2:1 “Come now, 2 I will try 3 self-indulgent pleasure 4 to see 5 if it is worthwhile.” 6
But I found 7 that it also is futile. 8
2:2 I said of partying, 9 “It is folly,”
and of self-indulgent pleasure, 10 “It accomplishes nothing!” 11
2:3 I thought deeply 12 about the effects of 13 indulging 14 myself 15 with wine
(all the while 16 my mind was guiding me 17 with wisdom) 18
and the effects of 19 behaving foolishly, 20
so that 21 I might discover what is profitable 22
for people 23 to do on earth 24 during the few days 25 of their lives.
2:4 I increased my possessions: 26
I built houses for myself; 27
I planted vineyards for myself.
2:5 I designed 28 royal gardens 29 and parks 30 for myself,
and I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them.
2:6 I constructed pools of water for myself,
to irrigate my grove 31 of flourishing trees.
2:7 I purchased male and female slaves,
and I owned slaves who were born in my house; 32
I also possessed more livestock – both herds and flocks –
than any of my predecessors in Jerusalem. 33
2:8 I also amassed silver and gold for myself,
as well as valuable treasures 34 taken from kingdoms and provinces. 35
I acquired male singers and female singers for myself,
and what gives a man sensual delight 36 – a harem of beautiful concubines! 37
2:9 So 38 I was far wealthier 39 than all my predecessors in Jerusalem,
yet I maintained my objectivity: 40
2:10 I did not restrain myself from getting whatever I wanted; 41
I did not deny myself anything that would bring me pleasure. 42
So all my accomplishments gave me joy; 43
this was my reward for all my effort. 44
2:11 Yet when I reflected on everything I had accomplished 45
and on all the effort that I had expended to accomplish it, 46
I concluded: 47 “All these 48 achievements and possessions 49 are ultimately 50 profitless 51 –
like chasing the wind!
There is nothing gained 52 from them 53 on earth.” 54
2:12 Next, I decided to consider 55 wisdom, as well as foolish behavior and ideas. 56
For what more can the king’s successor do than what the king 57 has already done?
2:13 I realized that wisdom is preferable to folly, 58
just as light is preferable to darkness:
2:14 The wise man can see where he is going, 59 but the fool walks in darkness.
Yet I also realized that the same fate 60 happens to them both. 61
2:15 So I thought to myself, “The fate of the fool will happen even to me! 62
Then what did I gain by becoming so excessively 63 wise?” 64
So I lamented to myself, 65
“The benefits of wisdom 66 are ultimately 67 meaningless!”
2:16 For the wise man, like 68 the fool, will not be remembered for very long, 69
because 70 in the days to come, both will already have been forgotten. 71
Alas, 72 the wise man dies – just like 73 the fool!
2:17 So I loathed 74 life 75 because what
happens 76 on earth 77 seems awful to me;
for all the benefits of wisdom 78 are futile – like chasing the wind.
2:18 So I loathed all the fruit of 79 my effort, 80
for which I worked so hard 81 on earth, 82
because 83 I must leave it 84 behind 85 in the hands of my successor. 86
2:19 Who knows if he will be a wise man or a fool?
Yet 87 he will be master over all the fruit of 88 my labor 89
for which I worked so wisely 90 on earth! 91
This also is futile!