Ecclesiastes 2:18-26
The Futility of Work

18 Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me.

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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 myself wise under the sun. This [is] also vanity.

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20 Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun.

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21 For there is a man whose labour [is] in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it [for] his portion. This also [is] vanity and a great evil.

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22 For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun?

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23 For all his days [are] sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity.

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24 [There is] nothing better for a man, [than] that he should eat and drink, and [that] he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it [was] from the hand of God.

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25 For who can eat, or who else can hasten [hereunto], more than I?

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26 For [God] giveth to a man that [is] good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to [him that is] good before God. This also [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.

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