²⁵ for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment?^(A)

Pleasures Are Meaningless

2 I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure^(A) to find out what is good.” But that also proved to be meaningless. ² “Laughter,”^(B) I said, “is madness. And what does pleasure accomplish?” ³ I tried cheering myself with wine,^(C) and embracing folly^(D)—my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was good for people to do under the heavens during the few days of their lives.

⁴ I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself^(E) and planted vineyards.^{(F) 5} I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. ⁶ I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. ⁷ I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves^(G) who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. ⁸ I amassed silver and gold^(H) for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces.^(I) I acquired male and female singers,^(J) and a harem^[a] as well—the delights of a man’s heart. ⁹ I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem^(K) before me.^(L) In all this my wisdom stayed with me.

Wisdom and Folly Are Meaningless

²¹ And Solomon ruled^(A) over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River^(B) to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt.^(C) These countries brought tribute^(D) and were Solomon’s subjects all his life.

²² Solomon’s daily provisions^(E) were thirty cors^[a] of the finest flour and sixty cors^[b] of meal, ²³ ten head of stall-fed cattle, twenty of pasture-fed cattle and a hundred sheep and goats, as well as deer, gazelles, roebucks and choice fowl.^{(F) 24} For he ruled over all the kingdoms west of the Euphrates River, from Tiphsah^(G) to Gaza, and had peace^(H) on all sides.