Ecclesiastes 2:18-26 - The Emptiness Of Work

¹⁸ I hated all the work I had done under the sun, because I would leave it behind for the man who comes after me. ¹⁹ Who knows if he will be a wise man or a fool? But he will have power over all the work that I have done and in which I have been wise under the sun. This too is vanity. ²⁰ My heart turned to grief over all for which I had labored and all my wisdom under the sun. ²¹ Because there is a man whose work has been done with wisdom, with knowledge, and with an expert hand. But one who has done nothing for it will have it for his heritage. This also is vanity and a great evil. ²² What does a man get for all his work, and for the desire of his heart with which he has done his work under the sun? ²³ All his days are sorrow, and his work is full of grief. Even in the night his heart has no rest. This again is vanity.

²⁴ There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink, and delight in his work. This also I saw was from the hand of God. ²⁵ After all, who eats and who drinks better than I? ²⁶ To the man who is good, God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy. But to the sinner he gives the work of getting goods together and storing up wealth, to give to him who is good before God. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.