| Berean Study Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy what is good!” But it proved to be futile. | 1I said to myself, “Come on, let’s try pleasure. Let’s look for the ‘good things’ in life.” But I found that this, too, was meaningless. |
| 2I said of laughter, “It is folly,” and of pleasure, “What does it accomplish?” | 2So I said, “Laughter is silly. What good does it do to seek pleasure?” |
| 3I sought to cheer my body with wine and to embrace folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom—until I could see what was worthwhile for men to do under heaven during the few days of their lives. | 3After much thought, I decided to cheer myself with wine. And while still seeking wisdom, I clutched at foolishness. In this way, I tried to experience the only happiness most people find during their brief life in this world. |
| 4I expanded my pursuits. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself. | 4I also tried to find meaning by building huge homes for myself and by planting beautiful vineyards. |
| 5I made gardens and parks for myself, where I planted all kinds of fruit trees. | 5I made gardens and parks, filling them with all kinds of fruit trees. |
| 6I built reservoirs to water my groves of flourishing trees. | 6I built reservoirs to collect the water to irrigate my many flourishing groves. |
| 7I acquired menservants and maidservants, and servants were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me, | 7I bought slaves, both men and women, and others were born into my household. I also owned large herds and flocks, more than any of the kings who had lived in Jerusalem before me. |
| 8and I accumulated for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I gathered to myself male and female singers, and the delights of the sons of men—many concubines. | 8I collected great sums of silver and gold, the treasure of many kings and provinces. I hired wonderful singers, both men and women, and had many beautiful concubines. I had everything a man could desire! |
| 9So I became great and surpassed all in Jerusalem who had preceded me; and my wisdom remained with me. | 9So I became greater than all who had lived in Jerusalem before me, and my wisdom never failed me. |
| 10Anything my eyes desired, I did not deny myself. I refused my heart no pleasure. For my heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor. | 10Anything I wanted, I would take. I denied myself no pleasure. I even found great pleasure in hard work, a reward for all my labors. |
| 11Yet when I considered all the works that my hands had accomplished and what I had toiled to achieve, I found everything to be futile, a pursuit of the wind; there was nothing to be gained under the sun. | 11But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless—like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere. The Wise and the Foolish |
| 12Then I turned to consider wisdom and madness and folly; for what more can the king’s successor do than what has already been accomplished? | 12So I decided to compare wisdom with foolishness and madness (for who can do this better than I, the king? ). |
| 13And I saw that wisdom exceeds folly, just as light exceeds darkness: | 13I thought, “Wisdom is better than foolishness, just as light is better than darkness. |
| 14The wise man has eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also came to realize that one fate overcomes them both. | 14For the wise can see where they are going, but fools walk in the dark.” Yet I saw that the wise and the foolish share the same fate. |
| 15So I said to myself, “The fate of the fool will also befall me. What then have I gained by being wise?” And I said to myself that this too is futile. | 15Both will die. So I said to myself, “Since I will end up the same as the fool, what’s the value of all my wisdom? This is all so meaningless!” |
| 16For there is no lasting remembrance of the wise, just as with the fool, seeing that both will be forgotten in the days to come. Alas, the wise man will die just like the fool! | 16For the wise and the foolish both die. The wise will not be remembered any longer than the fool. In the days to come, both will be forgotten. |
| 17So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. For everything is futile and a pursuit of the wind. | 17So I came to hate life because everything done here under the sun is so troubling. Everything is meaningless—like chasing the wind. The Futility of Work |
| 18I hated all for which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes after me. | 18I came to hate all my hard work here on earth, for I must leave to others everything I have earned. |
| 19And who knows whether that man will be wise or foolish? Yet he will take over all the labor at which I have worked skillfully under the sun. This too is futile. | 19And who can tell whether my successors will be wise or foolish? Yet they will control everything I have gained by my skill and hard work under the sun. How meaningless! |
| 20So my heart began to despair over all the labor that I had done under the sun. | 20So I gave up in despair, questioning the value of all my hard work in this world. |
| 21When there is a man who has labored with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, and he must give his portion to a man who has not worked for it, this too is futile and a great evil. | 21Some people work wisely with knowledge and skill, then must leave the fruit of their efforts to someone who hasn’t worked for it. This, too, is meaningless, a great tragedy. |
| 22For what does a man get for all the toil and striving with which he labors under the sun? | 22So what do people get in this life for all their hard work and anxiety? |
| 23Indeed, all his days are filled with grief, and his task is sorrowful; even at night, his mind does not rest. This too is futile. | 23Their days of labor are filled with pain and grief; even at night their minds cannot rest. It is all meaningless. |
| 24Nothing is better for a man than to eat and drink and enjoy his work. I have also seen that this is from the hand of God. | 24So I decided there is nothing better than to enjoy food and drink and to find satisfaction in work. Then I realized that these pleasures are from the hand of God. |
| 25For apart from Him, who can eat and who can find enjoyment? | 25For who can eat or enjoy anything apart from him? |
| 26To the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner He assigns the task of gathering and accumulating that which he will hand over to one who pleases God. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind. | 26God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to those who please him. But if a sinner becomes wealthy, God takes the wealth away and gives it to those who please him. This, too, is meaningless—like chasing the wind. |
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