And I have given my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all that which is done under the heavens. It is an evil task which God has given to the sons of men to be busied with.

I sought in my heart to gratify my flesh with wine, while leading my heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, until I might find out what was good for the sons of men to do under the heavens all the days of their life.

And I turned myself to consider wisdom and madness and folly; for what can the man do who comes after the king, when it has already been done?

All this I have proved by wisdom; I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.

I set my heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness;

But test all things; hold fast what is good.

And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them; I did not withhold my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labor, and this was my share from all my labor.

Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done, and on the labor that I had labored to do; and, behold, all was vanity and striving of spirit; and there was no profit under the sun.