Book 33 : KETUVIM - MEGILOT - ECCLESIASTES - Chapter 002
02:001
I said in my heart: 'Come now, I will try thee with mirth,
and enjoy pleasure'; and, behold, this also was vanity
02:002
I said of laughter: 'It is mad'; and of mirth: 'What doth
it accomplish?
02:003
I searched in my heart how to pamper my flesh with wine,
and, my heart conducting itself with wisdom, how yet to lay hold on folly, till
I might see which it was best for the sons of men that they should do under the
heaven the few days of their life
02:004
I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me
vineyards
02:005
I made me gardens and parks, and I planted trees in them of
all kinds of fruit
02:006
I made me pools of water, to water therefrom the wood
springing up with trees
02:007
I acquired men-servants and maid-servants, and had servants
born in my house; also I had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all
that were before me in Jerusalem
02:008
I gathered me also silver and gold, and treasure such as
kings and the provinces have as their own; I got me men-singers and
women-singers, and the delights of the sons of men, women very many
02:009
So I was great, and increased more than all that were
before me in Jerusalem; also my wisdom stood me in stead
02:010
And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them; I
withheld not my heart from any joy, for my heart had joy of all my labour; and
this was my portion from all my labour
02:011
Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought,
and on the labour that I had laboured to do; and, behold, all was vanity and a
striving after wind, and there was no profit under the sun
02:012
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
02:013
Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light
excelleth darkness
02:014
The wise man, his eyes are in his head; but the fool
walketh in darkness. And I also perceived that one event happeneth to them all
02:015
Then said I in my heart: 'As it happeneth to the fool, so
will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise?' Then I said in my
heart, that this also is vanity
02:016
For of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no
remembrance for ever; seeing that in the days to come all will long ago have
been forgotten. And how must the wise man die even as the fool
02:017
So I hated life; because the work that is wrought under
the sun was grievous unto me; for all is vanity and a striving after wind
02:018
And I hated all my labour wherein I laboured under the
sun, seeing that I must leave it unto the man that shall be after me
02:019
And who knoweth whether he will be a wise man or a fool?
yet will he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I
have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity
02:020
Therefore I turned about to cause my heart to despair
concerning all the labour wherein I had laboured under the sun
02:021
For there is a man whose labour is with wisdom, and with
knowledge, and with skill; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he
leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil
02:022
For what hath a man of all his labour, and of the striving
of his heart, wherein he laboureth under the sun
02:023
For all his days are pains, and his occupation vexation;
yea, even in the night his heart taketh not rest. This also is vanity
02:024
There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat
and drink, and make his soul enjoy pleasure for his labour. This also I saw,
that it is from the hand of G-d
02:025
For who will eat, or who will enjoy, if not I
02:026
For to the man that is good in His sight He giveth wisdom,
and knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner He giveth the task, to gather and to
heap up, that he may leave to him that is good in the sight of G-d. This also is
vanity and a striving after wind
Book 33 : KETUVIM - MEGILOT - ECCLESIASTES - Chapter 002
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