8 I also amassed silver and gold for myself, as well as the treasure of kings and the provinces. I acquired male and female singers for myself, as well as the luxuries of humankind—vaults and vaults of them.
9 So I became far wealthier than all before me in Jerusalem, yet my wisdom stayed with me.
10 I denied myself nothing that my eyes desired; I withheld from my heart no enjoyment. My heart took delight from all my toil— this was my reward for all my labor.
11 Yet when I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended to accomplish it, behold, it all was futile and chasing after the wind. There was nothing to be gained under the sun.
12 Then I turned to consider wisdom, madness and folly. For what more can the one who succeeds the king do than what he has already done?
13 I realized that: Wisdom is more beneficial than folly as light is better than darkness.
14 A wise man has his eyes in his head, while the fool walks in the darkness. Yet, I also came to realize that the same destiny befalls them both.