1 I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; ^senjoy yourself.” But behold, this also was vanity.¹ 2 I said of laughter, “It is mad,” and of pleasure, “What use is it?” 3 I searched with my heart how to ^tcheer my body with wine—my heart still guiding me with wisdom—and how to lay hold on ^ufolly, till I might see what was good for the children of man to do under heaven during the ^vfew days of their life. 4 I made great works. I ^wbuilt houses and planted ^xvineyards 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 had also ^ygreat possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem. 8 I also gathered for myself silver and ^zgold and the ^atreasure of kings and provinces. I got singers, ^bboth men and women, and ^cmany concubines,² the delight of the sons of man.

9 So I became great and ^dsurpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. 10 And 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 ^ereward for all my toil. 11 Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a ^fstriving after wind, and there was nothing to be ^ggained under the sun.