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Ecclesiastes 2:1-11 — Pleasures Are Meaningless

Eccl.2.1-11

¹I said in my heart , “Come now, I will test myself with joy, and see what is good.” But behold, this too is vanity. ²Of laughter I said, “It is madness,” and of joy, “What does this accomplish?” ³I explored in my heart how to stimulate my body with wine—while my heart still guided me with wisdom—and how to take hold of folly, until I could see what is good for the sons of men to do under heaven during the few days of their lives. ⁴I made my works great. I built houses for myself; I planted vineyards for myself. ⁵I made gardens and parks for myself, and I planted in them all kinds of fruit trees. ⁶I made pools of water for myself, to water from them a forest growing with trees. ⁷I acquired male slaves and female slaves, and I had slaves born in my house. I also had great possessions of herds and flocks, more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. ⁸I also gathered silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and of the provinces. I acquired male singers and female singers for myself, and the delights of the sons of men—many concubines . ⁹So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem; also, my wisdom remained with me. ¹⁰And whatever my eyes asked for, I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced in all my toil, and this was my portion from all my toil. ¹¹Then I turned to consider all my works that my hands had done and the toil that I had toiled to accomplish, and behold, all was vanity and a chasing after the wind , and there was no profit under the sun.

Translation Notes

4/11/2026

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