World English Bible
"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."
— Ecclesiastes 2:12, World English Bible
“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. ”
“Wisdom is Better than Folly Next, I decided to consider wisdom, as well as foolish behavior and ideas. For what more can the king’s successor do than what the king has already done?”
“I passed further to behold wisdom, and errors and folly, (What is man, said I that he can follow the King his maker?)”
“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.”
“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.”
So I was great, and increased more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also remained with me.
Whatever my eyes desired, I didn't keep from them. I didn't withhold my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced because of all my labor, and this was my portion from all my labor.
Then I looked at all the works that my hands had worked, and at the labor that I had labored to do; and behold, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.
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.
Then I saw that wisdom excels folly, as far as light excels darkness.
The wise man's eyes are in his head, and the fool walks in darkness--and yet I perceived that one event happens to them all.
Then I said in my heart, "As it happens to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise?" Then I said in my heart that this also is vanity.