12 I, the leader, was king over Yisrael in Yerushalem.

13 I used my mind and wisdom to discover and to explore everything that is done in this world.

It’s a difficult job that God has given humanity to be busy with.

14 I saw all the deeds that are done in this world,

and look—everything’s pointless like chasing after the wind.

15 Something that’s bent can’t be straightened again,

≈ and what’s missing can’t be counted.

16 I spoke with sincerity, saying, “Look at me—I’ve become powerful,

and I’ve increased in wisdom relative to everyone who ruled before me here in Yerushalem.[ref]

My mind has acquired much knowledge and wisdom.”

17 I made it my aim to discover knowledge and wisdom versus madness and folly.

I was aware that that also is chasing after the wind

18 because having much wisdom leads to much frustration

≈ and anyone who’s adding knowledge is also adding pain.

2 I said to myself,

“Come on, let me find out what’s good and enjoy the pleasure from them.”

But look, it was also pointless.

2 To laughter, I said, “It’s madness,”

≈ and to joy, “What’s the point of this?”

3 I explored in myself how to indulge my body with wine, but my mind was guiding me in wisdom.

Also, how to grasp foolishness

until I could see whether that’s better for humanity to do while they live out their lives here on this earth.

4 I expanded my program of works.

I built houses for myself.

I planted vineyards for myself.[ref]

5 I made gardens for myself, and royal parks,

and I planted all different kinds of fruit trees in them.

6 I constructed pools for myself

to irrigate a forest of growing trees.

7 I acquired male and female servants,

and the children born to them belonged to me.

Also a large number of sheep and cattle belonged to me—

more than all my predecessors in Yerushalem.[ref]

8 I also accumulated gold and silver for myself,

and treasure from kings and from the provinces.

I appointed male and female singers for myself,

and the pleasures of the sons of humanity—many women.[ref]

9 So I became famous,

and I added more than all who preceded me in Yerushalem.

Also my wisdom stayed with me.[ref]

10 Everything my eyes wanted, I gave them.

I didn’t hold back from anything that would make me happy,

because I was happy inside from all my work

and that was my reward from all my effort.

11 And I turned, I, to all the things that I’d made

and to the work that I’d done,

and look, everything was pointless and chasing after the wind,

and there wasn’t any profit in anything done in this world.

12 Then I changed direction to investigate wisdom and madness and folly,

because what could any future king do that hasn’t already been done?

13 I saw that wisdom is to be preferred over folly,

just as light is to be preferred over darkness.

14 The wise person uses their eyes,

but the fool walks in the darkness,

and even I know that the same fate comes to both of them.

15 I said to myself, “The fool’s end will also come to me,

so what use was it being so wise back then?”

Then I told myself that that also is pointless,

16 because neither the wise person nor the fool will be remembered forever,

as they’ll both be forgotten in the days to come—

and how strange it is that the wise die just like the fool!

17 Then I hated life because of the misfortune around me—

the work that was done in this world,

because everything was pointless and chasing after the wind.

18 Then I hated all the work that I’d done in this world

that will get left to those who follow me after I go.

19 And who knows whether my successor will be wise or a fool?

He’ll have authority over all my projects that I worked hard on

and which I’ve applied wisdom to in this world.

That also was pointless.

20 Then I changed to despairing over all the projects in this world that I’d worked hard on,

21 because there are people whose work is in wisdom and knowledge, and in skill.

However, then a person who hasn’t worked on it, will gain it as their inheritance.

That also is pointless and a great misfortune

22 because what does a person get in exchange for all their work and their goals in life that they work towards in this world?

23 Because all his days are painful, and anger is his business—

even in the night, his mind doesn’t rest.

That also is pointless.[ref]

24 There’s nothing better for humanity other than eating and drinking,

and genuinely enjoying their hard work.

Also I saw that that comes from God[ref]

25 because who could eat and enjoy life apart from him?

26 Yes, he gives wisdom and knowledge and happiness to people who are good in his sight.

But to the sinner, he gives the job of gathering and collecting to give to the one who’s good in God’s sight.

That also is pointless and chasing after the wind.[ref]