I said to myself, “Come now, I will try [the life of] joy, and enjoy the good life”; and behold, this too was vanity.

I said in my heart, Come now, I will try thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also was vanity.

I said to myself: Come, then, I will [forbear from wisdom and constantly] mix [wine] with joy, and see good; and, behold, this, too, is vanity [(for I saw prophetically that indulging in joy leads to many evils)].

Of laughter, I said, it is senseless; and of joy—what does it accomplish.

I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What does it achieve?

Of laughter I said: It is commingled [with tears and sighing], and of joy: What [good] does it do?

I searched in my heart [for a way] to pamper my flesh with wine; while my heart conducted itself with wisdom, and to grasp foolishness, until I could see which was best for men to do under the heavens during the brief span of their lives.

I sought in my heart to stimulate my body with wine (yet guiding my heart with wisdom;) and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life.

I [then] sought in my heart [to combine all of them] — to indulge my flesh in [feasts of] wine while my heart conducted (itself) with wisdom, and to hold on to "folly" [(those mitzvoth e.g., sha'atnez and the like] that my reason could not fathom)], until I saw which was good for the sons of man to do under the heavens the number of the days of their lives.

I made great works; I built houses for myself, I planted vineyards for myself.

I made great works for myself; I built houses; I planted vineyards:

I increased my works [(in the days of my greatness)]. I built me houses; I planted me vineyards.

I made gardens and orchards for myself; and planted in them, every kind of fruit tree.

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

I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted in them trees of every fruit.

I made pools of water from which to irrigate the forest, growing with trees.

I made pools of water, from which to water a forest of growing trees:

I made me pools of water, to water from them a forest sprouting trees.

I acquired men-servants and maid-servants, and had servants born in my house; also herds of cattle and sheep I possessed in greater quantity than anyone who preceded me in Jerusalem.

I acquired male and female servants, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of herds and flocks, more than all who were in Yerushalayim before me:

I bought man-servants and maid-servants, and children of the household were mine. Also, much kine, cattle, and flocks were mine, more than all that were before me in Jerusalem.

I also amassed silver and gold, and treasures of kings and provinces; I obtained singers and musical instruments, and things that delight the people, chests and chests of them.

I gathered also silver and gold, and the treasure of kings and of the provinces: I acquired men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, women very many.

I gathered unto me also silver and gold, and the treasures of the kings and the provinces. I made me sharim and sharoth [(types of instruments)], and the delights of men, shidah and shidoth [(ornate coaches)].

I was great [in wealth], and surpassed all who preceded me in Jerusalem; also my wisdom remained with me.

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

And I increased and amassed, more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. And my wisdom, too, stood me in good stead.

And whatever my eyes desired, I did not deny them; I withheld not my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced in all my labor; and this was my portion [reward] from all my labor.

And whatever my eyes desired I did not withhold from them; I did not restrain my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.

And all that my eyes sought, I did not keep back from them. I did not withhold my heart from any joy. For my heart rejoiced in all my toil. And this [(according to one view, his staff; according to another, his cup)] was my portion from all my toil.

Then I looked upon all my works that my hands had done, and on the labor I had performed; and behold—all was vanity and vexation of spirit and there is no profit under the sun.

Then I looked at all the works that my hands had wrought, and at the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

And I turned [from all my affairs to consider] all my works that my hands had wrought, and the toil that I had toiled in, and, behold, all was vanity and breaking of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.

I [then] turned my attention to behold wisdom, and madness and foolishness; for of what value is the man who would come after the king [to repeat] that which has already been done [by him].

And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do who comes after the king? even that which has been already done.

And I [now] turn [from all my affairs] to consider wisdom, distraction and folly [i.e., the punishment for transgression]. For what is the man who shall come after the King [has already rendered His decree (to entreat Him to alter it)], when it has already been wrought? [(It were better had he considered beforehand, so that he had no need of entreaty)].

Then I perceived that the advantage of wisdom over foolishness, was like that of light over darkness.

Then I saw that wisdom excels folly, as far as light excels darkness.

And I saw that there was an advantage of wisdom over folly, as the advantage of light over darkness [i.e., wickedness].

The wise man, his eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness; but I also understood that the same fate befalls both of them.

The wise man’s eyes are in his head; but the fool walks in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happens to them all.

The wise man — his eyes are in its [(a thing's)] beginning [(to see what its end will be)], but the fool walks in darkness. And I, too, [(who praise the wise man)], knew that one fate befalls them all [i.e., that both the wise man and the fool will die)].

