- I thought in my heart, "Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good." But that also proved to be meaningless.
- "Laughter," I said, "is foolish. And what does pleasure accomplish?"
- I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly--my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was worthwhile for men to do under heaven during the few days of their lives.
- I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards.
- I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them.
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- I said to myself, "Come now, I will test you with pleasure. So enjoy yourself." And behold, it too was futility.
- I said of laughter, "It is madness," and of pleasure, "What does it accomplish?"
- I explored with my mind how to stimulate my body with wine while my mind was guiding me wisely, and how to take hold of folly, until I could see what good there is for the sons of men to do under heaven the few years of their lives.
- I enlarged my works: I built houses for myself, I planted vineyards for myself;
- I made gardens and parks for myself and I planted in them all kinds of fruit trees;
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