The Book of Ecclesiastes, Chapter 2קהלת 2

אָמַ֤רְתִּֽי אֲנִי֙ בְּלִבִּ֔י לְכָה נָּ֛א אֲנַסְּכָ֛ה בְשִׂמְחָ֖ה וּרְאֵ֣ה בְט֑וֹב וְהִנֵּ֥ה גַם ה֖וּא הָֽבֶל

I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove you with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also vanity.

לִשְׂח֖וֹק אָמַ֣רְתִּי מְהוֹלָ֑ל וּלְשִׂמְחָ֖ה מַה זֹּ֥ה עֹשָֽׂה

I said of laughter, mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?

תַּ֣רְתִּי בְלִבִּ֔י לִמְשׁ֥וֹךְ בַּיַּ֖יִן אֶת בְּשָׂרִ֑י וְלִבִּ֞י נֹהֵ֤ג בַּֽחָכְמָה֙ וְלֶאֱחֹ֣ז בְּסִכְל֔וּת עַ֣ד אֲשֶׁר אֶרְאֶ֗ה אֵי זֶ֨ה ט֜וֹב לִבְנֵ֤י הָאָדָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר יַעֲשׂוּ֙ תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם מִסְפַּ֖ר יְמֵ֥י חַיֵּיהֶֽם

I sought in mine heart to give myself to wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life.

הִגְדַּ֖לְתִּי מַעֲשָׂ֑י בָּנִ֤יתִי לִי֙ בָּתִּ֔ים נָטַ֥עְתִּי לִ֖י כְּרָמִֽים

I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards:

עָשִׂ֣יתִי לִ֔י גַּנּ֖וֹת וּפַרְדֵּסִ֑ים וְנָטַ֥עְתִּי בָהֶ֖ם עֵ֥ץ כָּל פֶּֽרִי

I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all fruits:

עָשִׂ֥יתִי לִ֖י בְּרֵכ֣וֹת מָ֑יִם לְהַשְׁק֣וֹת מֵהֶ֔ם יַ֖עַר צוֹמֵ֥חַ עֵצִֽים

I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees:

קָנִ֨יתִי֙ עֲבָדִ֣ים וּשְׁפָח֔וֹת וּבְנֵי בַ֖יִת הָ֣יָה לִ֑י גַּ֣ם מִקְנֶה֩ בָקָ֨ר וָצֹ֤אן הַרְבֵּה֙ הָ֣יָה לִ֔י מִכֹּ֛ל שֶֽׁהָי֥וּ לְפָנַ֖י בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם

I got servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me:

כָּנַ֤סְתִּי לִי֙ גַּם כֶּ֣סֶף וְזָהָ֔ב וּסְגֻלַּ֥ת מְלָכִ֖ים וְהַמְּדִינ֑וֹת עָשִׂ֨יתִי לִ֜י שָׁרִ֣ים וְשָׁר֗וֹת וְתַעֲנוּגֹ֛ת בְּנֵ֥י הָאָדָ֖ם שִׁדָּ֥ה וְשִׁדּֽוֹת

I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, musical instruments, and that of all sorts.

וְגָדַ֣לְתִּי וְהוֹסַ֔פְתִּי מִכֹּ֛ל שֶׁהָיָ֥ה לְפָנַ֖י בִּירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם אַ֥ף חָכְמָתִ֖י עָ֥מְדָה לִּֽי

So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.

וְכֹל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שָֽׁאֲל֣וּ עֵינַ֔י לֹ֥א אָצַ֖לְתִּי מֵהֶ֑ם לֹֽא מָנַ֨עְתִּי אֶת לִבִּ֜י מִכָּל שִׂמְחָ֗ה כִּֽי לִבִּ֤י שָׂמֵ֨חַ֙ מִכָּל עֲמָלִ֔י וְזֶֽה הָיָ֥ה חֶלְקִ֖י מִכָּל עֲמָלִֽי

And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.

וּפָנִ֣יתִֽי אֲנִ֗י בְּכָל מַעֲשַׂי֙ שֶֽׁעָשׂ֣וּ יָדַ֔י וּבֶֽעָמָ֖ל שֶׁעָמַ֣לְתִּי לַעֲשׂ֑וֹת וְהִנֵּ֨ה הַכֹּ֥ל הֶ֨בֶל֙ וּרְע֣וּת ר֔וּחַ וְאֵ֥ין יִתְר֖וֹן תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ

Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all vanity and vexation of spirit, and no profit under the sun.

וּפָנִ֤יתִֽי אֲנִי֙ לִרְא֣וֹת חָכְמָ֔ה וְהוֹלֵל֖וֹת וְסִכְל֑וּת כִּ֣י מֶ֣ה הָאָדָ֗ם שֶׁיָּבוֹא֙ אַחֲרֵ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר כְּבָ֖ר עָשֽׂוּהוּ

And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what the man that cometh after the king? that which has been already done.

וְרָאִ֣יתִי אָ֔נִי שֶׁיֵּ֥שׁ יִתְר֛וֹן לַֽחָכְמָ֖ה מִן הַסִּכְל֑וּת כִּֽיתְר֥וֹן הָא֖וֹר מִן הַחֹֽשֶׁךְ

Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.

