9. So I became great and surpassed anyone who had been in Jerusalem before me. All the while my wisdom remained with me.
10. And everything that my eyes wanted I did not refuse them.And I did not withhold my heart from any selfish pleasure,for my heart was glad from all my efforts;and this was my reward for all my efforts.
11. Then I turned to all the work that my hands had designedand all the labor that I had toiled to make;and notice, all of it was vanity and chasing the wind.And there was no benefit under the sun.
12. So I turned to consider wisdom,the folly of ideas, and foolish behavior;for what else can a man do who comes after the king?Or what more than those have already done?
13. Then I saw that there is more benefit in wisdom than in foolishness,more benefit in light than in darkness.
14. A wise man has eyes in his head so he sees where he walks,but the fool continues in darkness.Yet I perceivedthat the same fate overtakes them all.
15. Then I said in my heart, “What happens to the fool will happen to me also.So to what advantage is my wisdom?”Then I said to myself,“This also is vanity.”