Ecclesiastes 2:1-12
I said in my heart, Come now, I will prove thee with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also was vanity.I said of laughter, It is mad; and of mirth, What doeth it?I searched in my heart how to cheer my flesh with wine, my heart yet guiding me with wisdom, and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what it was good for the sons of men that they should do under heaven all the days of their life.I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards;I made me gardens and parks, and I planted trees in them of all kinds of fruit;I made me pools of water, to water therefrom the forest where trees were reared;I bought men- servants and maid- servants, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all that were before me in Jerusalem;I gathered me also silver and gold, and the treasure of kings and of the provinces; I gat me men- singers and women- singers, and the delights of the sons of men, musical instruments, and that of all sorts.So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them; I withheld not 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 on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labor that I had labored to do; and, behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.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 done long ago.
1 Kings 4 21-1 Kings 4 24
And Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the River unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt: they brought tribute, and served Solomon all the days of his life.And Solomon’s provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and threescore measures of meal,ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and a hundred sheep, besides harts, and gazelles, and roebucks, and fatted fowl.For he had dominion over all the region on this side the River, from Tiphsah even to Gaza, over all the kings on this side the River: and he had peace on all sides round about him.
