The Futility of Pleasure 1 AKJV I said in my heart, Go to now, I will prove you with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity. BSB BSB: I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy what is good!” But it proved to be futile.
2 AKJV I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What does it? BSB BSB: I said of laughter, “It is folly,” and of pleasure, “What does it accomplish?”
3 AKJV I sought in my heart to give myself to wine, yet acquainting my 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. BSB BSB: I 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.
4 AKJV I made me great works; I built me houses; I planted me vineyards: BSB BSB: I expanded my pursuits. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself.
5 AKJV I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits: BSB BSB: I made gardens and parks for myself, where I planted all kinds of fruit trees.
6 AKJV I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that brings forth trees: BSB BSB: I built reservoirs to water my groves of flourishing trees.
7 AKJV I 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: BSB BSB: I acquired menservants and maidservants, and servants were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me,
8 AKJV I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I got me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts. BSB BSB: and 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.
9 AKJV So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me. BSB BSB: So I became great and surpassed all in Jerusalem who had preceded me; and my wisdom remained with me.
10 AKJV And whatever my eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labor: and this was my portion of all my labor. BSB BSB: Anything 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.
11 AKJV Then I looked on all the works that my hands had worked, and on the labor that I had labored to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun. BSB BSB: Yet 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.
The Wise and the Foolish 12 AKJV And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that comes after the king? even that which has been already done. BSB BSB: Then I turned to consider wisdom and madness and folly; for what more can the king’s successor do than what has already been accomplished?
13 AKJV Then I saw that wisdom excels folly, as far as light excels darkness. BSB BSB: And I saw that wisdom exceeds folly, just as light exceeds darkness:
14 AKJV The wise man’s eyes are in his head; but the fool walks in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happens to them all. BSB BSB: The 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.
15 AKJV Then said I in my heart, As it happens to the fool, so it happens even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity. BSB BSB: So 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.
16 AKJV For 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 dies the wise man? as the fool. BSB BSB: For 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!
17 AKJV Therefore I hated life; because the work that is worked under the sun is grievous to me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit. BSB BSB: So 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.
The Futility of Work 18 AKJV Yes, I hated all my labor which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it to the man that shall be after me. BSB BSB: I hated all for which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes after me.
19 AKJV And who knows whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labor wherein I have labored, and wherein I have showed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity. BSB BSB: And 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.
20 AKJV Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labor which I took under the sun. BSB BSB: So my heart began to despair over all the labor that I had done under the sun.
21 AKJV For there is a man whose labor is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that has not labored therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil. BSB BSB: When 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.
22 AKJV For what has man of all his labor, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he has labored under the sun? BSB BSB: For what does a man get for all the toil and striving with which he labors under the sun?
23 AKJV For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yes, his heart takes not rest in the night. This is also vanity. BSB BSB: Indeed, all his days are filled with grief, and his task is sorrowful; even at night, his mind does not rest. This too is futile.
24 AKJV There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God. BSB BSB: Nothing 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.
25 AKJV For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I? BSB BSB: For apart from Him, who can eat and who can find enjoyment?
26 AKJV For God gives to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he gives 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. BSB BSB: To 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.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.