Study Desk

There is no remembrance of earlier things; And also of the later things which will occur, There will be for them no remembrance Among those who will come later still.

I explored with my mind how to stimulate my body with wine while my mind was guiding me wisely, and how to take hold of folly, until I could see what good there is for the sons of men to do under heaven the few years of their lives.

I enlarged my works: I built houses for myself, I planted vineyards for myself;

I made gardens and parks for myself and I planted in them all kinds of fruit trees;

I made ponds of water for myself from which to irrigate a forest of growing trees.

Also, I collected for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I provided for myself male and female singers and the pleasures of men—many concubines.

All that my eyes desired I did not refuse them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my heart was pleased because of all my labor and this was my reward for all my labor.

So I turned to consider wisdom, madness and folly; for what will the man do who will come after the king except what has already been done?

For there is no lasting remembrance of the wise man as with the fool, inasmuch as in the coming days all will be forgotten. And how the wise man and the fool alike die!

So I hated life, for the work which had been done under the sun was grievous to me; because everything is futility and striving after wind.

Thus I hated all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun, for I must leave it to the man who will come after me.

And who knows whether he will be a wise man or 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 vanity.

Therefore I completely despaired of all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun.

For what does a man get in all his labor and in his striving with which he labors under the sun?

There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and tell himself that his labor is good. This also I have seen that it is from the hand of God.

For who can eat and who can have enjoyment without Him?

For to a person who is good in His sight He has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, while to the sinner He has given the task of gathering and collecting so that he may give to one who is good in God's sight. This too is vanity and striving after wind.

There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven—

A time to love and a time to hate; A time for war and a time for peace.

I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one's lifetime;