1 Isaid therefore in my heart: I will go, & flow in delights, and enjoy good things. And I saw that this also was vanity.
1 I said in my heart: I will go, and abound with delights, and enjoy good things. And I saw that this also was vanity.
2 Laughter I have reputed error: and to joy I have said: Why art thou deceived in vain?
2 Laughter I counted error: and to mirth I said: Why art thou vainly deceived?
3 I have thought in my heart to withdraw my flesh from wine, that I might transfer my mind to wisdom, and might avoid folly, till I might see what should be profitable for the children of men: what is needful to be done under the sun, in the number of the days of their life.
3 I thought in my heart, to withdraw my flesh from wine, that I might turn my mind to wisdom, and might avoid folly, till I might see what was profitable for the children of men: and what they ought to do under the sun, all the days of their life.
4 I have magnified my works, I have built me houses, & planted vineyards,
4 I made me great works, I built me houses, and planted vineyards,
5 I have made gardens, and orchards, and set them with trees of all kinds,
5 I made gardens, and orchards, and set them with trees of all kinds,
6 and I have made me ponds of waters, to water the wood of springing trees,
6 And I made me ponds of water, to water therewith the wood of the young trees,
7 I have possessed men-servants and women-servants, and have had a great family: herds also, and great flocks of sheep, above all that were before me in Jerusalem:
7 I got me menservants, and maidservants, and had a great family: and herds of oxen, and great flocks of sheep, above all that were before me in Jerusalem:
8 I have heaped together to myself silver, and gold, and the substance of kings, and provinces: I made me singing men, & singing women, and the delights of the children of men: cups, and goblets to serve to pour out wines:
8 ¹I heaped together for myself silver and gold, and the wealth of kings, and provinces: I made me singing men, and singing women, and the delights of the sons of men, cups and vessels to serve to pour out wine:
9 and I surpassed in riches all that were before me in Jerusalem: wisdom also hath persevered with me.
9 And I surpassed in riches all that were before me in Jerusalem: my wisdom also remained with me.
10 And all things that mine eyes desired, I have not denied to them: neither have I stayed my heart, but that it enjoyed all pleasure, & delighted it-self in these things, which I had prepared: and this I esteemed my portion, if I did use my labour.
10 And whatsoever my eyes desired, I refused them not: and I withheld not my heart from enjoying every pleasure, and delighting itself in the things which I had prepared: and esteemed this my portion, to make use of my own labor.
11 And when I had turned myself to all the works which my hands had done, & to the labours wherein I had sweat in vain, I saw in all things vanity, and affliction of mind, & nothing to be permanent under the sun.
11 And when I turned myself to all the works which my hands had wrought, and to the labors wherein I had labored in vain, I saw in all things vanity, and vexation of mind, and that nothing was lasting under the sun.
12 I passed further to contemplate wisdom, and errors, and folly (what is man, quoth I, that he can follow the King his Maker?)
12 I passed further to behold wisdom, and errors and folly. (What is man, said I, that he can follow the King his maker?)
13 and I saw that wisdom so much excelled folly, as light differeth from darkness.
13 And I saw that wisdom excelled folly, as much as light differeth from darkness.
14 The eyes of a wiseman are in his head: the fool walketh in darkness: and I have learned that there was one death of both.
14 ²The eyes of a wise man are in his head: the fool walketh in darkness: and I learned that they were to die both alike.
15 And I said in my heart: if the fall of the fool & mine shall be one, what doth it profit me, that I have bestowed greater labour for wisdom? And speaking with my mind, I perceived that this also was vanity.
15 And I said in my heart: If the death of the fool and mine shall be one, what doth it avail me, that I have applied myself more to the study of wisdom? And speaking with my own mind, I perceived that this also was vanity.
16 For there shall be no memory of the wise in like manner as of the fool for ever, and the times to come shall cover all things together with oblivion: the learned dieth in like manner as the unlearned.
16 For there shall be no remembrance of the wise no more than of the fool forever, and the times to come shall cover all things together with oblivion: the learned dieth in like manner as the unlearned.
17 And therefore I have been weary of my life, seeing all things under the sun to be evil, and all things vanity and affliction of spirit.
17 And therefore I was weary of my life, when I saw that all things under the sun are evil, and all vanity and vexation of spirit.
18 Again, I detested all mine industry, wherewith I have laboured under the sun most studiously, being like to have an heir after me:
18 Again I hated all my application wherewith I had earnestly labored under the sun, being like to have an heir after me,
19 whom I know not, whether he will be a wiseman or a fool, and he shall rule in my labours, wherewith I have sweat and have been careful: and is there any thing so vain?
19 Whom I know not whether he will be a wise man or a fool, and he shall have rule over all my labors with which I have labored and been solicitous: and is there anything so vain?
20 Wherefore I ceased, and my heart hath renounced to labour any more under the sun.
20 Wherefore I left off and my heart renounced laboring any more under the sun.
21 For whereas one laboureth in wisdom, and doctrine, and carefulness, he leaveth the things gotten to an idle man: and this therefore is vanity, and great evil.
21 For when a man laboreth in wisdom, and knowledge, and carefulness, he leaveth what he hath gotten to an idle man: so this also is vanity, and a great evil.
22 For what profit shall be to a man of all his labour, and affliction of spirit, wherewith he is vexed under the sun?
22 For what profit shall a man have of all his labor, and vexation of spirit, with which he hath been tormented under the sun?
23 All his days are full of sorrows and miseries, neither by night doth he rest in mind: and is not this vanity?
23 All his days are full of sorrows and miseries, even in the night he doth not rest in mind: and is not this vanity?
24 Is it not better to eat and drink, and shew unto his soul good things of his labours? & this is of the hand of God.
24 Is it not better to eat and drink, and to show his soul good things of his labors? And this is from the hand of God.
25 Who shall so devour, and flow with delights as I?
25 Who shall so feast and abound with delights as I?
26 To a man good in his sight, God hath given wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he hath given affliction, and superfluous care, to add, and to gather together, and deliver it to him that hath pleased God: but this also is vanity, & vain carefulness of the mind.
26 God hath given to a man that is good in his sight, wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he hath given vexation, and superfluous care, to heap up and to gather together, and to give it to him that hath pleased God: but this also is vanity, and a fruitless solicitude of the mind.