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          DASV: Ecclesiastes 2    

1 I said to myself, "Come now, I will test you with pleasure;
enjoy yourself." But this also was futile.
2 I said of laughter, "It is madness," and of pleasure, "What
does it accomplish?"
3 I searched in my heart attempting to cheer myself with wine--
my heart still guiding me with wisdom--and grasping folly, so
I might discover what was good for people to do under heaven
during the few days of their life.
4 I attempted great projects. I built palaces and planted vineyards
for myself.
5 I made gardens and parks for myself, and I planted trees with
all kinds of fruit on them.
6 I built pools of water for myself, to irrigate groves of
flourishing trees.
7 I bought male and female slaves, and had slaves born in my house.
I also had great possessions of herds and flocks, beyond all
who were before me in Jerusalem.
8 I accumulated silver and gold and the treasure of kings and of
the provinces. I acquired male and female singers for myself,
and a harem full of concubines, every sensual delight a man could want.
9 So I was great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem,
yet my wisdom stayed with me.
10 Whatever my eyes desired I did not deny them. I did not restrain
my heart from any pleasure. So my heart rejoiced because of all
my pursuits; and this was my reward for all my labor.
11 Then I considered everything my hands had accomplished, and on
the labor that I had expended to achieve it, and yet all was futility
and a mere chasing after the wind. There was nothing gained under
the sun.

12 So I turned myself to consider wisdom, madness and folly. For what
more can the one who succeeds the king do? It has already been done.
13 Then I realized, "Wisdom is better than folly, just as light is
better than darkness.
14 The wise man's eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness."
Yet I perceived that a similar fate happens to them all.
15 Then said I to myself, "The same fate that happens to a fool, will
also happen to me, so what was the benefit for me being wise?" Then I
said to myself, "This too is futile."
16 For the wise just like the fool will not be remembered for long;
seeing that in the days to come everything will be forgotten. Tragically,
the wise man dies just like the fool!
17 So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was
grievous to me. Everything is futile, a chasing after wind.
18 I hated all my labor wherein I toiled under the sun, seeing that I
must leave it to the one who succeeds me.
19 Who knows whether he will be wise or foolish? Yet he will control
everything I have labored so hard for using my wisdom under the sun.
This also is futile.
20 So I turned and resigned my heart to despair concerning all the toil
that I had labored under the sun.
21 For some people labor with wisdom, knowledge and skill and yet they
must leave it to someone who has not worked for it. This also is a
frustrating futility and a great tragedy.
22 For what does a person get for all his labor and anxious struggle of
his heart, with which he toils under the sun?
23 For all his days are full of sorrow, and his toil full of grief.
Even in the night his heart cannot rest. This also is futile.

24 There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink,
and find enjoyment in his labor. I realized this too comes from the
hand of God.
25 For who can eat or find enjoyment without him?
26 For to the one who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge
and joy; but to the sinner he gives the work of gathering and
accumulating wealth only so that he may hand it over to the one
who pleases God. This, too, is futile, a mere chasing after wind.

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