Revised Standard Version RSV
New International Version NIV
1 I said to myself, "Come now, I will make a test of pleasure; enjoy yourself." But behold, this also was vanity.
1
I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good.” But that also proved to be meaningless.
2 I said of laughter, "It is mad," and of pleasure, "What use is it?"
2
“Laughter,” I said, “is madness. And what does pleasure accomplish?”
3 I searched with my mind how to cheer my body with wine--my mind still guiding me with wisdom--and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the sons of men to do under heaven during the few days of their life.
3
I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was good for people to do under the heavens during the few days of their lives.
4 I made great works; I built houses and planted vineyards for myself;
4
I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards.
5 I made myself gardens and parks, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees.
5
I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them.
6 I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees.
6
I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees.
7 I bought male and female slaves, and had slaves who were born in my house; I had also great possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem.
7
I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me.
8 I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces; I got singers, both men and women, and many concubines, man's delight.
8
I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired male and female singers, and a harem as well—the delights of a man’s heart.
9 So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem; also my wisdom remained with me.
9
I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me.
10 And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them; I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil.
10
I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my labor, and this was the reward for all my toil.
11 Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had spent in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.
11
Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.