Eclesiastes 2

Jeg kom på den Tanke at kvæge mit Legeme med Vin, medens mit Hjerte dog rådede med Visdom, og at slå mig på Dårskab, indtil jeg så, hvad det båder Menneskens Børn at gøre under Himmelen, det Dagetal de lever.

Jeg fuldbyrdede store Værker, byggede mig Huse, plantede mig Vingårde,

anlagde mig Haver og Lunde og plantede alle Hånde Frugttræer deri,

anlagde mig Damme til at vande en Skov i Opvækst;

jeg købte Trælle og Trælkvinder, og jeg havde hjemmefødte Trælle; også Kvæg, Hornkvæg og Småkvæg, havde jeg i større Måder end nogen af dem, der før mig havde været i Jerusalem;

jeg samlede mig også Sølv og Guld, Skatte fra Konger og Lande; jeg tog mig Sangere og Sangerinder og Menneskens Børns Lyst: Hustru og Hustruer.

Og jeg blev stor, større end nogen af dem, der før mig havde været i Jerusalem; desuden blev min Visdom hos mig.

Intet, som mine Øjne attråede, unddrog jeg dem; jeg nægtede ikke mit Hjerte nogen Glæde thi mit Hjerte havde Glæde af al min Flid, og deri lå Lønnen for al min Flid.

Men da jeg overskuede alt, hvad mine Hænder havde virket, og den Flid, det havde kostet mig, se, da var det alt sammen Tomhed og Jag efter Vind, og der er ingen Vinding under Solen.

Thi hvad gør det Menneske, som kommer efter Kongen? Det samme, som tilforn er gjort? Jeg gav mig da til at sammenligne Visdom med Dårskab og Tåbelighed.

Jeg så, at Visdom har samme Fortrin for Tåbelighed som Lys for Mørke:

Den vise har Øjne i Hovedet, men Tåben vandrer i Mørke. Men jeg skønnede også, at en og samme Skæbne rammer begge.

thi den vises Minde er lige sålidt evigt som Tåbens, fordi nu engang alt glemmes i kommende Dage; ak! den vise må dø så godt som Tåben.

Da blev jeg led ved Livet, thi ilde tyktes mig det, som sker under Solen; thi det er alt sammen Tomhed og Jag efter Vind.

Og jeg blev led ved al den Flid, jeg, har gjort mig under Solen, fordi jeg må efterlade mit Værk til den, som kommer efter mig.

Hvo ved, om det bliver en Vismand eller en Tåbe? Og dog skal han råde over alt, hvad jeg med Flid og Visdom vandt under Solen. Også det er Tomhed.

Og jeg var ved at fortvivle over al den Flid, jeg har gjort mig under Solen;

thi der har et Menneske gjort sig. Flid med Visdom, Kundskab og Dygtighed, og så må han overlade sit Eje til et Menneske, som ikke har lagt Flid derpå. Også det er Tomhed og et stort Onde.

Thi hvad får et Menneske for al sin Flid og sit Hjertes Higen, som han gør sig Flid med under Solen?

Alle hans Dage er jo Lidelse, og hans Slid er Græmmelse; end ikke om Natten finder hans Hjerte Hvile. Også det er Tomhed.

Intet er bedre for et Menneske end at spise og drikke og give sin Sjæl gode Dage ved sin Flid. Og det skønnede jeg, at også det kommer fra Guds Hånd.

Thi hvo kan spise eller drikke uden hans Vilje?

Thi det Menneske, som er godt i hans Øjne, giver han Visdom, Kundskab og Glæde; men den, som synder, giver han Slid med at samle og ophobe for så at give det til en, som er god i Guds Øjne. Også det er Tomhed og Jag efter Vind.

I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also {is} vanity.

I said of laughter, {It is} mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?

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. {to give...: Heb. to draw my flesh with wine} {all...: Heb. the number of the days of their life}

I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards:

I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all {kind of} fruits:

I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees:

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: {servants born...: Heb. sons of my house}

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. {musical...: Heb. musical instrument and instruments}

So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.

And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.

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.

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. {even...: or, in those things which have been already done}

Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness. {that...: Heb. that there is an excellency in wisdom more than in folly, etc}

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.

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. {happeneth even...: Heb. happeneth to me, even to me}

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.

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.

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. {taken: Heb. laboured}

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.

Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun.

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. {leave: Heb. give}

For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun?

For all his days {are} sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity.

{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. {should make...: or, delight his senses}

For who can eat, or who else can hasten {hereunto}, more than I?

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. {in his...: Heb. before him}