Ecc 1:13, 2:4-9, 4:3, 5:18, 9:9 | ESV | STEP | And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven . It is an unhappy business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with.

Ecclesiastes 1:13

13 And I ^aapplied my heart ^{▼▼The Hebrew term denotes the center of one’s inner life, including mind, will, and emotions} to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven. It is an unhappy ^cbusiness that God has given to the children of man to be busy with.

Ecclesiastes 2:4-9

4 I made great works. I ^dbuilt houses and planted ^evineyards for myself. 5 I made myself ^fgardens and parks, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees. 6 I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees. 7 I bought male and female slaves, and had ^gslaves who were born in my house. I had also great possessions of ^hherds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem. 8 I also gathered for myself silver and ⁱgold and the treasure of ^jkings and ^kprovinces. I got ^lsingers, both men and women, and many ^mconcubines, ^{▼▼The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain} the delight of the sons of man.

9 So I became great and ^osurpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my ^pwisdom remained with me.

Ecclesiastes 4:3

3 But ^qbetter than both is he who has not yet been and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 5:18

18 Behold, what I have seen to be ^rgood and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment ^{▼▼Or and see good} in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his ^tlot.

Ecclesiastes 9:9

9 Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your ^uvain ^{▼▼The Hebrew term hebel can refer to a “vapor” or “mere breath” (see note on 1:2)} life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your ^wportion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun.