Bible in Basic English
"And I went again in search of wisdom and of foolish ways. What may the man do who comes after the king? The thing which he has done before."
— Ecclesiastes 2:12, Bible in Basic English
“And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.”
“And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for whatcanthe mandothat cometh after the king? even that which hath been done long ago. ”
“I turned myself to consider wisdom, madness, and folly: for what can the king's successor do? Just that which has been done long ago.”
“And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.”
And I became great; increasing more than all who had been before me in Jerusalem, and my wisdom was still with me.
And nothing which was desired by my eyes did I keep from them; I did not keep any joy from my heart, because my heart took pleasure in all my work, and this was my reward.
Then I saw all the works which my hands had made, and everything I had been working to do; and I saw that all was to no purpose and desire for wind, and there was no profit under the sun.
And I went again in search of wisdom and of foolish ways. What may the man do who comes after the king? The thing which he has done before.
Then I saw that wisdom is better than foolish ways--as the light is better than the dark.
The wise man's eyes are in his head, but the foolish man goes walking in the dark; but still I saw that the same event comes to them all.
Then said I in my heart: As it comes to the foolish man, so will it come to me; so why have I been wise overmuch? Then I said in my heart: This again is to no purpose.