2:1 I said in my heart, Come now, I will
prove thee with mirth, and behold thou good: and, behold, this is also
vanity.
2:2 I said to laughter, Madness: and to mirth, Why doest thou this:
2:3 And I examined whether my heart would excite my flesh as [with] wine,
(though my heart guided [me] in wisdom,) and [I desired] to lay hold of
mirth, until I should see of what kind is the good to the sons of men, which
they should do under the sun all the days of their life.
2:4 I enlarged my work; I built me houses; I planted me vineyards.
2:5 I made me gardens and orchards, and planted in them every kind of
fruit-tree.
2:6 I made me pools of water, to water from them the timber-bearing wood.
2:7 I got servants and maidens, and servants were born to me in the house:
also I had abundant possession of flocks and herds, beyond all who were
before me in Jerusalem.
2:8 Moreover I collected for myself both silver and gold also, and the
peculiar treasures of kings and provinces: I procured me singing men and
singing women, and delights of the sons of men, a butler and female
cupbearers.
2:9 So I became great, and advanced beyond all that were before in
Jerusalem: also my wisdom was established to me.
2:10 And whatever mine eyes desired, I withheld not from them, I withheld
not my heart from all my mirth: for my heart rejoiced in all my labour; and
this was my portion of all my labour.
2:11 And I looked on all my works which my hands had wrought, and on my
labour which I laboured to perform: and behold, all was vanity and
waywardness of spirit, and there is no advantage under the sun.
2:12 Then I looked on to see wisdom, and madness, and folly: for who is the
man who will follow after counsel, in all things where in he employs it?
2:13 And I saw that wisdom excels folly, as much as light excels darkness.
2:14 The wise man's eyes are in his head; but the fool walks in darkness:
and I perceived, even I, that one event shall happen to them all.
2:15 And I said in my heart, As the event of the fool is, so shall it be to
me, even to me: and to what purpose have I gained wisdom? I said moreover in
my heart, This is also vanity, because the fool speaks of his abundance.
2:16 For there is no remembrance of the wise man with the fool for ever;
forasmuch as now [in] the coming days all things are forgotten: and how
shall the wise man die with the fool?
2:17 So I hated life; because the work that was wrought under the sun was
evil before me: for all is vanity and waywardness of spirit.
2:18 And I hated the whole of my labour which I took under the sun; because
I must leave it to the man who will come after me.
2:19 And who knows whether he will be a wise [man] or a fool? and whether he
will have power over all my labour in which I laboured, and wherein I grew
wise under the sun? this is also vanity.
2:20 so I went about to dismiss from my heart all my labour wherein I had
laboured under the sun.
2:21 For there is [such] a man that his labour is in wisdom, and in
knowledge, and in fortitude; [yet] this man shall give his portion to one
who has not laboured therein. This is also vanity and great evil.
2:22 For it happens to a man in all his labour, and in the purpose of his
heart wherein he labours under the sun.
2:23 For all his days [are days] of sorrows, and vexation of spirit is his;
in the night also his heart rests not. This is also vanity.
2:24 A man has nothing [really] good to eat, and to drink, and to shew his
soul [as] good in his trouble. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of
Elohim.
2:25 For who shall eat, or who shall drink, without him?
2:26 For [Elohim] has given to the man who is good in his sight, wisdom, and
knowledge, and joy: but he has given to the sinner trouble, to add and to
heap up, that he may give to him that is good before Elohim; for this is also
vanity and waywardness of spirit. |
2:1 I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will
prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is
vanity.
2:2 I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?
2:3 I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine
heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that
good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the 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 orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind
of fruits:
2:6 I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth
forth trees:
2:7 I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I
had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in
Jerusalem before me:
2:8 I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings
and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the
delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts.
2:9 So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in
Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with 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 in all my labour: and this was
my portion of all my labour.
2:11 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 vexation
of spirit, 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 after the king? even that which hath 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; but the fool walketh in darkness:
and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all.
2:15 Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth
even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this
also is vanity.
2:16 For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever;
seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how
dieth the wise man? as the fool.
2:17 Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun
is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
2:18 Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I
should leave it unto the man that shall be after me.
2:19 And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he
have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have
shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity.
2:20 Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour
which I took under the sun.
2:21 For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in
equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for
his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.
2:22 For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart,
wherein he hath laboured under the sun?
2:23 For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart
taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity.
2:24 There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink,
and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw,
that it was from the hand of Elohim.
2:25 For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I?
2:26 For Elohim giveth to a man that is good in his sight 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 is good before Elohim. This also is
vanity and vexation of spirit. |