8. I amassed for myself silver and gold, and the treasures of kings and provinces. I provided for myself male and female singers and delights of men, many women.
9. I accumulated much more than all others before me in Jerusalem; my wisdom, too, stayed with me.
10. Nothing that my eyes desired did I deny them, nor did I deprive myself of any joy; rather, my heart rejoiced in the fruit of all my toil. This was my share for all my toil.
11. But when I turned to all the works that my hands had wrought, and to the fruit of the toil for which I had toiled so much, see! all was vanity and a chase after wind. There is no profit under the sun.
12. What about one who succeeds a king? He can do only what has already been done. I went on to the consideration of wisdom, madness and folly.
13. And I saw that wisdom has as much profit over folly as light has over darkness.
14. Wise people have eyes in their heads,but fools walk in darkness.Yet I knew that the same lot befalls both.