Ecclesiastes (Kohelet)

beneath the sky, for as longas he should live. 1 amassed a great estate. I built 4 houses for myself, planted myself vineyards, acquired gardens and orchards 5 for myself, and planted them with every kind of fruit tree. I ordered pools 6 of water, to irrigate a forest burgeoning forth with trees. I bought slaves 7 and maidservants, and others were born in my house; I had livestock also, cattle and flock, more than anyone else who came before me in Jerusalem. I collected silver and gold, and the treasures of kings and provinces; I called 8 for singers, male and female, and all the delights of mankind, took women, many women. I grew great and gathered more than anyone who had come before me in 9 Jerusalem, and my wisdom too stood by me. I withheld from my eyes noth- 10 ing that they sought after. I did not withhold any joy from myself. For my mind rejoiced in the fruits of my labor; and that was my share for all my toil. And then 1 turned to lookat all my works, at the work of my hands, at all that 11 had labored to achieve - and this is what I saw: it is nothing but fleeting 1 breath, but courting the wind, and there is no true profit beneath the sun. And I turned to look at wisdom and delirium and folly; for who is the man 12 whowill come after the king, when he has done what he has done? And 1 saw .13 that there is some advantage to wisdom over foolishness, like the advantage of light over darkness. For the wise man has eyes in his head, while the fool 14 walks in darkness; and still 1 know: the same fate awaits them both. I said to myself, the fate of the fool awaits me also; why then should I be 15 wiser? And I told myself that this too is empty breath. For the wise man, like 16 the fool, leaves no memory forever. As soon as the coming days arrive, all are forgotten. How can it be that the wise man dies like the fool? I hated life; this 17 work that is done beneath the sun is evil to me. Nothing but fleeting breath, but courting the wind. And [hated all the toil of my labor beneath the sun; all to be left to one who 18 will come after me. Who knows whether he will be wise or a fool; but he 19 will lord over all that labor, over all that I toiled for wisely beneath the sun; making that too as emptyas breath. And I turned to despair over all the labor 20 Lhad toiled over beneath the sun. For so often one labors with wisdom and 21 insight and skill - and then gives all his share to one who has not labored; this too is empty as breath, and a great evil. For what remains to one of all ככ the labor and of all one’s mind’s pursuits, for which one has toiled beneath