Ecclesiastes_Chapter 2

I thought to myself, come on, I’ll try you with joy, you enjoy yourself. Unexpectedly, this is also void.

I jokingly said, this is arrogance. What is the effect of the theory of joy?

I have searched in my heart how to use wine to soothe my body, yet my heart still guides me with wisdom. How can I hold onto ignorance, and wait for me to see what is beautiful for people to do throughout their lives under heaven.

I started a big project for myself, building houses, planting vineyards,

Build gardens and gardens, and plant various fruit trees in them,

Dig and build water pools to irrigate tender trees.

I bought maidservants, and there are also maidservants born at home. There were also many herds of cattle and sheep, surpassing all that had been in Jerusalem before.

I have also accumulated gold and silver for myself, as well as the treasures of kings and provinces. Men and women who also have singing, and things that people love, as well as many concubines.

So I prospered day by day, surpassing all the people who were in Jerusalem before. My wisdom still lingers.

Whatever my eyes desire, I have not left it to him. What I enjoy in my heart, I have nothing to prohibit or not enjoy. Because my heart is the joy of all my labor. This is the point I earn from my labor.

Later, I examined all the things that my hands had done, and the achievements of my labor. Who knows that they are all emptiness, chasing after the wind, and have no profit under the sun.

I turned my mind to see wisdom, arrogance, and ignorance. What else can the people who come after the king do? It’s just what I did earlier.

I see that wisdom surpasses ignorance, just as light surpasses darkness.

The eyes of the wise are bright, and the foolish walk in darkness. But I see that there is one thing, both of these people will meet.

And I said in my heart, What fools have found, I will also find. Why am I smarter? I thought to myself, this is also emptiness.

The wise, like the foolish, will never be remembered. Because it will be forgotten in the future. It is lamentable that the death of a wise person is no different from that of a foolish person.

I hate life because I am troubled by everything I do under the sun. All are emptiness, all chasing the wind.

I hate all my labor, which is my labor under the sun. Because what I have will be left to my future people.

That person is wise and foolish, who knows. But he will manage what I have earned through my labor, which I have gained through wisdom under the sun. This is also void.

Therefore, when I thought about all the work I had done under the sun, my heart became desperate.

Because some people labor with wisdom, knowledge, and dexterity, but leave it to those who have not yet worked. This is also emptiness and a great calamity.

What does a person get from all their labor, as they toil and tire their heart under the sun?

Because he worries day by day, his labor becomes a burden. Even at night, my heart is restless. This is also void.

No one is as strong as eating and drinking, and enjoys happiness in labor. I think this is also from the hands of God.

When it comes to food and enjoyment, who can surpass me?

God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to whoever pleases him. But for sinners, God causes them to toil and give what they gather and pile up to those whom God delights in. This is also emptiness and catching the wind.