3
I sought in mine heart to givemyself unto wine, yet acquainting mine 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 heavenall the days of their life.
4
I made me greatworks; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards:
yiT.[;j'n ~yiT'B yil yityin'B y'f][;m yiT.l;D.gih ? ~yim'r.K yil
5
I made me gardens and orchards, and I plantedtrees in them of all kind of fruits:
~,h'b yiT.[;j'n.w ~yiseD.r;p.W tw{N;G yil yityif'[ ? yir,P -l'K #e[
6
I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forthtrees:
r;[;y ~,hem tw{q.v;h.l ~Iy'm tw{ker.B yil yityif'[ ? ~yice[ ;xemw{c
7
I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had greatpossessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalembefore me:
h'y'h tIy;b -yen.b.W tw{x'p.v.W ~yid'b][ yityin'q ? yil h'y'h heB.r;h !a{c'w r'q'b h,n.qim ~;G yil ? ~i'l'v.WryiB y;n'p.l .Wy'h,v l{Kim
8
I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments*, and that of all sorts.
~yik'l.m t;LUg.s.W b'h'z.w @,s,K -m;G yil yiT.s;n'K ? t{g.Wn][;t.w tw{r'v.w ~yir'v yil yityif'[ tw{nyid.M;h.w ? tw{Div.w h'Div ~'d'a'h yen.B
9
So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdomremained with me.
10
And whatsoever mine eyesdesired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heartrejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.
11
Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.
12
And I turned myself to beholdwisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that comethafter the king? even that which hath been alreadydone.
15
Thensaid I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then morewise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity.
16
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 dieth the wise man? as the fool.
19
And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity.
21
For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a greatevil.
24
There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soulenjoygood in his labour.This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.
25
For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I?
yiN,Mim #.Wx v.Wx'y yim.W l;ka{y yim yiK
26
For God giveth to a man that is good in his sightwisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he givethtravail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is goodbeforeGod. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.