Translation
And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them, nor did I withhold any pleasure from my heart, for my heart rejoiced in all my labor.
And this was the legacy
Go to footnote numberleft behind from all my labor:
Paraphrase
I have crossed everything off my bucket list; I have seen everything I wanted to see, and
experienced every morally acceptable pleasure or entertainment I desired because I thought my inner being was finding satisfaction in all my accomplishments. But this was the true legacy left behind from all my effort:
Footnotes
1: “legacy”
This word means “a portion,” usually referring to land. It is similar in emphasis to “inheritance,” as it points to the final product of an entire lifetime of effort. Solomon has not yet arrived at the end of his life, but he has lived long enough to reflect back on a few decades of frenetic activity which was very productive by human standards. At this stage of life he has become contemplative and he evaluates his life’s accomplishment with the “big picture” in mind.