Dual Panel1<0589> I <03820> <0559> thought to myself <01980>, “Come <04994> now, I will try <05254> self-indulgent <08057> pleasure to <07200> see if it is <02896> worthwhile.” But I <02009> found that <01931> it <01571> also is <01892>
2I said <0559> of partying <07814>, “It is folly <01984>,” and of self-indulgent pleasure <08057>, “It <02090> accomplishes <06213> nothing!”
3I thought <08446> deeply <03820> about the effects <03820> of indulging <04900> myself with wine <03196> (all the while my <01320> mind <03820> was guiding <05090> me with wisdom <02451>) and the effects of behaving <0270> foolishly <05531>, so that <0834> I might discover <07200> what <0335> is profitable <02896> for people <0120> <01121> to do <06213> on earth <08064> <08478> during the few <04557> days <03117> of their lives <02416>.
4I increased <01431> my possessions <04639>: I built <01129> houses <01004> for myself; I planted <05193> vineyards <03754> for myself.
5I designed <06213> royal gardens <01593> and parks <06508> for myself, and I planted <05193> all <03605> kinds of fruit <06529> trees <06086> in them.
6I constructed <06213> pools <01295> of water <04325> for myself <01992>, to irrigate <08248> my grove <03293> of flourishing <06779> trees <06086>.
7I purchased <07069> male <05650> and female <08198> slaves <08198> <05650>, and I owned <01961> slaves <01121> who were born <01004> <01121> in my house <01004>; I also <01571> possessed <01961> more livestock <04735>– both herds <01241> and flocks <06629>– than <07235> any <03605> of my predecessors <06440> in Jerusalem <03389>.
8I also <01571> amassed <03664> silver <03701> and gold <02091> for myself, as well as valuable treasures <05459> taken from kingdoms <04428> and provinces <04082>. I acquired <06213> male singers <07891> and female singers <07891> for myself, and what gives a man <0120> <01121> sensual delight <08588>– a harem of beautiful concubines <07705> <07705>!
9So I was far <03254> wealthier <01431> than all <03605> my predecessors <06440> in Jerusalem <03389>, yet <0637> I maintained <05975> my objectivity <02451>:
10I did not <03808> restrain <0680> myself from getting whatever <0834> <03605> I wanted <05869> <07592>; I did not <03808> deny <04513> myself <03820> anything <03605> that would bring me pleasure <08057>. So all <03605> my accomplishments <03820> gave <08055> me joy <08055>; this <02088> was <01961> my reward <02506> for all <03605> my effort <05999>.
11Yet when I <0589> reflected <06437> on everything <03605> I had accomplished <03027> <06213> <04639> and on all the effort <05999> that I had expended <05998> to accomplish <06213> it, I concluded <02009>: “All these <03605> achievements and possessions are ultimately profitless <01892>– like chasing <07469> the wind <07307>! There is nothing <0369> gained <03504> from <08478> them on earth <08121>.”
12Next, I <0589> decided <06437> to consider <07200> wisdom <02451>, as well as foolish behavior <05531> and ideas. For <03588> what <04100> more can the king’s successor <0120> do <0935> than what the king <04428> has already <03528> done <06213>?
13I <0589> realized <07200> that wisdom <02451> is <03426> preferable <03504> to <04480> folly <05531>, just as light <0216> is preferable <03504> to <04480> darkness <02822>:
14The wise <02450> man can see <05869> where he is going, but the fool <03684> walks <01980> in darkness <02822>. Yet I <0589> also <01571> realized <03045> that the same <0259> fate <04745> happens <07136> to them both.
15So I thought <03820> to myself <0589>, “The fate <04745> of the fool <03684> will happen <07136> even <01571> to me! Then what <04100> did I <0589> gain by becoming so <02449> excessively <03148> wise <02449>?” So I <0589> lamented <01696> to myself <03820>, “The benefits of wisdom <02088> are ultimately <01571> meaningless <01892>!”
16For <03588> the wise <02450> man, like the fool <03684>, will not <0369> be remembered <02146> for very long <05769>, because in the days <03117> to come <0935>, both will already <03528> have been forgotten <07911>. Alas <0349>, the wise <02450> man dies <04191>– just like the fool <03684>!
17So I loathed <08130> life <02416> because <03588> what happens <06213> <04639> on <05921> earth <08121> <08478> seems awful <07451> to me; for <03588> all <03605> the benefits of wisdom are futile <01892>– like chasing <07469> the wind <07307>.
18So I <0589> loathed <08130> all <03605> the fruit of my effort <05999>, for which I <0589> worked <06001> so hard on earth <08121> <08478>, because I must leave <03240> it behind <0310> in the hands of my successor <0120>.
19Who <04310> knows <03045> if he will be a wise man <02450> or <0176> a fool <05530>? Yet he will be master over <07980> all <03605> the fruit of my labor <05999> for which I worked <05998> so wisely <02449> on <08478> earth <08121>! This <02088> also <01571> is futile <01892>!
20So <05437> I <0589> began to despair <02976> about all <03605> the fruit <05999> of my labor <05999> for which I worked <05998> so hard <08478> on earth <08121>.
21For <03588> a man <0120> may do <05999> his work <05999> with wisdom <02451>, knowledge <01847>, and skill <03788>; however, he must hand over <05414> the fruit of his labor as an inheritance <02506> to someone <0120> else who did not <03808> work <05998> for it. This <02088> also <01571> is futile <01892>, and an awful <07451> injustice <07227>!
22What <04100> does a man <0120> acquire <01933> from all <03605> his labor <05999> and from the anxiety <07475> that accompanies <03820> his <01931> toil <06001> on earth <08121> <08478>?
23For <03588> all <03605> day <03117> long his work <06045> produces pain <04341> and frustration <03708>, and even <01571> at night <03915> his mind <03820> cannot <03808> relax <07901>! This <02088> also <01571> is futile <01892>!
24There is nothing <0369> better <02896> for people <0120> than to eat <0398> and drink <08354>, and to find <03318> enjoyment <02896> <05315> in their work <05999>. I <0589> also <01571> perceived <07200> that <03588> this <02090> ability to find enjoyment <01931> comes from <03027> God <0430>.
25For <03588> no one <04310> can eat <0398> and drink or experience joy <02363> apart <02351> from <04480> him.
26For <03588> to the one <0120> who pleases <06440> <02896> him, God gives <05414> wisdom <02451>, knowledge <01847>, and joy <08057>, but to the sinner <02398>, he gives <05414> the task <06045> of amassing wealth <03664>– only to give <05414> it to the one who pleases <06440> <02896> God <0430>. This <02088> task of the wicked is futile <01892>– like chasing <07469> the wind <07307>!