The Futility of Pleasure

1Then sayde I thus in my heart: Nowe go to, I will take myne ease, and haue good dayes: But lo, that is vanitie also. 2Insomuch that I saide vnto the man geuen to laughter, thou art mad: and to mirth, what doest thou? 3So I thought in my heart to geue my fleshe vnto wine, and agayne to apply my mynde vnto wisdome, and to comprehende foolishnesse: vntyll the tyme that among all the thynges which are vnder the sunne, I myght see what were best for men to do so long as they liue vnder heauen. 4I made gorgious faire workes: I builded my houses, and planted vineyardes. 5I made me orchardes and gardens of pleasure, and planted trees in them of all maner of fruites. 6I made pooles of water, to water the greene and fruitfull trees withall. 7I bought seruauntes and maydens, and had a great housholde: As for cattel and sheepe, I had more substaunce of them then all they that were before me in Hierusalem. 8I gathered together siluer and golde, and the chiefe treasures of kynges and landes: I haue prouided me men singgers and women singers, and the delites of the sonnes of men, as a woman taken captiue, and women taken captiues.

9And I was greater and in more worship then all my predecessours in Hierusalem: For wisdome remayned with me. 10And loke whatsoeuer myne eyes desired, I let them haue it: and wherin soeuer my heart delited or had any pleasure, I withhelde it not from it: Thus my heart reioyced in all that I did, and this was my portion of all my trauayle. 11But when I considered all the workes that my handes had wrought, and all the labour that I had taken therin: lo all was but vanitie and vexation of mynde, and nothing of any value vnder the sunne.

The Wise and the Foolish

12Then turned I me to consider wisdome, errour, and foolishnesse (for what is he among men that myght be compared to me the kyng in such workes?) 13And I sawe that wisdome excelleth foolishnesse, as farre as light doth darknesse. 14For a wise man hath his eyes in his head, but the foole goeth in darknesse: I perceaued also that they both had one ende. 15Then thought I in my mynde, yf it happen vnto the foole as it doth vnto me, what needeth me then to labour any more for wisdome? So I confessed within my heart that this also was but vanitie. 16For the wise are euer as litle in remembraunce as the foolishe: for the dayes shall come when all shalbe forgotten: yea the wise man dyeth as well as the foole. 17Thus began I to be weery of my life, insomuch that I coulde away with nothyng that is done vnder the sunne: for all was but vanitie and vexation of mynde.

The Futility of Work

18Yea I was weery of my labour which I had taken vnder the sunne, because I shoulde be fayne to leaue them vnto another man that commeth after me: 19And who knoweth whether he shalbe a wise man or a foole? And yet shall he be lorde of all my laboures which I with such wisdome haue taken vnder the sunne: This is also a vayne thyng. 20So I turned me to refrayne my mynde from all such trauayle as I toke vnder the sunne, 21Forsomuch as a man shoulde weery hym selfe with wisdome, with vnderstandyng and oportunitie, and yet be fayne to leaue his labours vnto another that neuer sweat for them: This is also a vayne thyng, and great miserie. 22For what getteth a man of all the labour and trauayle of his mynde that he taketh vnder the sunne? 23But heauinesse, sorowe, and disquietnesse all the dayes of his life? Insomuch that his heart can not rest in the nyght: This is also a vayne thyng.

24Is it not better then for a man to eate and drynke, and his soule to be mery in his labour? yea I sawe that this also was a gift of God. 25For who wyll eate or go more lustyly to his worke then I? 26And why? God geueth to the man that is good before hym, wisdome, vnderstandyng, and gladnesse: but vnto the sinner he geueth weerinesse, that he may gather and heape together the thyng that afterwarde shalbe geuen vnto hym whom it pleaseth God: This is nowe a vayne thyng, yea a very disquietnesse and vexation of mynde.