²⁵ For who can eat, or who can have enjoyment, ^[a]more than I?

The Vanity of Pleasure^(A)

2 I said ^(B)in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with ^(C)mirth; ^[a]therefore enjoy pleasure”; but surely, ^(D)this also was vanity. ² I said of laughter—“Madness!”; and of mirth, “What does it accomplish?” ^3 (E)I searched in my heart how ^[b]to gratify my flesh with wine, while guiding my heart with wisdom, and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was ^(F)good for the sons of men to do under heaven all the days of their lives.

⁴ I made my works great, I built myself ^(G)houses, and planted myself vineyards. ⁵ I made myself gardens and orchards, and I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. ⁶ I made myself water pools from which to ^[c]water the growing trees of the grove. ⁷ I acquired male and female servants, and had ^[d]servants born in my house. Yes, I had greater possessions of herds and flocks than all who were in Jerusalem before me. ^8 (H)I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the special treasures of kings and of the provinces. I acquired male and female singers, the delights of the sons of men, and ^[e]musical instruments of all kinds.

^9 (I)So I became great and ^[f]excelled ^(J)more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me.

The End of the Wise and the Fool

²¹ So ^(A)Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from ^(B)the^[a] River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. ^(C)They brought tribute and served Solomon all the days of his life.

^22 (D)Now Solomon’s ^[b]provision for one day was thirty ^[c]kors of fine flour, sixty kors of meal, ²³ ten fatted oxen, twenty oxen from the pastures, and one hundred sheep, besides deer, gazelles, roebucks, and fatted fowl.

²⁴ For he had dominion over all the region on this side of ^[d]the River from Tiphsah even to Gaza, namely over ^(E)all the kings on this side of the River; and ^(F)he had peace on every side all around him.