fSee 1 Kgs. 7:1-12
Ecclesiastes 2:1-11
The Vanity of Self-Indulgence
1I asaid in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy yourself.” But behold, this also was vanity. ▼▼The Hebrew term hebel can refer to a “vapor” or “mere breath”; also verses 11, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 26 (see note on 1:2)
2I csaid of laughter, “It is mad,” and of pleasure, “What use is it?” 3I dsearched with my heart how to cheer my body with wine—my heart still guiding me with wisdom—and how to lay hold on efolly, till I might see what was good for the children of man to do under heaven during the few days of their life. 4I made great works. I fbuilt houses and planted gvineyards for myself. 5I made myself hgardens and parks, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees. 6I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees. 7I bought male and female slaves, and had islaves who were born in my house. I had also great possessions of jherds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem. 8I also gathered for myself silver and kgold and the treasure of lkings and mprovinces. I got nsingers, both men and women, and many oconcubines, ▼▼The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain
the delight of the sons of man. 9So I became great and qsurpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my rwisdom remained with me. 10And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart sfound pleasure in all my toil, and this was my treward for all my toil. 11Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was uvanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing vto be gained under the sun.
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