² a man to whom God gives riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacks nothing for his soul of all that he desires, yet God gives him no power to eat of it, but an alien eats it. This is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

¹⁹ Every man also to whom God has given riches and wealth, and has given him power to eat of it, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor--this is the gift of God.

¹⁴ From men by your hand, Yahweh, From men of the world, whose portion is in this life. You fill the belly of your cherished ones. Your sons have plenty, And they store up wealth for their children.

⁷ Their eyes bulge with fat. Their minds pass the limits of conceit.

¹³ I have also given you that which you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that there shall not be any among the kings like you, all your days.

⁹ Their houses are safe from fear, Neither is the rod of God upon them.

¹⁰ Their bulls breed without fail. Their cows calve, and don't miscarry.

¹¹ They send forth their little ones like a flock. Their children dance.

¹² They sing to the tambourine and harp, And rejoice at the sound of the pipe.

¹³ They spend their days in prosperity. In an instant they go down to Sheol.

¹⁴ They tell God, 'Depart from us, For we don't want to know about your ways.

¹⁵ What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? What profit should we have, if we pray to him?'

¹⁹ I will tell my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years. Take your ease, eat, drink, be merry."'

²⁰ "But God said to him, 'You foolish one, tonight your soul is required of you. The things which you have prepared--whose will they be?'

⁹ Strangers have devoured his strength, And he doesn't realize it. Indeed, gray hairs are here and there on him, And he doesn't realize it.

¹⁸ You king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father the kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and majesty:

² Our inheritance is turned to strangers, Our houses to aliens.

¹⁶ This also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go. And what profit does he have who labors for the wind?

⁸ There is one who is alone, and he has neither son nor brother. There is no end to all of his labor, neither are his eyes satisfied with wealth. For whom then, do I labor, and deprive my soul of enjoyment? This also is vanity, yes, it is a miserable business.

⁴ Then I saw all the labor and achievement that is the envy of a man's neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

³³ The fruit of your ground, and all your labors, shall a nation which you don't know eat up; and you shall be only oppressed and crushed always;

⁴³ The foreigner who is in the midst of you shall mount up above you higher and higher; and you shall come down lower and lower.

¹⁰ When you go, you shall come to a people secure, and the land is large; for God has given it into your hand, a place where there is no want of anything that is in the earth.

²⁵ Yahweh magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and bestowed on him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel.

²⁸ He died in a good old age, full of days, riches, and honor: and Solomon his son reigned in his place.

¹¹ God said to Solomon, Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked riches, wealth, or honor, nor the life of those who hate you, neither yet have asked long life; but have asked wisdom and knowledge for yourself, that you may judge my people, over whom I have made you king:

⁶ "Surely every man walks like a shadow. Surely they busy themselves in vain. He heaps up, and doesn't know who shall gather.

⁴ I made myself great works. I built myself houses. I planted myself vineyards.

⁵ I made myself gardens and parks, and I planted trees in them of all kinds of fruit.

⁶ I made myself pools of water, to water from it the forest where trees were reared.

⁷ I bought men-servants and maid-servants, and had servants born in my house. I also had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all who were before me in Jerusalem;

⁸ I also gathered silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and of the provinces. I got myself men-singers and women-singers, and the delights of the sons of men--musical instruments, and that of all sorts.

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

¹⁰ 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.

⁷ For Yahweh your God brings you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of springs and springs, flowing forth in valleys and hills;

⁸ a land of wheat and barley, and vines and fig trees and pomegranates; a land of olive trees and honey;

⁹ a land in which you shall eat bread without scarceness, you shall not lack anything in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you may dig copper.

¹⁰ You shall eat and be full, and you shall bless Yahweh your God for the good land which he has given you.