1. And I said in my heart, “Come, and I will test you with selfish pleasures to experience desires.” And notice that this too is vanity.
2. And I said of frivolous fun, “They are only senseless ideas”; and regarding selfish pleasure, “What purpose is this?”
3. I investigated how to cheer up my body with wine, while my heart was still guiding me with wisdom, in order to grasp folly until I might experience what is good for sons of men to do under heaven during the number of days that they might have life.
4. I accomplished great works. I built houses for myself, and planted myself vineyards.
5. I made for myself royal gardens and parks, and I planted in them all sorts of fruit trees.
6. I made for myself pools of water to irrigate the forests of growing trees.
7. I even bought male and female slaves; even some were born to me in my house. I had also great possessions of herds and flocks more than any who had been in Jerusalem before me.