| NET Bible | Berean Study Bible |
| 1I thought to myself, "Come now, I will try self-indulgent pleasure to see if it is worthwhile." But I found that it also is futile. | 1I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy what is good!” But it proved to be futile. |
| 2I said of partying, "It is folly," and of self-indulgent pleasure, "It accomplishes nothing!" | 2I said of laughter, “It is folly,” and of pleasure, “What does it accomplish?” |
| 3I thought deeply about the effects of indulging myself with wine (all the while my mind was guiding me with wisdom) and the effects of behaving foolishly, so that I might discover what is profitable for people to do on earth during the few days of their lives. | 3I 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. |
| 4I increased my possessions: I built houses for myself; I planted vineyards for myself. | 4I expanded my pursuits. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself. |
| 5I designed royal gardens and parks for myself, and I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. | 5I made gardens and parks for myself, where I planted all kinds of fruit trees. |
| 6I constructed pools of water for myself, to irrigate my grove of flourishing trees. | 6I built reservoirs to water my groves of flourishing trees. |
| 7I purchased male and female slaves, and I owned slaves who were born in my house; I also possessed more livestock--both herds and flocks--than any of my predecessors in Jerusalem. | 7I acquired menservants and maidservants, and servants were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me, |
| 8I also amassed silver and gold for myself, as well as valuable treasures taken from kingdoms and provinces. I acquired male singers and female singers for myself, and what gives a man sensual delight--a harem of beautiful concubines! | 8and 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. |
| 9So I was far wealthier than all my predecessors in Jerusalem, yet I maintained my objectivity: | 9So I became great and surpassed all in Jerusalem who had preceded me; and my wisdom remained with me. |
| 10I did not restrain myself from getting whatever I wanted; I did not deny myself anything that would bring me pleasure. So all my accomplishments gave me joy; this was my reward for all my effort. | 10Anything 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. |
| 11Yet when I reflected on everything I had accomplished and on all the effort that I had expended to accomplish it, I concluded: "All these achievements and possessions are ultimately profitless--like chasing the wind! There is nothing gained from them on earth." | 11Yet 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. |
| 12Next, I decided to consider wisdom, as well as foolish behavior and ideas. For what more can the king's successor do than what the king has already done? | 12Then I turned to consider wisdom and madness and folly; for what more can the king’s successor do than what has already been accomplished? |
| 13I realized that wisdom is preferable to folly, just as light is preferable to darkness: | 13And I saw that wisdom exceeds folly, just as light exceeds darkness: |
| 14The wise man can see where he is going, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also realized that the same fate happens to them both. | 14The 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. |
| 15So I thought to myself, "The fate of the fool will happen even to me! Then what did I gain by becoming so excessively wise?" So I lamented to myself, "The benefits of wisdom are ultimately meaningless!" | 15So 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. |
| 16For the wise man, like the fool, will not be remembered for very long, because in the days to come, both will already have been forgotten. Alas, the wise man dies--just like the fool! | 16For 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! |
| 17So I loathed life because what happens on earth seems awful to me; for all the benefits of wisdom are futile--like chasing the wind. | 17So 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. |
| 18So I loathed all the fruit of my effort, for which I worked so hard on earth, because I must leave it behind in the hands of my successor. | 18I hated all for which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes after me. |
| 19Who knows if he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will be master over all the fruit of my labor for which I worked so wisely on earth! This also is futile! | 19And 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. |
| 20So I began to despair about all the fruit of my labor for which I worked so hard on earth. | 20So my heart began to despair over all the labor that I had done under the sun. |
| 21For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge, and skill; however, he must hand over the fruit of his labor as an inheritance to someone else who did not work for it. This also is futile, and an awful injustice! | 21When 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. |
| 22What does a man acquire from all his labor and from the anxiety that accompanies his toil on earth? | 22For what does a man get for all the toil and striving with which he labors under the sun? |
| 23For all day long his work produces pain and frustration, and even at night his mind cannot relax! This also is futile! | 23Indeed, all his days are filled with grief, and his task is sorrowful; even at night, his mind does not rest. This too is futile. |
| 24There is nothing better for people than to eat and drink, and to find enjoyment in their work. I also perceived that this ability to find enjoyment comes from God. | 24Nothing 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. |
| 25For no one can eat and drink or experience joy apart from him. | 25For apart from Him, who can eat and who can find enjoyment? |
| 26For to the one who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy, but to the sinner, he gives the task of amassing wealth--only to give it to the one who pleases God. This task of the wicked is futile--like chasing the wind! | 26To 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. |
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