1 I said to myself, "Come on. I'll put pleasure to the test. I want to find out what is good." But that also proved to be meaningless.
2 "Laughter is foolish," I said. "And what can pleasure do for me?"
3 I tried cheering myself up by drinking wine. I even tried living in a foolish way. But wisdom was still guiding my mind. I wanted to see what was really important for men to do on earth during the few days of their lives.
4 So I started some large projects. I built houses for myself. I planted vineyards.
5 I made gardens and parks. I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them.
6 I made lakes to water groves of healthy trees.
7 I bought male and female slaves. And I had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem ever had before.