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Verse 1

I said{H559} in my heart,{H3820} Come now,{H3212} I will prove{H5254} thee with mirth;{H8057} therefore enjoy{H7200} pleasure:{H2896} and, behold, this also was vanity.{H1892}

Verse 2

I said{H559} of laughter,{H7814} It is mad;{H1984} and of mirth,{H8057} What{H2090} doeth{H6213} it?

Verse 3

I searched{H8446} in my heart{H3820} how to cheer{H4900} my{H1320} flesh with wine,{H3196} my heart{H3820} yet guiding{H5090} [me] with wisdom,{H2451} and how to lay hold{H270} on folly,{H5531} till I might see{H7200} what it was good{H2896} for the sons{H1121} of men{H120} that they should do{H6213} under heaven{H8064} all{H4557} the days{H3117} of their life.{H2416}

Verse 4

I made me great{H1431} works;{H4639} I builded{H1129} me houses;{H1004} I planted{H5193} me vineyards;{H3754}

Verse 5

I made{H6213} me gardens{H1593} and parks,{H6508} and I planted{H5193} trees{H6086} in them of all kinds of fruit;{H6529}

Verse 6

I made{H6213} me pools{H1295} of water,{H4325} to water{H8248} therefrom the forest{H3293} where trees{H3293} were reared;{H6779}

Verse 7

I bought{H7069} men-servants{H5650} and maid-servants,{H8198} and had servants born{H1121} in my house;{H1004} also I had great{H7235} possessions{H4735} of herds{H6629} and flocks, above{H1241} all that were before{H6440} me in Jerusalem;{H3389}

Verse 8

I gathered{H3664} me also silver{H3701} and gold,{H2091} and the treasure{H5459} of kings{H4428} and of the provinces;{H4082} I gat{H6213} me men-singers{H7891} and women-singers,{H7891} and the delights{H8588} of the sons{H1121} of men,{H120} musical instruments,{H7705} and that of all sorts.

Verse 9

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

Verse 10

And whatsoever mine eyes{H5869} desired{H7592} I kept{H680} not from them; I withheld{H4513} not my heart{H3820} from any joy;{H8057} for my heart{H3820} rejoiced{H8056} because of all my labor;{H5999} and this was my portion{H2506} from all my labor.{H5999}

Verse 11

Then I looked{H6437} on all the works{H4639} that my hands{H3027} had wrought,{H6213} and on the labor{H5999} that I had labored{H5999} to do;{H6213} and, behold, all was vanity{H1892} and a striving{H7469} after wind,{H7307} and there was no profit{H3504} under the sun.{H8121}

Verse 12

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

Verse 13

Then I saw{H7200} that{H3426} wisdom{H2451} excelleth{H3504} folly,{H5531} as far as light{H216} excelleth{H3504} darkness.{H2822}

Verse 14

The wise man's{H2450} eyes{H5869} are in his head,{H7218} and the fool{H3684} walketh{H1980} in darkness:{H2822} and yet I perceived{H3045} that one{H259} event{H4745} happeneth{H7136} to them all.

Verse 15

Then{H227} said{H559} I in my heart,{H3820} As it happeneth{H4745} to the fool,{H3684} so will it happen{H7136} even to me;{H1571} and why was I then more{H3148} wise?{H2449} Then said{H1696} I in my heart,{H3820} that this also is vanity.{H1892}

Verse 16

For of the wise{H2450} man, even as{H5973} of the fool,{H3684} there is no remembrance{H2146} for ever;{H5769} seeing{H3528} that in the days{H3117} to come{H935} all will have been long forgotten.{H7911} And how doth the wise{H2450} man die{H4191} even as the fool!{H3684}

Verse 17

So I hated{H8130} life,{H2416} because the work{H4639} that is wrought{H6213} under the sun{H8121} was grievous{H7451} unto me; for all is vanity{H1892} and a striving{H7469} after wind.{H7307}

Verse 18

And I hated{H8130} all my labor{H5999} wherein I labored{H5999} under the sun,{H8121} seeing that I must leave{H3240} it unto the man{H120} that shall be after{H310} me.

Verse 19

And who knoweth{H3045} whether he will be a wise{H2450} man or a fool?{H5530} yet will he have rule{H7980} over all my labor{H5999} wherein I have labored,{H5999} and wherein I have showed myself wise{H2449} under the sun.{H8121} This also is vanity.{H1892}

Verse 20

Therefore I turned about{H5437} to cause{H2976} my heart{H3820} to despair{H2976} concerning all the labor{H5999} wherein I had labored{H5999} under the sun.{H8121}

Verse 21

For there is{H3426} a man{H120} whose labor{H5999} is with wisdom,{H2451} and with knowledge,{H1847} and with skilfulness;{H3788} yet to a man{H120} that hath not labored{H5998} therein shall he leave{H5414} it for his portion.{H2506} This also is vanity{H1892} and a great{H7227} evil.{H7451}

Verse 22

For what hath{H1933} a man{H120} of all his labor,{H5999} and of the striving{H7475} of his heart,{H3820} wherein{H1931} he laboreth{H6001} under the sun?{H8121}

Verse 23

For all his days{H3117} are [but] sorrows,{H4341} and his travail{H6045} is grief;{H3708} yea, even in the night{H3915} his heart{H3820} taketh no rest.{H7901} This also is vanity.{H1892}

Verse 24

There is nothing better{H2896} for a man{H120} [than] that he should eat{H398} and drink,{H8354} and make his soul{H5315} enjoy{H7200} good{H2896} in his labor.{H5999} This{H2090} also I saw,{H7200} that it is from the hand{H3027} of God.{H430}

Verse 25

For who can eat,{H398} or who can have enjoyment,{H2363} more{H2351} than I?

Verse 26

For to the man{H120} that pleaseth{H2896} him{H6440} [God] giveth{H5414} wisdom,{H2451} and knowledge,{H1847} and joy;{H8057} but to the sinner{H2398} he giveth{H5414} travail,{H6045} to gather{H622} and to heap up,{H3664} that he may give{H5414} to him that{H6440} pleaseth{H2896} God.{H430} This also is vanity{H1892} and a striving{H7469} after wind.{H7307}

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