2. I said of laughter, “It is folly!” and of pleasure, “What does it accomplish?”
3. I also explored the effects of indulging my flesh with wine. My mind guiding me with wisdom, I investigated folly so that I might discover what is good under heaven for humans to do during the days of their lives.
4. I accomplished great things. I built for myself houses; I planted for myself vineyards.
5. I made for myself gardens and parks, and I planted all sorts of fruit trees in them.
6. I made for myself pools of water from which to irrigate a grove of flourishing trees.
7. I acquired male slaves and female slaves, as well as children born in my house. I also had livestock, cattle, and flocks more than anyone who was before me in Jerusalem.
8. I also gathered to myself silver and gold—the royal and provincial treasuries. I acquired for myself male and female singers, as well as the delight of men, voluptuous concubines.
9. Thus, I accomplished far more than anyone who was before me in Jerusalem—indeed, my wisdom stood by me.
10. I neither withheld anything from my eyes that they desired, nor did I deprive any pleasure from my heart. My heart rejoiced in all my toil, for this was my reward from all my toil.
11. Yet when I considered all the effort which I expended and the toil with which I toiled to do, then behold, “Everything is vanity and chasing wind! There is nothing profitable under the sun!”
12. Next, I considered wisdom, as well as delusion and folly. What can anyone do who will come after the king that has not already been done?
13. I realized that wisdom has an advantage over folly, just as light has an advantage over darkness.
14. The wise man can see where he is walking, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also realized that both of them suffer the same fate.
15. So I said to myself, “If I also suffer the same fate as the fool, what advantage is my great wisdom?” So I said to myself, “This also is vanity!”
16. Certainly no one will remember the wise man or the fool in future generations. When future days come, both will have been forgotten already. How is it that the wise man dies the same as the fool?
17. So I hated life because the work done under the sun is grievous to me. For everything is vanity and chasing wind!
18. So I hated all my toil with which I have toiled under the sun, for I must leave it behind to someone who will be after me.