Park Baptist Church

Pleasures Are Meaningless

   I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good.” But that also proved to be meaningless. “Laughter,” I said, “is madness. And what does pleasure accomplish?” I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was good for people to do under the heavens during the few days of their lives.

   I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired male and female singers, and a harem as well—the delights of a man’s heart. I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me.

    I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; 

   I refused my heart no pleasure. 

My heart took delight in all my labor, 

   and this was the reward for all my toil. 

    Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done 

   and what I had toiled to achieve, 

everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; 

   nothing was gained under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 2:1-11