Ecclesiastes 2

The Preacher tests himself with pleasure, laughter, wine, great building projects, wealth, and every delight, and concludes that all of it is vanity and vexation of spirit. He observes that the wise man and the fool share the same death, and that the only good is to eat, drink, and find enjoyment in one's labor as a gift from God.

v	King James Version	Modern English
1	I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.	I said in my heart, "Come now, I will test you with mirth, so enjoy pleasure." But this also was vanity.
2	I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?	I said of laughter, "It is mad," and of mirth, "What does it accomplish?"
3	I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting 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 the days of their life.	I sought in my heart to give myself to wine, while my heart still guided me with wisdom, and to take hold of folly. I wanted to see what was good for the sons of men to do under heaven all the days of their life.
4	I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards:	I made great works for myself. I built houses for myself and planted vineyards.
5	I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits:	I made gardens and orchards for myself, and I planted in them trees of every kind of fruit.
6	I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees:	I made pools of water for myself, to water the woods that brought forth trees.
7	I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me:	I obtained menservants and maidservants, and I had servants born in my house. I also had great possessions of herds and flocks, more than all who were in Jerusalem before me.
8	I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts.	I also gathered for myself silver and gold, and the special treasure of kings and provinces. I obtained men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, with musical instruments of all kinds.
9	So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.	So I became great, and increased more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also remained with me.
10	And whatsoever 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.	Whatever my eyes desired, I did not keep from them. I withheld my heart from no joy, for my heart rejoiced in all my labor. This was my portion of all my labor.
11	Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.	Then I looked on all the works my hands had done, and on the labor I had toiled to do. All was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.
12	And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.	Then I turned myself to consider wisdom, madness, and folly. For what can the man do who comes after the king? Only what has already been done.
13	Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.	Then I saw that wisdom excels folly, as far as light excels darkness.
14	The wise man's eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all.	The wise man's eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also saw that one event happens to them all.
15	Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity.	Then I said in my heart, "As it happens to the fool, so it happens even to me. Why then was I more wise?" Then I said in my heart that this also is vanity.
16	For there 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 how dieth the wise man? as the fool.	For there is no lasting memory of the wise more than of the fool, since in the days to come all will be forgotten. And how does the wise man die? Just like the fool.
17	Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.	So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. For all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
18	Yea, I hated all my labour wherein I had laboured under the sun: seeing that I must leave it unto the man that shall be after me.	I hated all my labor at which I had worked under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to the man who will come after me.
19	And who knoweth whether 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 vanity.	And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have rule over all my labor at which I have worked and shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.
20	Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun.	So I turned to make my heart despair of all the labor at which I had worked under the sun.
21	For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.	For there is a man whose labor is done with wisdom, knowledge, and fairness, yet he must leave it as a portion to a man who has not labored in it. This also is vanity and a great evil.
22	For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun?	For what does a man have from all his labor and from the vexation of his heart, at which he has labored under the sun?
23	For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity.	For all his days are sorrows, and his work is grief. Even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.
24	There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.	There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink, and to let his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.
25	For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I?	For who can eat, or who can enjoy it, more than I?
26	For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.	For God gives to the man who is good in his sight wisdom, knowledge, and joy. But to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and heaping up, that he may give it to the one who is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.