Ecclesiastes 2

10 Ref Whatever my eyes desired, I didn't keep from them. I didn't withhold my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced because of all my labor, and this was my portion from all my labor.

11 Ref Then I looked at all the works that my hands had worked, and at the labor that I had labored to do; and, behold, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

12 Ref I turned myself to consider wisdom, madness, and folly: for what can the king's successor do? Just that which has been done long ago.

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

14 Ref The wise man's eyes are in his head, and the fool walks in darkness--and yet I perceived that one event happens to them all.

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

16 Ref For of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no memory for ever, seeing that in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. Indeed, the wise man must die just like the fool!

17 Ref So I hated life, because the work that is worked under the sun was grievous to me; for all is vanity and a chasing after wind.

18 Ref I hated all my labor in which I labored under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to the man who comes after me.

19 Ref Who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have rule over all of my labor in which I have labored, and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.

20 Ref Therefore I began to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor in which I had labored under the sun.

21 Ref For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, with knowledge, and with skillfulness; yet he shall leave it for his portion to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil.

22 Ref For what has a man of all his labor, and of the striving of his heart, in which he labors under the sun?

23 Ref For all his days are sorrows, and his travail is grief; yes, even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.

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

25 Ref For who can eat, or who can have enjoyment, more than I?

26 Ref For to the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who pleases God. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

Chapter 2 of 12

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