American Standard Version (ASV) With Strong Codes

1. I said[H559] in my heart[H3820], Come now[H3212], I will prove[H5254] thee with mirth[H8057]; therefore enjoy[H7200] pleasure[H2896]: and[H1892], behold, this also was vanity.

2. I said[H559] of laughter[H7814], It is mad[H1984]; and of mirth[H8057], What[H2090] doeth it[H6213]?

3. I searched[H8446] in my heart[H3820] how to cheer[H4900] my[H1320] flesh with wine[H3196], my heart[H3820] yet guiding[H5090] me with wisdom[H2451], and how to lay hold[H270] on folly[H5531], till I might see[H7200] what it was good[H2896] for the sons[H1121] of men[H120] that they should do[H6213] under heaven[H8064] all[H4557] the days[H3117] of their life[H2416].

4. I made me great[H1431] works[H4639]; I builded[H1129] me houses[H1004]; I planted[H5193] me vineyards[H3754];

5. I made[H6213] me gardens[H1593] and parks[H6508], and I planted[H5193] trees[H6086] in them of all kinds of fruit[H6529];

6. I made[H6213] me pools[H1295] of water[H4325], to water[H8248] therefrom the forest[H3293] where trees[H3293] were reared[H6779];

7. I bought[H7069] men-servants[H5650] and maid-servants[H8198], and had servants born[H1121] in my house[H1004]; also I had great[H7235] possessions[H4735] of herds[H6629] and flocks[H1241], above all that were before[H6440] me in Jerusalem[H3389];

8. I gathered[H3664] me also silver[H3701] and gold[H2091], and the treasure[H5459] of kings[H4428] and of the provinces[H4082]; I gat[H6213] me men-singers[H7891] and women-singers[H7891], and the delights[H8588] of the sons[H1121] of men[H120], musical instruments[H7705], and that of all sorts.

9. So I was great[H1431], and increased[H3254] more than all that were before[H6440] me in Jerusalem[H3389]: also my wisdom[H2451] remained with me[H5975].

10. And whatsoever mine eyes[H5869] desired[H7592] I kept[H680] not from them[H4513]; I withheld not my heart[H3820] from any joy[H8057]; for my heart[H3820] rejoiced[H8056] because of all my labor[H5999]; and this was my portion[H2506] from all my labor[H5999].

11. Then I looked[H6437] on all the works[H4639] that my hands[H3027] had wrought[H6213], and on the labor[H5999] that I had labored[H5999] to do[H6213]; and[H1892], behold, all was vanity and a striving[H7469] after wind[H7307], and there was no profit[H3504] under the sun[H8121].

12. And I turned[H6437] myself to behold[H7200] wisdom[H2451], and madness[H1947], and folly[H5531]: for what can the man[H120] do that cometh[H935] after[H310] the king[H4428]? even that which hath been done[H6213] long ago[H3528].

13. Then I saw[H7200] that[H3426] wisdom[H2451] excelleth[H3504] folly[H5531], as far as light[H216] excelleth[H3504] darkness[H2822].

14. The wise man[H2450]'s eyes[H5869] are in his head[H7218], and the fool[H3684] walketh[H1980] in darkness[H2822]: and yet I perceived[H3045] that one[H259] event[H4745] happeneth to them all[H7136].

15. Then[H227] said[H559] I in my heart[H3820], As it happeneth[H4745] to the fool[H3684], so will it happen[H7136] even to me[H1571]; and why was I then more[H3148] wise[H2449]? Then said[H1696] I in my heart[H3820], that this also is vanity[H1892].

16. For of the wise[H2450] man[H5973], even as of the fool[H3684], there is no remembrance[H2146] for ever[H5769]; seeing[H3528] that in the days[H3117] to come[H935] all will have been long forgotten[H7911]. And how doth the wise[H2450] man die[H4191] even as the fool[H3684]!

17. So I hated[H8130] life[H2416], because the work[H4639] that is wrought[H6213] under the sun[H8121] was grievous[H7451] unto me[H1892]; for all is vanity and a striving[H7469] after wind[H7307].

18. And I hated[H8130] all my labor[H5999] wherein I labored[H5999] under the sun[H8121], seeing that I must leave[H3240] it unto the man[H120] that shall be after me[H310].

19. And who knoweth[H3045] whether he will be a wise[H2450] man or a fool[H5530]? yet will he have rule[H7980] over all my labor[H5999] wherein I have labored[H5999], and wherein I have showed myself wise[H2449] under the sun[H8121]. This also is vanity[H1892].

20. Therefore I turned about[H5437] to cause[H2976] my heart[H3820] to despair[H2976] concerning all the labor[H5999] wherein I had labored[H5999] under the sun[H8121].

21. For there is[H3426] a man[H120] whose labor[H5999] is with wisdom[H2451], and with knowledge[H1847], and with skilfulness[H3788]; yet to a man[H120] that hath not labored[H5998] therein shall he leave[H5414] it for his portion[H2506]. This also is vanity[H1892] and a great[H7227] evil[H7451].

22. For what hath[H1933] a man[H120] of all his labor[H5999], and of the striving[H7475] of his heart[H3820], wherein[H1931] he laboreth[H6001] under the sun[H8121]?

23. For all his days[H3117] are but sorrows[H4341], and his travail[H6045] is grief[H3708]; yea[H3915], even in the night his heart[H3820] taketh no rest[H7901]. This also is vanity[H1892].

24. There is nothing better[H2896] for a man[H120] than that he should eat[H398] and drink[H8354], and make his soul[H5315] enjoy[H7200] good[H2896] in his labor[H5999]. This[H2090] also I saw[H7200], that it is from the hand[H3027] of God[H430].

25. For who can eat[H398], or who can have enjoyment[H2363], more than I[H2351]?

26. For to the man[H120] that pleaseth[H2896] him[H6440] God giveth[H5414] wisdom[H2451], and knowledge[H1847], and joy[H8057]; but to the sinner[H2398] he giveth[H5414] travail[H6045], to gather[H622] and to heap up[H3664], that he may give[H5414] to him that[H6440] pleaseth[H2896] God[H430]. This also is vanity[H1892] and a striving[H7469] after wind[H7307].