| NET Bible | New American Standard Bible 1995 |
| 1I thought to myself, "Come now, I will try self-indulgent pleasure to see if it is worthwhile." But I found that it also is futile. | 1I said to myself, "Come now, I will test you with pleasure. So enjoy yourself." And behold, it too was futility. |
| 2I said of partying, "It is folly," and of self-indulgent pleasure, "It accomplishes nothing!" | 2I said of laughter, "It is madness," and of pleasure, "What does it accomplish?" |
| 3I thought deeply about the effects of indulging myself with wine (all the while my mind was guiding me with wisdom) and the effects of behaving foolishly, so that I might discover what is profitable for people to do on earth during the few days of their lives. | 3I explored with my mind how to stimulate my body with wine while my mind was guiding me wisely, and how to take hold of folly, until I could see what good there is for the sons of men to do under heaven the few years of their lives. |
| 4I increased my possessions: I built houses for myself; I planted vineyards for myself. | 4I enlarged my works: I built houses for myself, I planted vineyards for myself; |
| 5I designed royal gardens and parks for myself, and I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. | 5I made gardens and parks for myself and I planted in them all kinds of fruit trees; |
| 6I constructed pools of water for myself, to irrigate my grove of flourishing trees. | 6I made ponds of water for myself from which to irrigate a forest of growing trees. |
| 7I purchased male and female slaves, and I owned slaves who were born in my house; I also possessed more livestock--both herds and flocks--than any of my predecessors in Jerusalem. | 7I bought male and female slaves and I had homeborn slaves. Also I possessed flocks and herds larger than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. |
| 8I also amassed silver and gold for myself, as well as valuable treasures taken from kingdoms and provinces. I acquired male singers and female singers for myself, and what gives a man sensual delight--a harem of beautiful concubines! | 8Also, I collected for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I provided for myself male and female singers and the pleasures of men-- many concubines. |
| 9So I was far wealthier than all my predecessors in Jerusalem, yet I maintained my objectivity: | 9Then I became great and increased more than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also stood by me. |
| 10I did not restrain myself from getting whatever I wanted; I did not deny myself anything that would bring me pleasure. So all my accomplishments gave me joy; this was my reward for all my effort. | 10All that my eyes desired I did not refuse them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my heart was pleased because of all my labor and this was my reward for all my labor. |
| 11Yet when I reflected on everything I had accomplished and on all the effort that I had expended to accomplish it, I concluded: "All these achievements and possessions are ultimately profitless--like chasing the wind! There is nothing gained from them on earth." | 11Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun. |
| 12Next, I decided to consider wisdom, as well as foolish behavior and ideas. For what more can the king's successor do than what the king has already done? | 12So I turned to consider wisdom, madness and folly; for what will the man do who will come after the king except what has already been done? |
| 13I realized that wisdom is preferable to folly, just as light is preferable to darkness: | 13And I saw that wisdom excels folly as light excels darkness. |
| 14The wise man can see where he is going, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also realized that the same fate happens to them both. | 14The wise man's eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. And yet I know that one fate befalls them both. |
| 15So I thought to myself, "The fate of the fool will happen even to me! Then what did I gain by becoming so excessively wise?" So I lamented to myself, "The benefits of wisdom are ultimately meaningless!" | 15Then I said to myself, "As is the fate of the fool, it will also befall me. Why then have I been extremely wise?" So I said to myself, "This too is vanity." |
| 16For the wise man, like the fool, will not be remembered for very long, because in the days to come, both will already have been forgotten. Alas, the wise man dies--just like the fool! | 16For there is no lasting remembrance of the wise man as with the fool, inasmuch as in the coming days all will be forgotten. And how the wise man and the fool alike die! |
| 17So I loathed life because what happens on earth seems awful to me; for all the benefits of wisdom are futile--like chasing the wind. | 17So I hated life, for the work which had been done under the sun was grievous to me; because everything is futility and striving after wind. |
| 18So I loathed all the fruit of my effort, for which I worked so hard on earth, because I must leave it behind in the hands of my successor. | 18Thus I hated all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun, for I must leave it to the man who will come after me. |
| 19Who knows if he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will be master over all the fruit of my labor for which I worked so wisely on earth! This also is futile! | 19And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a 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 vanity. |
| 20So I began to despair about all the fruit of my labor for which I worked so hard on earth. | 20Therefore I completely despaired of all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun. |
| 21For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge, and skill; however, he must hand over the fruit of his labor as an inheritance to someone else who did not work for it. This also is futile, and an awful injustice! | 21When there is a man who has labored with wisdom, knowledge and skill, then he gives his legacy to one who has not labored with them. This too is vanity and a great evil. |
| 22What does a man acquire from all his labor and from the anxiety that accompanies his toil on earth? | 22For what does a man get in all his labor and in his striving with which he labors under the sun? |
| 23For all day long his work produces pain and frustration, and even at night his mind cannot relax! This also is futile! | 23Because all his days his task is painful and grievous; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is vanity. |
| 24There is nothing better for people than to eat and drink, and to find enjoyment in their work. I also perceived that this ability to find enjoyment comes from God. | 24There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and tell himself that his labor is good. This also I have seen that it is from the hand of God. |
| 25For no one can eat and drink or experience joy apart from him. | 25For who can eat and who can have enjoyment without Him? |
| 26For to the one who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy, but to the sinner, he gives the task of amassing wealth--only to give it to the one who pleases God. This task of the wicked is futile--like chasing the wind! | 26For to a person who is good in His sight He has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, while to the sinner He has given the task of gathering and collecting so that he may give to one who is good in God's sight. This too is vanity and striving after wind. |
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