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The Futility of Pleasure and Possessions

¹ I said to myself, "Come now, I will test you with ^(C1)pleasure and gratification; so enjoy yourself and have a good time." But behold, this too was vanity (futility, meaninglessness). ^(VR1)2 (C1)I said of laughter, "It is madness," and of pleasure, "What does it accomplish?"³ I explored with my mind how to ^(C1)gratify myself with wine while at the same time having my mind remain steady and guide me wisely; and how to take control of ^(C2)foolishness, until I could see ^(C3)what was good for the sons of men to do under heaven all the days of their lives.⁴ I made great works: I ^(C1)built houses for myself; I planted ^(C2)vineyards for myself;⁵ I made ^(C1)gardens and ^(C2)orchards for myself and I planted in them all kinds of fruit trees;⁶ I made ^(C1)pools of water for myself from which to water the forest and make the trees bud.⁷ I bought male and female slaves and had ^(C1)slaves born in my house. I also possessed ^(C2)herds and flocks larger than any who preceded me in Jerusalem.⁸ Also, I collected for myself silver and ^(C1)gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I provided for myself ^(C2)male singers and female singers, and the delights and pleasures of men—^(F1)many ^(F2)concubines. ^(VR1)

⁹ So I became ^(C1)great and excelled more than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also remained with me.^10 (C1)Whatever my eyes looked at with desire I did not refuse them. I did not withhold from my heart any pleasure, for my heart was pleased because of all my labor; and this was my ^(C2)reward for all my labor.¹¹ Then I considered all which my hands had done and labored to do, and behold, all was ^(C1)vanity and chasing after the wind and there was ^(C2)no profit (nothing of lasting value) under the sun. ^(VR1)

Wisdom Excels Folly

¹² So I turned to ^(C1)consider secular wisdom, madness, and folly; for what will the man do who succeeds the king? Nothing except ^(C2)what has already been done.¹³ Then I saw that even secular ^(C1)wisdom that brings sorrow is better than the pleasures of folly and self-indulgence as light excels darkness.¹⁴ The wise man's eyes are in his head, but the ^(C1)fool walks in darkness; and yet I know that in the end ^(C2)one fate happens to them both. ^(VR1)15 Then I said to myself, "^(C1)As it happens to the fool, so death will also happen to me. ^(C2)What use is it then for me to be extremely wise?" Then I said in my heart, "This too is vanity (meaningless)."¹⁶ For there is no more ^(C1)lasting remembrance of the wise man than of the fool, since in the days to come all will be long forgotten. And ^(C2)how does the wise man die? Even as the fool!¹⁷ So I ^(C1)hated life, for the work which had been done under the sun caused me only great sorrow; because all is futility and chasing after the wind.

The Futility of Labor

¹⁸ So I hated ^(C1)all the fruit (gain) of my labor for which I had labored under the sun, because I must ^(C2)leave it to the man who will succeed me. ^(VR1)19 And who knows whether he will be a wise man or ^(C1)a fool? Yet he will have control over all the fruit of my labor for which I have labored by acting wisely under the sun. This too is ^(C2)vanity (futility, self-conceit).²⁰ So I turned aside and let my heart despair over all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun.²¹ For there is a man who has labored with wisdom and knowledge and ^(C1)skill, yet ^(C2)gives his legacy to one who has not labored for it. This too is vanity and a great evil.²² For what does a man get from ^(C1)all his labor and from the striving and sorrow of his heart with which he labors under the sun?²³ For all his days his work is painful and ^(C1)sorrowful; even at night his mind ^(C2)does not rest. This too is vanity (worthless).

²⁴ There is ^(C1)nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and assure himself that there is good in his labor. Even this, I have seen, is ^(C2)from the hand of God.²⁵ For who can eat and who can have enjoyment without Him?²⁶ For to the person who pleases Him ^(C1)God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner He gives the work of gathering and collecting so that he may ^(C2)give to one who pleases God. This too is ^(C3)vanity and chasing after the wind.