The Vanity of Pleasure
1 I said ain my heart, “Come now, I will test you with bmirth; therefore enjoy pleasure”; but surely, cthis also was vanity.
2 I said of laughter—“Madness!”; and of mirth, “What does it accomplish?”
3 aI searched in my heart how1 to gratify my flesh with wine, while guiding my heart with wisdom, and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was bgood for the sons of men to do under heaven all the days of their lives.
4 I made my works great, I built myself ahouses, and planted myself vineyards.
5 I made myself gardens and orchards, and I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them.
6 I made myself water pools from which to1 water the growing trees of the grove.
7 I acquired male and female servants, and had1 servants born in my house. Yes, I had greater possessions of herds and flocks than all who were in Jerusalem before me.
8 aI also gathered for myself silver and gold and the special treasures of kings and of the provinces. I acquired male and female singers, the delights of the sons of men, and1 musical instruments of all kinds.
9 aSo I became great and1 excelled bmore than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me.
10 Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them.
I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure,
For my heart rejoiced in all my labor;
And athis was my reward from all my labor.
I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure,
For my heart rejoiced in all my labor;
And athis was my reward from all my labor.
11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done
And on the labor in which I had toiled;
And indeed all was avanity and grasping for the wind.
There was no profit under the sun.
And on the labor in which I had toiled;
And indeed all was avanity and grasping for the wind.
There was no profit under the sun.
The End of the Wise and the Fool
12 Then I turned myself to consider wisdom aand madness and folly;
For what can the man do who succeeds the king?—
Only what he has already bdone.
For what can the man do who succeeds the king?—
Only what he has already bdone.
New King James Version®, Copyright© 1982, Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
Commentaries:
| << Ecclesiastes 2:1 | Ecclesiastes 2:3 >> |
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