39:6 Surely people go through life as mere ghosts. 1
Surely they accumulate worthless wealth
without knowing who will eventually haul it away.” 2
49:16 Do not be afraid when a man becomes rich 3
and his wealth multiplies! 4
49:17 For he will take nothing with him when he dies;
his wealth will not follow him down into the grave. 5
49:18 He pronounces this blessing on himself while he is alive:
“May men praise you, for you have done well!”
49:19 But he will join his ancestors; 6
they will never again see the light of day. 7
49:20 Wealthy people do not understand; 8
they are like animals 9 that perish. 10
2:3 I thought deeply 11 about the effects of 12 indulging 13 myself 14 with wine
(all the while 15 my mind was guiding me 16 with wisdom) 17
and the effects of 18 behaving foolishly, 19
so that 20 I might discover what is profitable 21
for people 22 to do on earth 23 during the few days 24 of their lives.
2:4 I increased my possessions: 25
I built houses for myself; 26
I planted vineyards for myself.
2:5 I designed 27 royal gardens 28 and parks 29 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 30 of flourishing trees.
2:7 I purchased male and female slaves,
and I owned slaves who were born in my house; 31
I also possessed more livestock – both herds and flocks –
than any of my predecessors in Jerusalem. 32
2:8 I also amassed silver and gold for myself,
as well as valuable treasures 33 taken from kingdoms and provinces. 34
I acquired male singers and female singers for myself,
and what gives a man sensual delight 35 – a harem of beautiful concubines! 36
2:9 So 37 I was far wealthier 38 than all my predecessors in Jerusalem,
yet I maintained my objectivity: 39
2:10 I did not restrain myself from getting whatever I wanted; 40
I did not deny myself anything that would bring me pleasure. 41
So all my accomplishments gave me joy; 42
this was my reward for all my effort. 43
2:11 Yet when I reflected on everything I had accomplished 44
and on all the effort that I had expended to accomplish it, 45
I concluded: 46 “All these 47 achievements and possessions 48 are ultimately 49 profitless 50 –
like chasing the wind!
There is nothing gained 51 from them 52 on earth.” 53
2:12 Next, I decided to consider 54 wisdom, as well as foolish behavior and ideas. 55
For what more can the king’s successor do than what the king 56 has already done?
2:13 I realized that wisdom is preferable to folly, 57
just as light is preferable to darkness:
2:14 The wise man can see where he is going, 58 but the fool walks in darkness.
Yet I also realized that the same fate 59 happens to them both. 60
2:15 So I thought to myself, “The fate of the fool will happen even to me! 61
Then what did I gain by becoming so excessively 62 wise?” 63
So I lamented to myself, 64
“The benefits of wisdom 65 are ultimately 66 meaningless!”
2:16 For the wise man, like 67 the fool, will not be remembered for very long, 68
because 69 in the days to come, both will already have been forgotten. 70
Alas, 71 the wise man dies – just like 72 the fool!
2:17 So I loathed 73 life 74 because what
happens 75 on earth 76 seems awful to me;
for all the benefits of wisdom 77 are futile – like chasing the wind.
2:18 So I loathed all the fruit of 78 my effort, 79
for which I worked so hard 80 on earth, 81
because 82 I must leave it 83 behind 84 in the hands of my successor. 85
2:19 Who knows if he will be a wise man or a fool?
Yet 86 he will be master over all the fruit of 87 my labor 88
for which I worked so wisely 89 on earth! 90
This also is futile!
2:20 So I began to despair 91 about all the fruit of 92 my labor 93
for which I worked so hard 94 on earth. 95
2:21 For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge, and skill;
however, he must hand over 96 the fruit of his labor 97 as an inheritance 98
to someone else who did not work for it.
This also is futile, and an awful injustice! 99
2:22 What does a man acquire from all his labor
and from the anxiety that accompanies his toil on earth? 100
2:23 For all day long 101 his work produces pain and frustration, 102
and even at night his mind cannot relax! 103
This also is futile!
2:24 There is nothing better for 104 people 105 than 106 to eat and drink,
and to find enjoyment 107 in their 108 work.
I also perceived that this ability to find enjoyment 109 comes from God. 110
2:25 For no one 111 can eat and drink 112
or experience joy 113 apart from him. 114
2:26 For to the one who pleases him, 115 God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy,
but to the sinner, he gives the task of amassing 116 wealth 117 –
only to give 118 it 119 to the one who pleases God.
This 120 task of the wicked 121 is futile – like chasing the wind!
55:2 Why pay money for something that will not nourish you? 122
Why spend 123 your hard-earned money 124 on something that will not satisfy?
Listen carefully 125 to me and eat what is nourishing! 126
Enjoy fine food! 127
16:19 “There was a rich man who dressed in purple 129 and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously 130 every day.
4:13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into this or that town 131 and spend a year there and do business and make a profit.”
5:1 Come now, you rich! Weep and cry aloud 132 over the miseries that are coming on you. 5:2 Your riches have rotted and your clothing has become moth-eaten. 5:3 Your gold and silver have rusted and their rust will be a witness against you. It will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have hoarded treasure! 133 5:4 Look, the pay you have held back from the workers who mowed your fields cries out against you, and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. 5:5 You have lived indulgently and luxuriously on the earth. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. 134