from his toil? 10 I have seen the burden God has laid on men. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. 12 I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. 13 That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil—this is the gift of God. 14 I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him.
15 Whatever is has already been, 15 and what will be has been before; 15 and God will call the past to account.[b]
16 And I saw something else under the sun: 16 In the place of judgment—wickedness was there, 16 in the place of justice—wickedness was there.
17 I thought in my heart, 17 "God will bring to judgment 17 both the righteous and the wicked, 17 for there will be a time for every activity, 17 a time for every deed."
18 I also thought, "As for men, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals. 19 Man's fate is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath[c]; man has no advantage over the animal. Everything is meaningless. 20 All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return. 21 Who knows if the spirit of man rises upward and if the spirit of the animal[d] goes down into the earth?"
