3. I sought in my heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting my heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the sons of men, which they should do under heaven all the days of their life.
4. I made myself great works; I built houses; I planted vineyards:
5. I made myself gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them with all kind of fruit:
6. I made myself pools of water, with which to water the forest that brings forth trees:
7. I got myself male and female servants, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle more than all that were in Jerusalem before me:
8. I gathered for myself also silver and gold, and the special treasures of kings and of the provinces: I got men singers and women singers, the delights of the sons of men, and musical instruments 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 my 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 reward of all my labor.
11. Then I looked on all the works that my hands had made, and on the labor that I had expended on it: and, behold, all was vanity and like grasping the wind, and there was no profit under the sun.
12. And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can a man do that comes after the king? even that which has been already done.
13. Then I saw that wisdom excels folly, as far as light excels darkness.
14. The wise man's eyes are in his head; but the fool walks in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one fate happens to them all.
15. Then said I in my heart, As it happens to the fool, so it happens 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 forever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how does the wise man die? as the fool.
17. Therefore I hated life; because the work that is done under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and like grasping the wind.
18. Yea, I hated all my labor in which I had toiled under the sun: because I must leave it unto the man that shall be after me.
19. And who knows whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labor in which I have labored, and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity.
20. Therefore I gave my heart up to despair of all the labor in which I toiled under the sun.
21. For there is a man whose labor is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that has not labored in it shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.
22. For what has man for all his labor, and for the striving of his heart, with which he has labored under the sun?