Ecclesiastes 2.18-23

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! 17. So I hated life, because the work that is wrought under the sun was grievous unto me; for all is vanity and a striving after wind.

18. And I hated all my labor wherein I labored under the sun, seeing that I must leave it unto the man that shall be after me. 19. And who knoweth whether he will be a wise man or a fool? yet will he have rule over all my labor wherein I have labored, and wherein I have showed myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity. 20. Therefore I turned about to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor wherein I had labored under the sun. 21. For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skilfulness; yet to a man that hath not labored therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil. 22. For what hath a man of all his labor, and of the striving of his heart, wherein he laboreth under the sun? 23. For all his days are but sorrows, and his travail is grief; yea, even in the night his heart taketh no rest. This also is vanity.

24. There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God. 25. For who can eat, or who can have enjoyment, more than I? (Ecclesiastes 2:16-25, ASV)

16. For of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no memory for ever, since in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. Indeed, the wise man must die just like the fool! 17. So I hated life, because the work that is worked under the sun was grievous to me; for all is vanity and a chasing after wind.

18. I hated all my labor in which I labored under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes after me. 19. Who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have rule over all of my labor in which I have labored, and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity. 20. Therefore I began to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor in which I had labored under the sun. 21. For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, with knowledge, and with skillfulness; yet he shall leave it for his portion to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil. 22. For what has a man of all his labor, and of the striving of his heart, in which he labors under the sun? 23. For all his days are sorrows, and his travail is grief; yes, even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.

24. There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God. 25. For who can eat, or who can have enjoyment, more than I? (Ecclesiastes 2:16-25, WEB)

16. For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? as the fool. 17. Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

18. Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me. ^{taken: Heb. laboured} 19. And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity. 20. Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun. 21. For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil. ^{leave: Heb. give} 22. For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun? 23. For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity.

24. There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God. ^{should make: or, delight his senses} 25. For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I? (Ecclesiastes 2:16-25, KJV)

16. That there is no remembrance to the wise, with the fool, to the age, for that which [is] already, [in] the days that are coming is all forgotten, and how dieth the wise? with the fool! 17. And I have hated life, for sad to me [is] the work that hath been done under the sun, for the whole [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.

18. And I have hated all my labour that I labour at under the sun, because I leave it to a man who is after me. 19. And who knoweth whether he is wise or foolish? yet he doth rule over all my labour that I have laboured at, and that I have done wisely under the sun! this also [is] vanity. 20. And I turned round to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labour that I laboured at under the sun. 21. For there is a man whose labour [is] in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity, and to a man who hath not laboured therein he giveth it, his portion! Even this [is] vanity and a great evil. 22. For what hath been to a man by all his labour, and by the thought of his heart that he laboured at under the sun? 23. For all his days are sorrows, and his travail sadness; even at night his heart hath not lain down; this also [is] vanity.

24. There is nothing good in a man who eateth, and hath drunk, and hath shewn his soul good in his labour. This also I have seen that it [is] from the hand of God. 25. For who eateth and who hasteth out more than I? (Ecclesiastes 2:16-25, YLT)