Ecclesiastes 2:15-22 Revised Version 1885 (RV1885)

15. Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also was vanity.

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 already 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 labour wherein I laboured under the sun: seeing that I must leave it unto the man that shall be after me.

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 wisdom under the sun. This also is vanity.

20. Therefore I turned about to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labour wherein I had laboured under the sun.

21. For there is a man whose labour is with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skilfulness; yet to a man that hath not laboured 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 labour, and of the striving of his heart, wherein he laboureth under the sun?

Ecclesiastes 2