Ecclesiastes
Introduction
I, the Preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13And I set my mind to seek and explore by wisdom concerning all that has been done under heaven. It is a grievous task which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.
14I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind.
Knowledge
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?
13And I saw that wisdom excels folly as light excels darkness.
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.
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.”
Pleasure
1I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure. So enjoy yourself.” And behold, it too was futility.
2I said of laughter, “It is madness,” and of pleasure, “What does it accomplish?”
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 enlarged my works: I built houses for myself, I planted vineyards for myself;
5I made gardens and parks for myself and I planted in them all kinds of fruit trees;
6I made ponds of water for myself from which to irrigate a forest of growing trees.
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.
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.
9Then I became great and increased more than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also stood by me.
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.
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.
Money
10He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. This too is vanity.
11When good things increase, those who consume them increase. So what is the advantage to their owners except to look on?
18Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat, to drink and enjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he toils under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him; for this is his reward.
19Furthermore, as for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also empowered him to eat from them and to receive his reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God.