1. I said in mine
heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth; therefore, enjoy
pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.
2. I said of
laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?
3. I sought in
mine heart to give myself 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 heaven all the
days of their life.
4. I made me great
works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards:
5. I made me
gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of
fruits:
6. I made me pools
of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees:
7. I got me
servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had
great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in
Jerusalem before me:
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.
9. So I was
great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem:
also my wisdom remained with me.
10. And whatsoever
mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from
my joy; for my heart rejoiced 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 behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can
the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been
already done.
13. Then I saw
that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.
14. The wise man's
eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I
myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all.
15. Then said I in
my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and
why was I then more wise? 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.
17. Therefore I
hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous
unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
18. Yea, I hated
all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave
it unto the man that shall be after me.
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.
20. Therefore I
went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took
under the sun.
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 great evil.
22. For what hath
man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he
hath laboured under the sun?
23. For all his
days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not
rest in the night. This is also vanity.
24. There is
nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that
he should make his soul enjoy good 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?
26. For God giveth
to a man that is good in his sight, wisdom, and knowledge, and joy:
but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he
may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and
vexation of spirit.
Sept. 19
Daily reading schedule.. go to chapter 3
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