And I said to myself: “Since the fate of the fool will also be my fate, why do I seek to become wiser?” Then I said to myself: “This too is vanity.”

Then I said in my heart, As it happens to the fool, so it happens even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity.

But would I say in my heart that as it befalls the fool so will it befall me, so why should I become even wiser? Rather, I said in my heart that this, too, [i.e., this mode of thought] is vanity.

For there is no remembrance of either the wise man or the fool, forever; since in the days to come all will be forgotten; and how can the death of the wise man be like [the death of] the fool?

For of the wise man as of the fool there is no enduring remembrance; seeing that which now is, shall, in the days to come, be entirely forgotten. And how does the wise man die? just like the fool.

For there is no [(common)] remembrance of the wise man and the fool forever [i.e., after death, the first being remembered for the good, and the second for evil.] For [I saw, of the evil ones] who had already been [(and had succeeded greatly)], (that) in the days that came [after them] all [of their success] was forgotten. How, then, should the wise man die with [i.e., in the same manner as] the fool? [(Rather, the merits of the wise will not be forgotten and will avail their children after them.)]

And [so] I hated life, for I was sorely grieved, by all that was done under the sun; for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

Therefore I hated life; because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me: for all is vanity and a striving after wind.

And I hate the living [(Solomon here prophesies over the wicked generation of Rechavam)]. For evil to me is the deed which is done under the sun; for all is vanity and breaking of spirit.

And I hated all my labor in which I labored under the sun; for I must leave it to the man who will succeed me.

And I hated all my labour in which I had laboured under the sun: because I must leave it to the man who shall come after me.

And I hated all my toil wherein I toil under the sun, and which I leave to the man who comes after me.

And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will rule over all my work in which I labored, and have shown myself to be wise under the sun; this, too, is vanity.

And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour in which I have laboured, and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.

And who knows whether it will be a wise one or a fool who will preside over all my toil wherein I toiled and wherein I became wise under the sun? This, too, is vanity [i.e., one of the vanities created in the world].

And [so] I turned my heart to despair of all the labor in which I labored under the sun.

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

And I turned to cause my heart to despair over all the toil wherein I had toiled under the sun [(so that I would toil no more)].

For there is a man who labored with wisdom, knowledge and skill; and [yet] to a man who has not labored, he shall leave it, as his portion; this, too, is vanity and a great evil.

For there is a man whose labour is with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skill; yet he must leave it for a portion to a man who has not laboured in it. This also is vanity and a great evil.

For there is a man, whose work is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in understanding; and to a man who did not toil therein shall he give it as his portion. This, too, is vanity and great evil.

For what has a man of all his labor, and of the ambition of his heart, for which he labors under the sun?

For what has a man of all his labour, and of the striving of his heart, in which he labours under the sun?

For what does it profit a man in all of his toil and in the breaking of heart [(in toil and worry)] wherein he toils under the sun [(if he leaves the fruits of his toil to others)]?

For all his days are painful, and aggravation is his lot, even at night his heart has no rest; this, too, is vanity.

For all his days are pains, and his work is a vexation; even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.

For all of his days are painful, and anger is his lot. At night, too, his heart does not rest. This, too, is vanity [i.e., one of the vanities prevalent in the world.]

Is it not beneficial for man that he eats and drinks, and shows himself content with his labor? —this, too, I saw, that it is from the hand of God.

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; but this also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.

Is it not good in a man that he eat and drink and show his soul [inclined to] good in his toil? [viz. Jeremiah 2:15] This [inclination], too, have I seen to be from the hand of G-d.

For who should eat and who should enjoy, if not I?

For who can eat, or who can enjoy pleasure, more than I?

[And the wicked ones (who will leave their toil to others) say: Why should I not rejoice in the fruits of my toil?] For who should eat and who should hasten [to swallow] aside from me?

For to the man who is good in His sight, He gives wisdom, knowledge and joy; but to the sinner, He gives the urge to gather and accumulate—that he should [ultimately] hand it [on to him] who is good in the sight of God; this, too, is vanity and vexation of spirit.

Surely he gives to a man that is good in his sight, wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and heaping up, that he may give it to one who is good before God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

For to the man who is good before Him, He has given [(viz. 2:24)] wisdom, and knowledge, and joy [i.e., a heart to occupy himself with Torah and mitzvoth and to rejoice in his lot with food and drink and clean garments]; and to the sinner He has given preoccupation with the amassing and the gathering [of wealth] — to give (it) to him who is good before G-d [viz. Esther 8:2]. This, too, [(one man toiling; the other, taking)] is vanity [(i.e., one of the vanities placed before men)] and breaking of spirit.