CHAPTER 2
I
said
to myself,
“Come
now,
I will test
you with pleasure;
enjoy
what is good!”
But it
proved
to be futile.
My mind,
all the while
guiding
me with wisdom,
sought
to cheer my body
with wine
and embrace
folly,
until
I could see
what
was
worthwhile
for men
to do
under
heaven
during the few
days
of their lives.
I acquired
menservants
and maidservants,
and servants were born
in my house.
I also
owned
more
herds
and flocks
than anyone
in Jerusalem
before me,
and I
accumulated
for myself
silver
and gold
and the treasure
of kings
and provinces.
I gathered
to myself
male and
female singers,
and the delights
of the sons
of men—
many
concubines.
So I became great
and surpassed
all
in Jerusalem
who had preceded me;
and
my wisdom
remained with me.
Anything
my eyes
desired,
I did not
deny myself.
I refused
my heart
no
pleasure.
For
my heart
took delight
in all
my work,
and this
was
the reward
for all
my labor.
Yet when I
considered
all
the works
that my hands
had accomplished
and what
I had toiled
to achieve,
I found
everything
to be futile,
a pursuit
of the wind;
there was nothing
to be gained
under
the sun.
Then I
turned
to consider
wisdom
and madness
and folly;
for
what more
can the king’s
successor
do
than what has already
been accomplished?
The wise
man has eyes
in his head,
but the fool
walks
in darkness.
Yet I
also
came to realize
that one
fate
overcomes
them both.
So I
said
to myself,
“The fate
of the fool
will also
befall me.
What
then
have I
gained
by being wise?”
And I said
to myself
that this
too
is futile.
For
there is no
lasting
remembrance
of the wise,
just as with
the fool,
seeing that
both
will be forgotten
in the days
to come.
Alas,
the wise man
will die
just like
the fool!
So I hated
life,
because
the work
that is done
under
the sun
was grievous
to me.
For
everything
is futile
and a pursuit
of the wind.
I
hated
all
for which
I had toiled
under
the sun,
because I must leave it
to the man
who comes
after me.
And who
knows
whether he will be
a wise
man or
a fool?
Yet he will take
over all
the labor
at which I have worked
skillfully
under
the sun.
This
too
is futile.
When
there is
a man
who has labored
with wisdom,
knowledge,
and skill,
and he must give
his portion
to a man
who has not
worked for it,
this
too
is futile
and a great
evil.
Indeed,
all
his days
are filled with grief,
and his task
is sorrowful;
even
at night,
his mind
does not
rest.
This
too
is futile.
Nothing
is better
for man
than to eat
and drink
and
enjoy
his work.
I
have also
seen
that
this is
from the hand
of God.
To
the man
who is pleasing
in His sight,
He gives
wisdom
and knowledge
and joy,
but to the sinner
He assigns
the task
of gathering
and accumulating that which
he will hand over
to one who pleases
God.
This
too
is futile
and a pursuit
of the wind.