Ecclesiastes 2

by God (1982)

Key Passage

I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards:  I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all [kind of] fruits:  I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees:  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 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. So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me. 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.  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.  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 saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness. 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. 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. 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. 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.
Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me.  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.  Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun. 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 what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun?  For all his days [are] sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity. [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. (p.325)

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