Douay Rheims Original ↷
Ecclesiastes 2 💬 📚 📜 📕 ↷
Futility of Pleasure
1 I said therefore in my heart: I will go, & flow in delights, and enjoy good things. And I saw that this also was vanity.
2 Laughter I have reputed error: and to joy I have said: Why art thou deceived in vain?
3 I have thought in my heart to withdraw my flesh from wine, that I might transfer my mind to wisdom, and might avoid folly, till I might see what should be profitable for the children of men: what is needful to be done under the sun, in the number of the days of their life.
4 I have magnified my works, I have built me houses, & planted vineyards,
5 I have made gardens, and orchards, and set them with trees of all kinds,
6 and I have made me ponds of waters, to water the wood of springing trees,
7 I have possessed men-servants and women-servants, and have had a great family: herds also, and great flocks of sheep, above all that were before me in Jerusalem:
8 I have heaped together to myself silver, and gold, and the substance of kings, and provinces: I made me singing men, & singing women, and the delights of the children of men: cups, and goblets to serve to pour out wines:
9 and I surpassed in riches all that were before me in Jerusalem: wisdom also hath persevered with me.
10 And all things that mine eyes desired, I have not denied to them: neither have I stayed my heart, but that it enjoyed all pleasure, & delighted it-self in these things, which I had prepared: and this I esteemed my portion, if I did use my labour.
11 And when I had turned myself to all the works which my hands had done, & to the labours wherein I had sweat in vain, I saw in all things vanity, and affliction of mind, & nothing to be permanent under the sun.
Wise and the Foolish
12 I passed further to contemplate wisdom, and errors, and folly (what is man, quoth I, that he can follow the King his Maker?)
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