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 any 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
