The Vanity of Merriment
Ecclesiastes 2, verse 1. I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with merriment and see if this is good; and behold, this, too, is vanity.” Ecclesiastes 2, verse 2. I said concerning laughter, “This is madness,” and concerning merriment, “What does this accomplish?” Ecclesiastes 2, verse 3. I searched in my heart that I might excite my flesh as with wine. And my heart guided me with wisdom to grasp what is foolishness, until I might see what is good for the sons of men, that which they should do under the sun all the days of their life. Ecclesiastes 2, verse 4. I made my works great; I built myself houses and planted vineyards for myself. Ecclesiastes 2, verse 5. I made myself gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. Ecclesiastes 2, verse 6. I made pools of water for myself from which to water growing trees. Ecclesiastes 2, verse 7. I acquired male and female servants, and servants were born in my house; and I had abundant possessions of herds and flocks, more than all before me in Jerusalem. Ecclesiastes 2, verse 8. I also gathered silver and gold for myself and the abundant treasures of kings and countries. I provided male and female singers for myself, the delights of the sons of men, and male and female cupbearers. Ecclesiastes 2, verse 9. So I became great and advanced beyond all before me in Jerusalem; my wisdom established me. Ecclesiastes 2, verse 10. Whatever my eyes desired, I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any merriment. For my heart was made glad in all my labor, And this was my portion from all my labor. Ecclesiastes 2, verse 11. Then I looked on all the works my hands had done And on the labor in which I had toiled, And indeed all is vanity And is the choice of one's spirit. There was no profit under the sun.
Wisdom Excels Foolishness
Ecclesiastes 2, verse 12. Then I turned myself to consider Wisdom, madness, and foolishness, For who is the man who will follow after counsel, Whatever it is, to do it? Ecclesiastes 2, verse 13. Then I saw that wisdom excels foolishness As light excels darkness. Ecclesiastes 2, verse 14. The wise man's eyes are in his head, But the senseless man walks in darkness; And I indeed know That one event happens to all of them. Ecclesiastes 2, verse 15. So I said in my heart, “As it happens to the senseless man, So it also happens to me. Why then have I gained abundant wisdom?” Then I said in my heart, “This indeed is also vanity, Because the senseless man speaks of his abundance.” Ecclesiastes 2, verse 16. For there is no remembrance forever Of the wise man or of the senseless man, Since now as in the days to come, All things are forgotten. And how will the wise man As well as the senseless man face death? Ecclesiastes 2, verse 17. Thus I have hated life, because the work done under the sun was evil before me; for all is vanity and is the choice of one's spirit. Ecclesiastes 2, verse 18. Then I hated all my labor in which I toiled under the sun, for I must leave it to the man who comes after me. Ecclesiastes 2, verse 19. For who knows whether he shall be a wise man or a senseless man? Yet he will have authority over all my labor in which I toiled and wherein I grew wise under the sun. Indeed, this also is vanity. Ecclesiastes 2, verse 20. So I turned my heart and despaired of all the labor wherein I toiled under the sun. Ecclesiastes 2, verse 21. For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, knowledge, and courage, yet this man shall give his portion to one who has not labored therein. This also is vanity and a great evil. Ecclesiastes 2, verse 22. For what does a man have for all his labor and his purpose of heart wherein he labors under the sun? Ecclesiastes 2, verse 23. For all his days are sorrowful, and the distraction of life is his, for even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity. Ecclesiastes 2, verse 24. There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink and that his soul should enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw was from the hand of God. Ecclesiastes 2, verse 25. For who will eat or who will drink without Him? Ecclesiastes 2, verse 26. And He gives wisdom, knowledge, and gladness to a man who is good in His sight. But to him who commits sin He gives the job of gathering and collecting, that he may give to the man who is good in God's sight. This is also vanity and is the choice of one's spirit.