MLV(i)
3 I searched in my heart how to prolong my flesh with wine (my 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 heaven all the days of their life.
4 I made great works for me. I built houses for me. I planted vineyards for me. 5 I made gardens for me and parks and I planted trees in them of all kinds of fruit. 6 I made pools of water for me, to water the forest from there where trees were reared.
7 I bought men-servants and maid-servants and had servants born in my house. I also had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all who were before me in Jerusalem. 8 I also gathered silver and gold and the treasure of kings and of the provinces for me. 9 I got for me male-singers and female-singers and the luxuries of the sons of men and a wife and wives.
So I was great and increased more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me.
10 And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any joy. Because my heart rejoiced because of all my labor and this was my portion from all my labor.
11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had worked and on the labor that I had labored 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. Because what can the man do who comes after the king? Even what has been done long ago.
13 Then I saw that wisdom excels folly as far as light excels darkness. 14 The wise man's eyes are in his head and the fool walks in darkness. And yet I perceived that one event happens to them all.
15 Then I said in my heart, As it happens to the fool, so it will happen even to me and why then was I more wise? Then I said in my heart that this also is vanity.
16 Because of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no everlasting remembrance, seeing that in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. And how the wise man dies even as the fool!
17 So I hated life, because the work that is worked under the sun was grievous to me. Because all is vanity and a striving after wind.
18 And I hated all my labor in which I labored under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to the man who will be after me. 19 And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have rule over all my labor in which I have labored and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.
20 Therefore I turned around to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor in which I had labored under the sun.
21 Because there is a man whose labor is with wisdom and with knowledge and with skillfulness, yet he will leave it to a man who has not labored in it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.
22 Because what has a man of all his labor and of the striving of his heart in which he labors under the sun? 23 Because all his tasks are but sorrows and his travail is grief, yes, 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 make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God. 25 Because who can eat, or who can have enjoyment, without him?
26 Because to the man who pleases him God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he gives tasks to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who pleases God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
4 I made great works for me. I built houses for me. I planted vineyards for me. 5 I made gardens for me and parks and I planted trees in them of all kinds of fruit. 6 I made pools of water for me, to water the forest from there where trees were reared.
7 I bought men-servants and maid-servants and had servants born in my house. I also had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all who were before me in Jerusalem. 8 I also gathered silver and gold and the treasure of kings and of the provinces for me. 9 I got for me male-singers and female-singers and the luxuries of the sons of men and a wife and wives.
So I was great and increased more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me.
10 And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any joy. Because my heart rejoiced because of all my labor and this was my portion from all my labor.
11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had worked and on the labor that I had labored 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. Because what can the man do who comes after the king? Even what has been done long ago.
13 Then I saw that wisdom excels folly as far as light excels darkness. 14 The wise man's eyes are in his head and the fool walks in darkness. And yet I perceived that one event happens to them all.
15 Then I said in my heart, As it happens to the fool, so it will happen even to me and why then was I more wise? Then I said in my heart that this also is vanity.
16 Because of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no everlasting remembrance, seeing that in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. And how the wise man dies even as the fool!
17 So I hated life, because the work that is worked under the sun was grievous to me. Because all is vanity and a striving after wind.
18 And I hated all my labor in which I labored under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to the man who will be after me. 19 And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have rule over all my labor in which I have labored and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.
20 Therefore I turned around to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor in which I had labored under the sun.
21 Because there is a man whose labor is with wisdom and with knowledge and with skillfulness, yet he will leave it to a man who has not labored in it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.
22 Because what has a man of all his labor and of the striving of his heart in which he labors under the sun? 23 Because all his tasks are but sorrows and his travail is grief, yes, 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 make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God. 25 Because who can eat, or who can have enjoyment, without him?
26 Because to the man who pleases him God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he gives tasks to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who pleases God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.