I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with ^apleasure and gratification; so enjoy yourself and have a good time.” But behold, this too was vanity (futility, meaninglessness) . Luke 12:19, 20 2 ^aI said of laughter, “It is madness,” and of pleasure, “What does it accomplish?” 3 I explored with my mind how to ^agratify myself with wine while at the same time having my mind remain steady and guide me wisely; and how to take control of ^bfoolishness, until I could see ^cwhat was good for the sons of men to do under heaven all the days of their lives. 4 I made great works: I ^abuilt houses for myself; I planted ^bvineyards for myself; 5 I made ^agardens and ^borchards for myself and I planted in them all kinds of fruit trees; 6 I made ^apools of water for myself from which to water the forest and make the trees bud. 7 I bought male and female slaves and had ^aslaves born in my house. I also possessed ^bherds and flocks larger than any who preceded me in Jerusalem. 8 Also, I collected for myself silver and ^agold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I provided for myself ^bmale singers and female singers, and the delights and pleasures of men—¹many ²concubines. 1+@Kin 9:28; 10:10, 14, 21

9 So I became ^agreat and excelled more than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also remained with me. 10 ^aWhatever my eyes looked at with desire I did not refuse them. I did not withhold from my heart any pleasure, for my heart was pleased because of all my labor; and this was my ^breward for all my labor. 11 Then I considered all which my hands had done and labored to do, and behold, all was ^avanity and chasing after the wind and there was ^bno profit (nothing of lasting value) under the sun. Matt 16:26

12 So I turned to ^aconsider secular wisdom, madness, and folly; for what will the man do who succeeds the king? Nothing except ^bwhat has already been done. 13 Then I saw that even secular ^awisdom that brings sorrow is better than the pleasures of folly and self-indulgence as light excels darkness. 14 The wise man’s eyes are in his head, but the ^afool walks in darkness; and yet I know that in the end ^bone fate happens to them both. Prov 17:24 15 Then I said to myself, “^aAs it happens to the fool, so death will also happen to me. ^bWhat use is it then for me to be extremely wise?” Then I said in my heart, “This too is vanity (meaningless) .” 16 For there is no more ^alasting remembrance of the wise man than of the fool, since in the days to come all will be long forgotten. And ^bhow does the wise man die? Even as the fool! 17 So I ^ahated life, for the work which had been done under the sun caused me only great sorrow; because all is futility and chasing after the wind.

18 So I hated ^aall the fruit (gain) of my labor for which I had labored under the sun, because I must ^bleave it to the man who will succeed me. Ps 49:10 19 And who knows whether he will be a wise man or ^aa fool? Yet he will have control over all the fruit of my labor for which I have labored by acting wisely under the sun. This too is ^bvanity (futility, self-conceit) . 20 So I turned aside and let my heart despair over all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun. 21 For there is a man who has labored with wisdom and knowledge and ^askill, yet ^bgives his legacy to one who has not labored for it. This too is vanity and a great evil. 22 For what does a man get from ^aall his labor and from the striving and sorrow of his heart with which he labors under the sun? 23 For all his days his work is painful and ^asorrowful; even at night his mind ^bdoes not rest. This too is vanity (worthless) .

24 There is ^anothing better for a man than to eat and drink and assure himself that there is good in his labor. Even this, I have seen, is ^bfrom the hand of God. 25 For who can eat and who can have enjoyment without Him? 26 For to the person who pleases Him ^aGod gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner He gives the work of gathering and collecting so that he may ^bgive to one who pleases God. This too is ^cvanity and chasing after the wind.