Ecclesiastes 2
2
1 I said in my heart: "I will go forth and overflow with delights, and I will enjoy good things." And I saw that this, too, is emptiness.
2 Laughter, I considered an error. And to rejoicing, I said: "Why are you being deceived, to no purpose?"
3 I decided in my heart to withdraw my flesh from wine, so that I might bring my mind to wisdom, and turn away from foolishness, until I see what is useful for the sons of men, and what they ought to do under the sun, during the number of the days of their life.
4 I magnified my works. I built houses for myself, and I planted vineyards.
5 I made gardens and orchards. And I planted them with trees of every kind.
6 And I dug out fishponds of water, so that I might irrigate the forest of growing trees.
7 I obtained men and women servants, and I had a great family, as well as herds of cattle and great flocks of sheep, beyond all who were before me in Jerusalem.
8 I amassed for myself silver and gold, and the wealth of kings and governors. I chose men and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, bowls and pitchers for the purpose of pouring wine.
9 And I surpassed in opulence all who were before me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also persevered with me.
10 And all that my eyes desired, I did not refuse them. Neither did I prohibit my heart from enjoying every pleasure, and from amusing itself in the things that I had prepared. And I regarded this as my share, as if I were making use of my own labors.
11 But when I turned myself toward all the works that my hands had made, and to the labors in which I had perspired to no purpose, I saw emptiness and affliction of the soul in all things, and that nothing is permanent under the sun.
12 I continued on, so as to contemplate wisdom, as well as error and foolishness. "What is man," I said, "that he would be able to follow his Maker, the King?"
13 And I saw that wisdom surpasses foolishness, so much so that they differ as much as light from darkness.
14 The eyes of a wise man are in his head. A foolish man walks in darkness. Yet I learned that one would pass away like the other.
15 And I said in my heart: "If the death of both the foolish and myself will be one, how does it benefit me, if I have given myself more thoroughly to the work of wisdom?" And as I was speaking within my own mind, I perceived that this, too, is emptiness.
16 For there will not be a remembrance in perpetuity of the wise, nor of the foolish. And the future times will cover everything together, with oblivion. The learned die in a manner similar to the unlearned.
17 And, because of this, my life wearied me, since I saw that everything under the sun is evil, and everything is empty and an affliction of the spirit.
18 Again, I detested all my efforts, by which I had earnestly labored under the sun, to be taken up by an heir after me,
19 though I know not whether he will be wise or foolish. And yet he will have power over my labors, in which I have toiled and been anxious. And is there anything else so empty?
20 Therefore, I ceased, and my heart renounced further laboring under the sun.
21 For when someone labors in wisdom, and doctrine, and prudence, he leaves behind what he has obtained to one who is idle. So this, too, is emptiness and a great burden.
22 For how can a man benefit from all his labor and affliction of spirit, by which he has been tormented under the sun?
23 All his days have been filled with sorrows and hardships; neither does he rest his mind, even in the night. And is this not emptiness?
24 Is it not better to eat and drink, and to show his soul the good things of his labors? And this is from the hand of God.
25 So who will feast and overflow with delights as much as I have?
26 God has given, to the man who is good in his sight, wisdom, and knowledge, and rejoicing. But to the sinner, he has given affliction and needless worrying, so as to add, and to gather, and to deliver, to him who has pleased God. But this, too, is emptiness and a hollow worrying of the mind.
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Ecclesiastes 2: CPDV
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Ecclesiastes 2
2
The Spokesman Studies Laughter
1I thought to myself, “Now I want to experiment with pleasure and enjoy myself.” But even this was pointless.
2I thought, “Laughter doesn’t make any sense. What does pleasure accomplish?”
The Spokesman Studies Wine
3I explored ways to make myself feel better by drinking wine. I also explored ways to do ⌞some⌟ foolish things. During all that time, wisdom continued to control my mind. I was able to determine whether this was good for mortals to do during their brief lives under heaven.
The Spokesman Studies Personal Achievements
4I accomplished some great things:
I built houses for myself.
I planted vineyards for myself.
5I made gardens and parks for myself.
I planted every kind of fruit tree in them.
6I made pools to water the forest of growing trees.
7I bought male and female slaves.
In addition, slaves were born in my household.
I owned more herds and flocks
than anyone in Jerusalem before me.
8I also gathered silver and gold for myself.
I gathered the treasures of kings and provinces.
I provided myself with male and female singers
and the pleasures men have with one concubine #2:8 A concubine is considered a wife except she has fewer rights under the law. after another.
9So I grew richer than anyone in Jerusalem before me. Yet, my wisdom remained with me. 10If something appealed to me, I did it. I allowed myself to have any pleasure I wanted, since I found pleasure in my work. This was my reward for all my hard work.
11But when I turned to look at all that I had accomplished and all the hard work I had put into it, I saw that it was all pointless. ⌞It was like⌟ trying to catch the wind. I gained nothing ⌞from any of my accomplishments⌟ under the sun.
Death Is the Common Destiny of All Life
12Then I turned ⌞my attention⌟ to experience wisdom, madness, and foolishness. For instance, what can the man who replaces the king do? Only what has already been done. 13But I saw that wisdom has an advantage over foolishness as light has an advantage over darkness. 14A wise person uses the eyes in his head, but a fool walks in the dark. But I have also come to realize that the same destiny waits for both of them.
15I thought to myself, “⌞If⌟ the destiny that waits for the fool waits for me as well, then what is the advantage in being wise?” So I thought that even this is pointless.
Without God Everything Is Pointless
16Neither the wise person nor the fool will be remembered for long, since both will be forgotten in the days to come. Both the wise person and the fool will die. 17So I came to hate life because everything done under the sun seemed wrong to me. Everything was pointless. ⌞It was like⌟ trying to catch the wind.
18I came to hate everything for which I had worked so hard under the sun, because I will have to leave it to the person who replaces me. 19Who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish? He will still have control over everything under the sun for which I worked so hard and used my wisdom. Even this is pointless.
20Then I fell into despair over everything for which I had worked so hard under the sun. 21Here is someone who had worked hard with wisdom, knowledge, and skill. Yet, he must turn over his estate to someone else, who didn’t work for it. Even this is pointless and a terrible tragedy.
22What do people get from all of their hard work and struggles under the sun? 23Their entire life is filled with pain, and their work is unbearable. Even at night their minds don’t rest. Even this is pointless.
With God Even the Simplest Things Have a Point
24There is nothing better for people to do than to eat, drink, and find satisfaction in their work. I saw that even this comes from the hand of God. 25Who can eat or enjoy themselves without God? 26God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to anyone who pleases him. But to the person who continues to sin, he gives the job of gathering and collecting ⌞wealth⌟. The sinner must turn his wealth over to the person who pleases God. Even this is pointless. ⌞It’s like⌟ trying to catch the wind.
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