הֶֽחָכָם֙ עֵינָ֣יו בְּרֹאשׁ֔וֹ וְהַכְּסִ֖יל בַּחֹ֣שֶׁךְ הוֹלֵ֑ךְ וְיָדַ֣עְתִּי גַם אָ֔נִי שֶׁמִּקְרֶ֥ה אֶחָ֖ד יִקְרֶ֥ה אֶת כֻּלָּֽם

The wise man's eyes in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all.

וְאָמַ֨רְתִּֽי אֲנִ֜י בְּלִבִּ֗י כְּמִקְרֵ֤ה הַכְּסִיל֙ גַּם אֲנִ֣י יִקְרֵ֔נִי וְלָ֧מָּה חָכַ֛מְתִּי אֲנִ֖י אָ֣ז יוֹתֵ֑ר וְדִבַּ֣רְתִּי בְלִבִּ֔י שֶׁגַּם זֶ֖ה הָֽבֶל

Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also vanity.

כִּי֩ אֵ֨ין זִכְר֧וֹן לֶחָכָ֛ם עִֽם הַכְּסִ֖יל לְעוֹלָ֑ם בְּשֶׁכְּבָ֞ר הַיָּמִ֤ים הַבָּאִים֙ הַכֹּ֣ל נִשְׁכָּ֔ח וְאֵ֛יךְ יָמ֥וּת הֶחָכָ֖ם עִֽם הַכְּסִֽיל

For no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise ? as the fool.

וְשָׂנֵ֨אתִי֙ אֶת הַ֣חַיִּ֔ים כִּ֣י רַ֤ע עָלַי֙ הַֽמַּעֲשֶׂ֔ה שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂ֖ה תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ כִּֽי הַכֹּ֥ל הֶ֖בֶל וּרְע֥וּת רֽוּחַ

Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun grievous to me: for all vanity and vexation of spirit.

וְשָׂנֵ֤אתִֽי אֲנִי֙ אֶת כָּל עֲמָלִ֔י שֶׁאֲנִ֥י עָמֵ֖ל תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ שֶׁ֣אַנִּיחֶ֔נּוּ לָאָדָ֖ם שֶׁיִּהְיֶ֥ה אַחֲרָֽי

Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it to the man that shall be after me.

וּמִ֣י יוֹדֵ֗עַ הֶֽחָכָ֤ם יִהְיֶה֙ א֣וֹ סָכָ֔ל וְיִשְׁלַט֙ בְּכָל עֲמָלִ֔י שֶֽׁעָמַ֥לְתִּי וְשֶׁחָכַ֖מְתִּי תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ גַּם זֶ֖ה הָֽבֶל

And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This also vanity.

וְסַבּ֥וֹתִֽי אֲנִ֖י לְיַאֵ֣שׁ אֶת לִבִּ֑י עַ֚ל כָּל הֶ֣עָמָ֔ל שֶׁעָמַ֖לְתִּי תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ

Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun.

כִּי יֵ֣שׁ אָדָ֗ם שֶׁעֲמָל֛וֹ בְּחָכְמָ֥ה וּבְדַ֖עַת וּבְכִשְׁר֑וֹן וּלְאָדָ֞ם שֶׁלֹּ֤א עָֽמַל בּוֹ֙ יִתְּנֶ֣נּוּ חֶלְק֔וֹ גַּם זֶ֥ה הֶ֖בֶל וְרָעָ֥ה רַבָּֽה

For there is a man whose labour in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that has not laboured therein shall he leave it his portion. This also vanity and a great evil.

כִּ֠י מֶֽה הֹוֶ֤ה לָֽאָדָם֙ בְּכָל עֲמָל֔וֹ וּבְרַעְי֖וֹן לִבּ֑ו שֶׁה֥וּא עָמֵ֖ל תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ

For what has man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he has laboured under the sun?

כִּ֧י כָל יָמָ֣יו מַכְאֹבִ֗ים וָכַ֨עַס֙ עִנְיָנ֔וֹ גַּם בַּלַּ֖יְלָה לֹא שָׁכַ֣ב לִבּ֑וֹ גַּם זֶ֖ה הֶ֥בֶל הֽוּא

For all his days sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity.

אֵֽין ט֤וֹב בָּאָדָם֙ שֶׁיֹּאכַ֣ל וְשָׁתָ֔ה וְהֶרְאָ֧ה אֶת נַפְשׁ֛וֹ ט֖וֹב בַּעֲמָל֑וֹ גַּם זֹה֙ רָאִ֣יתִי אָ֔נִי כִּ֛י מִיַּ֥ד הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים הִֽיא

nothing better for a man, that he should eat and drink, and he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it from the hand of God.

כִּ֣י מִ֥י יֹאכַ֛ל וּמִ֥י יָח֖וּשׁ ח֥וּץ מִמֶּֽנִּי

For who can eat, or who else can hasten , more than I?

כִּ֤י לְאָדָם֙ שֶׁטּ֣וֹב לְפָנָ֔יו נָתַ֛ן חָכְמָ֥ה וְדַ֖עַת וְשִׂמְחָ֑ה וְלַחוֹטֶא֩ נָתַ֨ן עִנְיָ֜ן לֶאֱס֣וֹף וְלִכְנ֗וֹס לָתֵת֙ לְטוֹב֙ לִפְנֵ֣י הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים גַּם זֶ֥ה הֶ֖בֶל וּרְע֥וּת רֽוּחַ

For giveth to a man that good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to good before God. This also vanity and vexation of spirit.