1. I said to myself, Come, I will make you experience pleasure; enjoy what is good! But this too was pointless!
2. Merriment, I thought, is madness; pleasure, of no use at all.
3. I tried cheering myself with wine and by embracing folly—with wisdom still guiding me—until I might see what is really worth doing in the few days that human beings have under heaven.
4. I took on great projects: I built houses for myself, planted vineyards for myself.
5. I made gardens and parks for myself, planting every kind of fruit tree in them.
6. I made reservoirs for myself to water my lush groves.