Ecclesiastes 2:2-12 I said of laughter , It is mad : and of mirth , What doeth it?

KJV_Strongs⁽ⁱ⁾

2 H559 I said [H8804] H7814 of laughter H1984 , It is mad [H8781] H8057 : and of mirth H2090 , What H6213 doeth [H8802] it?

3 H8446 I sought [H8804] H3820 in mine heart H4900 to give [H8800] H1320 myself H3196 unto wine H5090 , yet acquainting [H8802] H3820 mine heart H2451 with wisdom H270 ; and to lay hold [H8800] H5531 on folly H7200 , till I might see [H8799] H2896 what was that good H1121 for the sons H120 of men H6213 , which they should do [H8799] H8064 under the heaven H4557 all H3117 the days H2416 of their life.

4 H1431 I made me great [H8689] H4639 works H1129 ; I builded [H8804] H1004 me houses H5193 ; I planted [H8804] H3754 me vineyards:

5 H6213 I made [H8804] H1593 me gardens H6508 and orchards H5193 , and I planted [H8804] H6086 trees H6529 in them of all kind of fruits:

6 H6213 I made [H8804] H1295 me pools H4325 of water H8248 , to water [H8687] H3293 therewith the wood H6779 that bringeth forth [H8802] H6086 trees:

7 H7069 I got [H8804] H5650 me servants H8198 and maidens H1121 , and had servants born H1004 in my house H7235 ; also I had great [H8687] H4735 possessions H1241 of great H6629 and small cattle H3389 above all that were in Jerusalem H6440 before me:

8 H3664 I gathered [H8804] H3701 me also silver H2091 and gold H5459 , and the peculiar treasure H4428 of kings H4082 and of the provinces H6213 : I gat [H8804] H7891 me men singers [H8802] H7891 and women singers [H8802] H8588 , and the delights H1121 of the sons H120 of men H7705 , as musical instruments H7705 , and that of all sorts.

9 H1431 So I was great [H8804] H3254 , and increased [H8689] H6440 more than all that were before H3389 me in Jerusalem H2451 : also my wisdom H5975 remained [H8804] with me.

10 H5869 And whatsoever mine eyes H7592 desired [H8804] H680 I kept [H8804] H4513 not from them, I withheld [H8804] H3820 not my heart H8057 from any joy H3820 ; for my heart H8056 rejoiced H5999 in all my labour H2506 : and this was my portion H5999 of all my labour.

11 H6437 Then I looked [H8804] H4639 on all the works H3027 that my hands H6213 had wrought [H8804] H5999 , and on the labour H5998 that I had laboured [H8804] H6213 to do [H8800] H1892 : and, behold, all was vanity H7469 and vexation H7307 of spirit H3504 , and there was no profit H8121 under the sun.

12 H6437 And I turned [H8804] H7200 myself to behold [H8800] H2451 wisdom H1947 , and madness H5531 , and folly H120 : for what can the man H935 do that cometh [H8799] H310 after H4428 the king H3528 ? even that which hath been already H6213 done [H8804] .

ERV⁽ⁱ⁾ ² I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it? ³ I searched in mine heart how to cheer my flesh with wine, mine heart yet guiding [me] with wisdom, and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what it was good for the sons of men that they should do under the heaven all the days of their life. ⁴ I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards; ⁵ I made me gardens and parks, and I planted trees in them of all kinds of fruit: ⁶ I made me pools of water, to water therefrom the forest where trees were reared: ⁷ I bought menservants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all that were before me in Jerusalem: 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, concubines very many. ⁹ So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom 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 because of all my labour; and this was my portion from all my labour. 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 a striving after wind, 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.