12. And I turned myself to look at wisdom, and madness, and folly. For what would the man do who comes after the sovereign except what already has been done?
13. Then I saw that wisdom is better than folly, as light is better than darkness.
14. The wise one’s eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. And I also knew that one event befalls them all.
15. And I said in my heart, “As the event of the fool, even so it befalls me, and why was I then more wise?” Then I said in my heart, “This also is futile.”
16. For there is no more lasting remembrance of the wise than of the fool, since in the days to come all is forgotten. And how does a wise man die? With the fool!
17. And I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was evil on me, for all is futile and feeding on wind.
18. And I hated all my labour in which I had toiled under the sun, because I leave it to a man who would come after me.
19. And who knows whether he is wise or foolish? Yet he shall rule over all my labour in which I toiled and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. That too is futile.
20. So I turned my heart and despaired of all the labour in which I had toiled under the sun.
21. For a man might labour with wisdom, knowledge, and skill; yet he leaves his heritage to a man who has not laboured for it. That too is futile and a great evil.
22. For what does a man get for all his labour and strain of his heart with which he has toiled under the sun?
23. For all his days are sufferings, and his work grievous; even in the night his heart takes no rest. That too is futile.
24. A man could do no better but to eat and drink, and enjoy himself in his labour! That too, I saw, was from the hand of Elohim.
25. For who eats or who finds enjoyment without Him?
26. For He gives wisdom and knowledge and joy to a man who is good in His eyes. But to the sinner He gives the task of gathering and collecting, to give to him who is good before Elohim. That too is futile and feeding on wind.