Ecclesiastes 2

Futility of Self-Indulgent Pleasure

2:1 I thought to myself,¹

“Come now,² I will try³ self-indulgent pleasure⁴ to see⁵ if it is worthwhile.”⁶

But I found⁷ that it also is futile.⁸

2:2 I said of partying,⁹ “It is folly,”

and of self-indulgent pleasure,¹⁰ “It accomplishes nothing!”¹¹

2:3 I thought deeply¹² about the effects of¹³ indulging¹⁴ myself¹⁵ with wine

(all the while¹⁶ my mind was guiding me¹⁷ with wisdom)¹⁸

and the effects of¹⁹ behaving foolishly,²⁰

so that²¹ I might discover what is profitable²²

for people²³ to do on earth²⁴ during the few days²⁵ of their lives.

Futility of Materialism

2:4 I increased my possessions:²⁶

I built houses for myself;²⁷

I planted vineyards for myself.

2:5 I designed²⁸ royal gardens²⁹ and parks³⁰ for myself,

and I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them.

2:6 I constructed pools of water for myself,

to irrigate my grove³¹ of flourishing trees.

2:7 I purchased male and female slaves,

and I owned slaves who were born in my house;³²

I also possessed more livestock – both herds and flocks –

than any of my predecessors in Jerusalem.³³

2:8 I also amassed silver and gold for myself,

as well as valuable treasures³⁴ taken from kingdoms and provinces.³⁵

I acquired male singers and female singers for myself,

and what gives a man sensual delight³⁶ – a harem of beautiful concubines!³⁷

2:9 So³⁸ I was far wealthier³⁹ than all my predecessors in Jerusalem,

yet I maintained my objectivity:⁴⁰

2:10 I did not restrain myself from getting whatever I wanted;⁴¹

I did not deny myself anything that would bring me pleasure.⁴²

So all my accomplishments gave me joy;⁴³

this was my reward for all my effort.⁴⁴

2:11 Yet when I reflected on everything I had accomplished⁴⁵

and on all the effort that I had expended to accomplish it,⁴⁶

I concluded:⁴⁷ “All these⁴⁸ achievements and possessions⁴⁹ are ultimately⁵⁰ profitless⁵¹ –

like chasing the wind!

There is nothing gained⁵² from them⁵³ on earth.”⁵⁴

Wisdom is Better than Folly

2:12 Next, I decided to consider⁵⁵ wisdom, as well as foolish behavior and ideas.⁵⁶

For what more can the king’s successor do than what the king⁵⁷ has already done?

2:13 I realized that wisdom is preferable to folly,⁵⁸

just as light is preferable to darkness:

2:14 The wise man can see where he is going,⁵⁹ but the fool walks in darkness.

Yet I also realized that the same fate⁶⁰ happens to them both.⁶¹

2:15 So I thought to myself, “The fate of the fool will happen even to me!⁶²

Then what did I gain by becoming so excessively⁶³ wise?”⁶⁴

So I lamented to myself,⁶⁵

“The benefits of wisdom⁶⁶ are ultimately⁶⁷ meaningless!”

2:16 For the wise man, like⁶⁸ the fool, will not be remembered for very long,⁶⁹

because⁷⁰ in the days to come, both will already have been forgotten.⁷¹

Alas,⁷² the wise man dies – just like⁷³ the fool!

2:17 So I loathed⁷⁴ life⁷⁵ because what

happens⁷⁶ on earth⁷⁷ seems awful to me;

for all the benefits of wisdom⁷⁸ are futile – like chasing the wind.

Futility of Being a Workaholic

2:18 So I loathed all the fruit of⁷⁹ my effort,⁸⁰

for which I worked so hard⁸¹ on earth,⁸²

because⁸³ I must leave it⁸⁴ behind⁸⁵ in the hands of my successor.⁸⁶

2:19 Who knows if he will be a wise man or a fool?

Yet⁸⁷ he will be master over all the fruit of⁸⁸ my labor⁸⁹

for which I worked so wisely⁹⁰ on earth!⁹¹

This also is futile!

2:20 So I began to despair⁹² about all the fruit of⁹³ my labor⁹⁴

for which I worked so hard⁹⁵ on earth.⁹⁶

2:21 For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge, and skill;

however, he must hand over⁹⁷ the fruit of his labor⁹⁸ as an inheritance⁹⁹

to someone else who did not work for it.

This also is futile, and an awful injustice!¹⁰⁰

Painful Days and Restless Nights

2:22 What does a man acquire from all his labor

and from the anxiety that accompanies his toil on earth?¹⁰¹

2:23 For all day long¹⁰² his work produces pain and frustration,¹⁰³

and even at night his mind cannot relax!¹⁰⁴

This also is futile!

Enjoy Work and its Benefits

2:24 There is nothing better for¹⁰⁵ people¹⁰⁶ than¹⁰⁷ to eat and drink,

and to find enjoyment¹⁰⁸ in their¹⁰⁹ work.

I also perceived that this ability to find enjoyment¹¹⁰ comes from God.¹¹¹

2:25 For no one¹¹² can eat and drink¹¹³

or experience joy¹¹⁴ apart from him.¹¹⁵

2:26 For to the one who pleases him,¹¹⁶ God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy,

but to the sinner, he gives the task of amassing¹¹⁷ wealth¹¹⁸ –

only to give¹¹⁹ it¹²⁰ to the one who pleases God.

This¹²¹ task of the wicked¹²² is futile – like chasing the wind!

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