NET Bible
"The wise man can see where he is going, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also realized that the same fate happens to them both."
— Ecclesiastes 2:14, NET Bible
“The wise man’s eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all.”
“The wise man’s eyes are in his head, and the fool walketh in darkness: and yet I perceived that one event happeneth to them all. ”
“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.”
“The eyes of a wise man are in his head: the fool walketh in darkness: and I learned that they were to die both alike.”
“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.”
“The wise man’s eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all.”
Yet when I reflected on everything I had accomplished and on all the effort that I had expended to accomplish it, I concluded:“All these achievements and possessions are ultimately profitless– like chasing the wind! There is nothing gained from them on earth.”
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 realized that wisdom is preferable to folly, just as light is preferable to darkness:
The wise man can see where he is going, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also realized that the same fate happens to them both.
So I thought to myself,“The fate of the fool will happen even to me! Then what did I gain by becoming so excessively wise?” So I lamented to myself,“The benefits of wisdom are ultimately meaningless!”
For the wise man, like the fool, will not be remembered for very long, because in the days to come, both will already have been forgotten. Alas, the wise man dies– just like the fool!
So I loathed life because what happens on earth seems awful to me; for all the benefits of wisdom are futile– like chasing the wind.