Ecclesiastes 2:12-16

American Standard Version

¹² And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh ^[a]after the king? even that which hath been done long ago. ¹³ Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness. ¹⁴ The wise man’s eyes are in his head, and the fool walketh in darkness: and yet I perceived that one event happeneth to them all. ¹⁵ Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then said I in my heart, that this also is vanity. ¹⁶ For of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no remembrance for ever; seeing that in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. And how doth the wise man die even as the fool!