Ecclesiastes

I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.

1I said to myself, "Come on, I will test you with fun. Enjoy yourself!" But that turned out to be empty too.

Note"Vanity" in this book does not mean being proud of your looks. It means empty, like a puff of breath that is gone in a second.

2I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?

2I said about laughter, "It is silly," and about pleasure, "What does it actually get me?"

3I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life.

3I tried cheering myself with wine and taking up foolish things, while my mind still held on to wisdom. I wanted to find out what is worth doing in the short life people have here.

4I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards:

4I took on big projects. I built houses for myself. I planted vineyards.

5I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits:

5I made gardens and parks for myself, and I planted every kind of fruit tree in them.

6I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees:

6I made pools of water for myself, to water the growing woods full of trees.

7I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me:

7I bought male and female servants, and more servants were born in my house. I also owned more cattle, sheep, and goats than anyone in Jerusalem before me.

8I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts.

8I piled up silver and gold for myself, and the riches of kings and their lands. I got singers, both men and women, and everything else people enjoy.

Note"Peculiar treasure" in 1611 English meant treasure that belongs to you alone, not treasure that is odd. The last part of this verse describes luxuries; the Hebrew word is unclear, and other translations read it as women of the king's household.

9So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.

9So I became great. I had more than anyone in Jerusalem before me, and my wisdom stayed with me.

10And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.

10Anything my eyes wanted, I took. I did not hold back from any pleasure. My heart was glad in all my work, and that gladness was my pay for it.

11Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.

11Then I looked at everything my hands had made and all the work I had worked so hard at. It was all empty, like chasing the wind. Nothing was truly gained here on earth.

Note"Vexation of spirit" in the KJV means grabbing at wind: working hard for something you can never hold.

12And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.

12Then I turned to look at wisdom, and madness, and foolishness. After all, what can the next king do that has not already been done?

13Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.

13I saw that wisdom is better than foolishness, just as light is better than darkness.

14The wise man’s eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all.

14The wise person keeps his eyes open; the fool walks in the dark. But I also saw that the same end comes to them both.

15Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity.

15So I said to myself, "What happens to the fool will happen to me too. So what did being wise get me?" And I said to myself that this is empty as well.

16For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? as the fool.

16Nobody remembers the wise person any longer than the fool. In days to come, both are forgotten. The wise person dies just like the fool.

17Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

17So I hated life, because the work that is done here on earth felt heavy to me. It is all empty, like chasing the wind.

18Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me.

18I hated everything I had worked hard for here on earth, because I have to leave it to whoever comes after me.

19And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity.

19And who knows if he will be wise or foolish? Yet he will control everything I worked so carefully to build. This is empty too.

20Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun.

20So my heart began to give up hope about all the work I had done here on earth.

21For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.

21A person may work with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, and then hand it all over to someone who never worked for it. That is empty, and it is a great wrong.

22For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun?

22What does a person really get from all the hard work and worry he puts in here on earth?

23For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity.

23His days are full of pain, and his work brings sorrow. Even at night his mind will not rest. This is empty too.

24There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.

24There is nothing better for a person than to eat, drink, and find joy in his work. I also saw that this comes from God's hand.

25For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I?

25For who can eat, or who can enjoy anything, apart from him?

NoteThe KJV reads "more than I," following one set of old copies. Other old copies read "apart from him," which is how most modern translations render it.

26For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

26God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to the person who pleases him. But to the sinner he gives the job of gathering and piling up, only to hand it to the one who pleases God. This is empty too, like chasing the wind.