| Holman Christian Standard Bible | Berean Study Bible |
| 1I said to myself, "Go ahead, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy what is good." But it turned out to be futile. | 1I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy what is good!” But it proved to be futile. |
| 2I said about laughter, "It is madness," and about pleasure, "What does this accomplish?" | 2I said of laughter, “It is folly,” and of pleasure, “What does it accomplish?” |
| 3I explored with my mind how to let my body enjoy life with wine and how to grasp folly--my mind still guiding me with wisdom--until I could see what is good for people to do under heaven during the few days of their lives. | 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. |
| 4I increased my achievements. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself. | 4I expanded my pursuits. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself. |
| 5I made gardens and parks for myself and planted every kind of fruit tree in them. | 5I made gardens and parks for myself, where I planted all kinds of fruit trees. |
| 6I constructed reservoirs of water for myself from which to irrigate a grove of flourishing trees. | 6I built reservoirs to water my groves of flourishing trees. |
| 7I acquired male and female servants and had slaves who were born in my house. I also owned many herds of cattle and flocks, more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. | 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, |
| 8I also amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I gathered male and female singers for myself, and many concubines, the delights of men. | 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. |
| 9So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem; my wisdom also remained with me. | 9So I became great and surpassed all in Jerusalem who had preceded me; and my wisdom remained with me. |
| 10All that my eyes desired, I did not deny them. I did not refuse myself any pleasure, for I took pleasure in all my struggles. This was my reward for all my struggles. | 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. |
| 11When I considered all that I had accomplished and what I had labored to achieve, I found everything to be futile and a pursuit of the wind. There was nothing to be gained under the sun. | 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. |
| 12Then I turned to consider wisdom, madness, and folly, for what will the man be like who comes after the king? He will do what has already been done. | 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? |
| 13And I realized that there is an advantage to wisdom over folly, like the advantage of light over darkness. | 13And I saw that wisdom exceeds folly, just as light exceeds darkness: |
| 14The wise man has eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also knew that one fate comes to them both. | 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. |
| 15So I said to myself, "What happens to the fool will also happen to me. Why then have I been overly wise?" And I said to myself that this is also futile. | 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. |
| 16For, just like the fool, there is no lasting remembrance of the wise man, since in the days to come both will be forgotten. How is it that the wise man dies just like the fool? | 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! |
| 17Therefore, I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was distressing to me. For everything is futile and a pursuit of the wind. | 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. |
| 18I hated all my work that I labored at under the sun because I must leave it to the man who comes after me. | 18I hated all for which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes after me. |
| 19And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will take over all my work that I labored at skillfully under the sun. This too is futile. | 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. |
| 20So I began to give myself over to despair concerning all my work that I had labored at under the sun. | 20So my heart began to despair over all the labor that I had done under the sun. |
| 21When there is a man whose work was done 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 wrong. | 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. |
| 22For what does a man get with all his work and all his efforts that he labors at under the sun? | 22For what does a man get for all the toil and striving with which he labors under the sun? |
| 23For all his days are filled with grief, and his occupation is sorrowful; even at night, his mind does not rest. This too is futile. | 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. |
| 24There is nothing better for man than to eat, drink, and enjoy his work. I have seen that even this is from God's hand, | 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. |
| 25because who can eat and who can enjoy life apart from Him? | 25For apart from Him, who can eat and who can find enjoyment? |
| 26For to the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy, but to the sinner He gives the task of gathering and accumulating in order to give to the one who is pleasing in God's sight. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind. | 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. |
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