Ecclesiastes 2

Ecclesiastes Chapter 2 KJV

1The vanity which the Preacher found in the pursuits of pleasure. 12Wisdom excelleth folly, yet a like event happeneth to both. 18The vanity of human labour, the fruit of which must soon be left to a man knoweth not whom. 24Nothing better than a cheerful use of what a man hath gotten; but that is the gift of God to the good only.
1 I 1SAID in mine heart, Go to now, 2I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.
2 I 1said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?
3 1I sought in mine heart to agive myself unto wine, yet 2acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all bthe days of their life.
4 1I made me great works; 2I builded me houses; 3I planted me vineyards:
5 1I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits:
6 1I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees:
7 1I got me servants and maidens, and had aservants born in my house; 2also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me:
8 1I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the 2provinces: 3I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as amusical instruments, and that of all sorts.
9 So 1I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also 2my wisdom remained with me.
10 And 1whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.
11 Then 1I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, 2all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and 3there was no profit under the sun.
12 ¶ And 1I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? aeven that which hath been already done.
13 1Then I saw athat wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.
14 The 1wise man's eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also 2that one event happeneth to them all.
15 Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it ahappeneth even to me; and 1why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity.
16 For 1there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And 2how dieth the wise man? as the fool.
17 Therefore 1I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for 2all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
18 ¶ Yea, I hated 1all my labour which I had ataken under the sun: because 2I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me.
19 And who knoweth 1whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also 2vanity.
20 Therefore I went about 1to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun.
21 For 1there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in 2equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he aleave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.
22 1For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun?
23 1For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity.
24 There is 1nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he ashould make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that 2it was from the hand of God.
25 For 1who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I?
26 1For God giveth to a man that is good ain his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that 2he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.
Ecclesiastes 2