The Futility of Pleasure and Possessions

2 I said ^[a]to myself, “Come now, I will test you with ^(A)pleasure. So ^[b]enjoy yourself.” And behold, it too was futility. ^2 (B)I said of laughter, “It is senseless,” and of pleasure, “What does this accomplish?” ³ I explored with my ^[c]mind how to ^(C)refresh my body with wine while my ^[d]mind was guiding me wisely; and how to seize ^(D)foolishness, until I could see ^(E)what good there is for the sons of mankind ^[e]to do under heaven for the few ^[f]years of their lives. ⁴ I enlarged my works: I ^(F)built houses for myself, I planted ^(G)vineyards for myself; ⁵ I made ^(H)gardens and ^(I)parks for myself, and I planted in them all kinds of fruit trees; ⁶ I made ^(J)ponds of water for myself from which to irrigate a forest of growing trees. ⁷ I bought male and female slaves, and I had ^[g](K)slaves born at home. I also possessed flocks and ^(L)herds larger than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. ⁸ I also amassed for myself silver and ^(M)gold, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I provided for myself ^(N)male and female singers, and the pleasures of the sons of mankind: many concubines.

⁹ Then I became ^(O)great and increased more than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also stood by me. ^10 (P)All that my eyes desired, I did not refuse them. I did not restrain my heart from any pleasure, for my heart was pleased because of all my labor; and this was my ^(Q)reward for all my labor. ¹¹ So I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had ^[h]exerted, and behold, all was ^(R)futility and striving after wind, and there was ^(S)no benefit under the sun.