I SAID in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.
2 I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?
3 I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life.
4 I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards:
5 I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits:
6 I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees:
7 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:
8 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.
9 So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.
10 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.
11 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.
12 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.
13 Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.
14 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.
15 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.
16 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.
17 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.
18 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.
19 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.
20 Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun.
21 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.
22 For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun?
23 For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity.
24 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. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.
25 For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I?
26 For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

1I said in mine heart, Goe to now, I wil prooue thee with mirth, therfore enioy pleasure: and behold, this also is vanitie.

2I saide of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?

3I sought in mine heart to giue my selfe vnto wine, (yet acquainting mine heart with wisedome) and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sonnes of men, which they should doe vnder the heauen all the dayes of their life.

4I made me great workes, I builded mee houses, I planted mee Uineyards.

5I made mee gardens & orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kinde of fruits.

6I made mee pooles of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth foorth trees:

7I got me seruants and maydens, and had seruants borne in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattell, aboue all that were in Ierusalem before me.

8I gathered mee also siluer and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the prouinces: I gate mee men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sonnes of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts.

9So I was great, and increased more then all that were before mee in Ierusalem; also my wisedome remained with me.

10And whatsoeuer mine eyes desired, I kept not from them; I withheld not my heart from any ioy: for my heart reioyced in all my labour; and this was my portion of all my labour.

11Then I looked on all the workes that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to doe: and behold, all was vanitie, and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit vnder the Sunne.

12 And I turned my selfe to behold wisedome, and madnesse and folly: for what can the man doe, that commeth after the king? euen that which hath bene already done.

13Then I saw that wisedome excelleth folly, as farre as light excelleth darkenesse.

14The wise mans eyes are in his head, but the foole walketh in darknes: and I my selfe perceiued also that one euent happeneth to them all.

15Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the foole, so it happeneth euen to me, and why was I then more wise? then I said in my heart, That this also is vanitie.

16For there is no remembrance of the wise, more then of the foole for euer; seeing that which now is, in the dayes to come shall be forgotten; and how dieth the wise man? as the foole.

17Therefore I hated life, because the worke that is wrought vnder the Sunne is grieuous vnto mee: for all is vanitie, and vexation of spirit.

18 Yea I hated all my labour which I had taken vnder the Sunne: because I should leaue it vnto the man that shalbe after mee.

19And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a foole? yet shall he haue rule ouer all my labour, wherein I haue laboured, and wherein I haue shewed my selfe wise vnder the Sunne. This is also vanitie.

20Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despaire of all the labour which I tooke vnder the Sunne.

21For there is a man whose labour is in wisedome and in knowledge, and in equitie: yet to a man that hath not laboured therein, shall hee leaue it for his portion; This also is vanitie, and a great euill.

22For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart wherein hee hath laboured vnder the Sunne?

23For all his dayes are sorrowes, and his traueile, griefe; yea his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanitie.

24 There is nothing better for a man, then that he should eat and drinke, and that he should make his soule enioy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.

25For who can eate? or who else can hasten hereunto more then I?

26For God giueth to a man that is good in his sight, wisedome, and knowledge, and ioy: but to the sinner hee giueth traueile, to gather and to heape vp that he may giue to him that is good before God: This also is vanitie and vexation of spirit.

I == Isa 50:11 ; Luke 12:19

II == Prov 14:13 ; Eccl 7:6

III == Eccl 1:17

VIII == 1st Kings 9:28 ; 10:10 , 14 , 21

IX == Eccl 1:16

X == Eccl 3:22 ; 5:18 , 9:9

XI == Eccl 1:3 , 14

XII == Eccl 1:17 ; 7:25

XIV == Ps 49:10 ; Prov 17:24 ; Eccl 8:1 ; 9:2 , 3 . 11

XVIII == Ps 49:10

XXII == Eccl 1:3 ; 3:9

XXIII == Job 5:7 ; 14:1

XXIV == Eccl 3:12-13 , 22 ; 5:18 ; 8:15

XXVI == Gen 7:1 ; Job 27:16-17 ; Prov 28:8 ; Luke 1:6

1 I said to myself, "Come, now, let me try you with pleasure and the enjoyment of good things." But behold, this too was vanity.

2 Of laughter I said: "Mad!" and of mirth: "What good does this do?"

3 I thought of beguiling my senses with wine, though my mind was concerned with wisdom, and of taking up folly, until I should understand what is best for men to do under the heavens during the limited days of their life.

4 I undertook great works; I built myself houses and planted vineyards;

5 I made gardens and parks, and set out in them fruit trees of all sorts.

6 And I constructed for myself reservoirs to water a flourishing woodland.

7 I acquired male and female slaves, and slaves were born in my house. I also had growing herds of cattle and flocks of sheep, more than all who had been before me in Jerusalem.

8 I amassed for myself silver and gold, and the wealth of kings and provinces. I got for myself male and female singers and all human luxuries.

9 I became great, and I stored up more than all others before me in Jerusalem; my wisdom, too, stayed with me.

10 Nothing that my eyes desired did I deny them, nor did I deprive myself of any joy, but my heart rejoiced in the fruit of all my toil. This was my share for all my toil.

11 But when I turned to all the works that my hands had wrought, and to the toil at which I had taken such pains, behold! all was vanity and a chase after wind, with nothing gained under the sun.

12 For what will the man do who is to come after the king? What men have already done! I went on to the consideration of wisdom, madness and folly.

13 And I saw that wisdom has the advantage over folly as much as light has the advantage over darkness.

14 The wise man has eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness.Yet I knew that one lot befalls both of them.

15 So I said to myself, if the fool's lot is to befall me also, why then should I be wise? Where is the profit for me? And I concluded in my heart that this too is vanity.

16 Neither of the wise man nor of the fool will there be an abiding remembrance, for in days to come both will have been forgotten. How is it that the wise man dies as well as the fool!

17 Therefore I loathed life, since for me the work that is done under the sun is evil; for all is vanity and a chase after wind.

18 And I detested all the fruits of my labor under the sun, because I must leave them to a man who is to come after me.

19 And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the fruits of my wise labor under the sun. This also is vanity.

20 So my feelings turned to despair of all the fruits of my labor under the sun.

21 For here is a man who has labored with wisdom and knowledge and skill, and to another, who has not labored over it, he must leave his property. This also is vanity and a great misfortune.

22 For what profit comes to a man from all the toil and anxiety of heart with which he has labored under the sun?

23 All his days sorrow and grief are his occupation; even at night his mind is not at rest. This also is vanity.

24 There is nothing better for man than to eat and drink and provide himself with good things by his labors. Even this, I realized, is from the hand of God.

25 For who can eat or drink apart from him?

26 For to whatever man he sees fit he gives wisdom and knowledge and joy; but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering possessions to be given to whatever man God sees fit. This also is vanity and a chase after wind.

v 1-11. Solomon gives a list of things in which he has used his wealth in seeking pleasure, and nothing was spared for his enjoyment. His conclusion of this was that though he enjoyed those things, they do not satisfy, but are meaningless.

v 12-17. As he reflects further on wisdom versus folly, he realizes that wisdom is far greater than folly. However, at the end of life, both men go to the grave and are for the most part forgotten.

v 18-23. A man can labor diligently to amass a fortune, but when he dies he has no control over it and the heir may squander it all. This too was meaningless to him.

v 24-26. That being the case, man just as well enjoy the fruit of his labors now, since God had provided those things. He makes the point that in this life, God disposes wealth as He pleases, basically to the righteous rather than sinners. (Although as Job lamented, this is often not the case.) Perhaps that was what seemed meaningless.