a manto whomGodhas givenrichesand wealthand honorso that his soullacksnothingof allthat he desires;yet Godhas not empoweredhim to eatfrom them, for a foreignerenjoysthem. Thisis vanityand a severeaffliction.
"I have alsogivenyou whatyou have not asked,bothrichesand honor,sothat there will not be anyamong the kingslikeyou allyour days.
The LORDhighlyexaltedSolomonin the sightof allIsrael,and bestowedon him royalmajestywhichhadnot beenon anykingbeforehim in Israel.
Then he diedin a ripeoldage,fullof days,richesand honor;and his sonSolomonreignedin his place.
Godsaidto Solomon,"Becauseyou hadthisin mind,and did not askfor riches,wealthor honor,or the lifeof those who hateyou, norhave you evenaskedfor longlife,but you have askedfor yourself wisdomand knowledgethat you may ruleMy peopleoverwhomI have madeyou king,
From menwith Your hand,O LORD,From menof the world,whose portionis in [this] life,And whose bellyYou fillwith Your treasure;They are satisfiedwith children,And leavetheir abundanceto their babes.
"Surelyeverymanwalksabout as a phantom;Surelythey makean uproarfor nothing;He amasses[riches] and does not knowwhowill gatherthem.
Their eyebulgesfrom fatness;The imaginationsof [their] heartrunriot.
I have seenthat everylaborand everyskillwhich is doneis [the result of] rivalrybetween a manand his neighbor.Thistoois vanityand strivingafter wind.
Therewas a certainmanwithouta dependent,havingneithera sonnora brother,yet therewas noendto allhis labor.Indeed,his eyeswere not satisfiedwith riches[and he never asked], "And for whomam I laboringand deprivingmyselfof pleasure?"Thistoois vanityand it is a grievoustask.
Thereis a grievousevil[which] I have seenunderthe sun:richesbeing hoardedby their ownerto his hurt.
Thisalsois a grievousevil--exactlyas a man is born,thuswill he die.So whatis the advantageto him whotoilsfor the wind?
Hereis whatI have seento be goodand fitting:to eat,to drinkand enjoyoneself in allone's laborin whichhe toilsunderthe sun[during] the fewyearsof his lifewhichGodhas givenhim; for thisis his reward.
Furthermore,as for everymanto whomGodhas givenrichesand wealth,He has also empoweredhim to eatfrom them and to receivehis rewardand rejoicein his labor;thisis the giftof God.
"Whydo you spendmoneyfor what is not bread,And your wagesfor whatdoes not satisfy?Listencarefullyto Me, and eatwhatis good,And delightyourselfin abundance.
Our inheritancehas been turnedover to strangers,Our housesto aliens.
"O king,the MostHighGodgrantedsovereignty,grandeur,gloryand majestyto Nebuchadnezzaryour father.
Strangersdevourhis strength,Yet he does not know[it]; Grayhairsalsoare sprinkledon him, Yet he does not know[it].
"A peoplewhomyou do not knowshall eatup the produceof your groundand allyour labors,and you will neverbe anythingbut oppressedand crushedcontinually.
"The alienwhois amongyou shall riseaboveyou higherand higher,but you will godownlowerand lower.
"When you enter,you will cometo a securepeoplewith a spaciousland;for Godhas givenit into your hand,a placewherethereis nolackof anythingthat is on the earth."
