9Or, and thou shalt enjoy
10Or, good:
2: 2 I said of laughter, It is mad; and of mirth, What doeth it?
2: 3 I searched in my heart how to cheer my flesh with wine, my heart yet 11guiding me with wisdom, and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what it was good for the sons of men that they should do under heaven 12all the days of their life.
11Or, holding its course with wisdom,
12Hb. the number of days of their life.
2: 4 I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards;
2: 5 I made me gardens and parks, and I planted trees in them of all kinds of fruit;
2: 6 I made me pools of water, to water therefrom the forest where trees were reared;
2: 7 I bought 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;
2: 8 I gathered me also silver and gold, and the treasure of kings and of the provinces; I gat me men-singers and women-singers, and the delights of the sons of men, 13musical instruments, and that of all sorts.
13Or, concubines very many, ASV says The meaning of the Hebrew is very uncertain.
2: 9 So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom 14remained with me.
14Or, stood by me.
2: 10 And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them; I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced because of all my labor; and this was my portion from all my labor.
2: 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 a striving after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.
2: 12 And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness and folly: for what can the man do that cometh 15after the king? even that which hath been done long ago.
15Or, after the king, even him whom they made king long ago? or, after the king, in those things which have been already done?
2: 13 Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.
2: 14 The wise man’s eyes are in his head and the fool walketh in darkness: and yet I perceived that one event happeneth to them all.
2: 15 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 said I in my heart, that this also is vanity.
2: 16 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 have been long forgotten. And how doth the wise man die even as the fool!
2: 17 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.
2: 18 And I hated all my labor wherein I labored under the sun, seeing that I must leave it unto the man that shall be after me.
2: 19 And who knoweth whether he will be a wise man or a fool? yet will he have rule over all my labor wherein I have labored, and wherein I have showed myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.
2: 20 Therefore I turned about to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor wherein I had labored under the sun.
2: 21 For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with 16skilfulness; yet to a man that hath not labored therein shall he 17leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.
16Or, success;
17Hb. give
2: 22 For what hath a man of all his labor, and of the 18striving of his heart, wherein he laboreth under the sun?
18Or, vexation
2: 23 For all his days are but sorrows, and his travail is grief; yes, even in the night his heart taketh no rest. This also is vanity.
2: 24 There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God.
2: 25 For who can eat, or who can 19have enjoyment, 20more than I?
19Or, hasten thereto,
20Sept., Aram. read apart from him
2: 26 For to the man that pleaseth him God giveth wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that pleaseth God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
