1:18 For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increased knowledge increased sorrow.
2
2:1. I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.
2:2. I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?
2:3. 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.
2:4. I made me great works; I builder me houses; I planted me vineyards:
2:5. I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits:
2:6. I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringer forth trees:
2:7. 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: 2:8. I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I get me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts.
2:9. So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.
2:10. 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 labor: and this was my portion of all my labor.
2:11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labor that I had labored to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.
2:12. 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 is.
2:13 Then I saw that wisdom excelled folly, as far as light excelled darkness.
2:14 The wise man's eyes are in his head; but the fool walked in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happened to them all.
2:15 Then said I in my heart, As it happened to the fool, so it happened even to me; and why was I then wiser? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity.
2:16 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 diet the wise man? As the fool.
2:17 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.
2:18 Yea, I hated all my labor which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me.
2:19 And who knows whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? Yet shall he have rule over all my labor wherein I have labored, and wherein I have showed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity.
2:20 Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labor which I took under the sun.
2:21 For there is a man whose labor is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not labored therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.
2:22 For what hath man of all his labor, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath labored under the sun?
2:23 For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart takes not rest in the night. This is also vanity.
2:24 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 labor. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.
2:25 For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I?
2:26 For God gives to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he gives 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.
3
3:1 To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
3:2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; 3:3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 3:4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn
, and a time to dance;
3:5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
3:6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
3:7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
3:8 A time to love is and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
3:9 What profit hath he that worked in that wherein he labored?
3:10 I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.
3:11 He hath made everything beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God make from the beginning to the end.
3:12 I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do well in his life.
3:13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labor, it is the gift of God.
3:14 I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be forever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.
3:15 That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God required that which is past.