<1> I said to myself, "Come now, I will make a test of pleasure; enjoy yourself." But again, this also was vanity. <2> I said of laughter, "It is mad," and of pleasure, "What use is it?" <3> I searched with my mind how to cheer my body with wine—my mind still guiding me with wisdom—and how to lay hold on folly, until I might see what was good for mortals to do under heaven during the few days of their life. <4> I made great works; I built houses and planted vineyards for myself; <5> I made myself gardens and parks, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees. <6> I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees. <7> I bought male and female slaves, and had slaves who were born in my house; I also had great possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem. <8> I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and of the provinces; I got singers, both men and women, and delights of the flesh, and many concubines. <9> So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem; also my wisdom remained with me. <10> Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them; I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil. <11> Then I considered all that my hands
had done and the toil I had spent in doing it, and again, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.
