Ecclesiastes 2 – search, read, and compare multiple versions of the Bible
World English Bible Classic
[1] I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure;” and behold, this also was vanity. [2] I said of laughter, “It is foolishness;” and of mirth, “What does it accomplish?” [3] I searched in my heart how to cheer my flesh with wine, my heart yet guiding me with wisdom, and how to lay hold of folly, until I might see what it was good for the sons of men that they should do under heaven all the days of their lives. [4] I made myself great works. I built myself houses. I planted myself vineyards. [5] I made myself gardens and parks, and I planted trees in them of all kinds of fruit. [6] I made myself pools of water, to water the forest where trees were grown. [7] I bought male servants and female servants, and had servants born in my house. I also had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all who were before me in Jerusalem. [8] I also gathered silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and of the provinces. I got myself male and female singers, and the delights of the sons of men: musical instruments of all sorts. [9] So I was great, and increased more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also remained with me. [10] Whatever my eyes desired, I didn’t keep from them. I didn’t withhold my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced because of all my labor, and this was my portion from all my labor. [11] Then I looked at all the works that my hands had worked, and at the labor that I had labored to do; and behold, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was no profit under the sun. [12] I turned myself to consider wisdom, madness, and folly; for what can the king’s successor do? Just that which has been done long ago. [13] Then I saw that wisdom excels folly, as far as light excels darkness. [14] The wise man’s eyes are in his head, and the fool walks in darkness—and yet I perceived that one event happens to them all. [15] Then I said in my heart, “As it happens to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise?” Then I said in my heart that this also is vanity. [16] For of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no memory forever, since in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. Indeed, the wise man must die just like the fool! [17] So I hated life, because the work that is worked under the sun was grievous to me; for all is vanity and a chasing after wind. [18] I hated all my labor in which I labored under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes after me. [19] Who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have rule over all of my labor in which I have labored, and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity. [20] Therefore I began to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor in which I had labored under the sun. [21] For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, with knowledge, and with skillfulness; yet he shall leave it for his portion to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil. [22] For what does a man have of all his labor and of the striving of his heart, in which he labors under the sun? [23] For all his days are sorrows, and his travail is grief; yes, even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity. [24] There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God. [25] For who can eat, or who can have enjoyment, more than I? [26] For to the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who pleases God. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.
King James Version
The Vanity of Pleasure
[1] I said H559 (QalPerf) in mine heart, H3820 Go to now, H3212 (QalImpv) I will prove H5254 (PielImpf) thee with mirth, H8057 therefore enjoy H7200 (QalImpv) pleasure: H2896 and, behold, this also is vanity. H1892 [2] I said H559 (QalPerf) of laughter, H7814 It is mad: H1984 (PoelPtc) and of mirth, H8057 What H2090 doeth H6213 (QalActPtc) it? [3] I sought H8446 (QalPerf) in mine heart H3820 to give H4900 (QalInf) myself H1320 unto wine, H3196§ yet acquainting H5090 (QalActPtc) mine heart H3820 with wisdom; H2451 and to lay hold H270 (QalInf) on folly, H5531 till I might see H7200 (QalImpf) what was that good H2896 for the sons H1121 of men, H120 which they should do H6213 (QalImpf) under the heaven H8064 all H4557 the days H3117 of their life. H2416§ [4] I made me great H1431 (HiphPerf) works; H4639 I builded H1129 (QalPerf) me houses; H1004 I planted H5193 (QalPerf) me vineyards: H3754 [5] I made H6213 (QalPerf) me gardens H1593 and orchards, H6508 and I planted H5193 (QalPerf) trees H6086 in them of all kind of fruits: H6529 [6] I made H6213 (QalPerf) me pools H1295 of water, H4325 to water H8248 (HiphInf) therewith the wood H3293 that bringeth forth H6779 (QalActPtc) trees: H6086 [7] I got H7069 (QalPerf) me servants H5650 and maidens, H8198 and had servants born H1121 in my house; H1004§ also I had great H7235 (HiphInf) possessions H4735 of great H1241 and small cattle H6629 above all that were in Jerusalem H3389 before H6440 me: [8] I gathered H3664 (QalPerf) me also silver H3701 and gold, H2091 and the peculiar treasure H5459 of kings H4428 and of the provinces: H4082 I gat H6213 (QalPerf) me men singers H7891 (QalActPtc) and women singers, H7891 (QalActPtc) and the delights H8588 of the sons H1121 of men, H120 as musical instruments,ⓘ H7705 and that of all sorts. [9] So I was great, H1431 (QalPerf) and increased H3254 (HiphPerf) more than all that were before H6440 me in Jerusalem: H3389 also my wisdom H2451 remained H5975 (QalPerf) with me. [10] And whatsoever mine eyes H5869 desired H7592 (QalPerf) I kept H680 (QalPerf) not from them, I withheld H4513 (QalPerf) not my heart H3820 from any joy; H8057 for my heart H3820 rejoiced H8056 in all my labour: H5999 and this was my portion H2506 of all my labour. H5999 [11] Then I looked H6437 (QalPerf) on all the works H4639 that my hands H3027 had wrought, H6213 (QalPerf) and on the labour H5999 that I had laboured H5998 (QalPerf) to do: H6213 (QalInf) and, behold, all was vanity H1892 and vexation H7469 of spirit, H7307 and there was no profit H3504 under the sun. H8121 [12] And I turned H6437 (QalPerf) myself to behold H7200 (QalInf) wisdom, H2451 and madness, H1947 and folly: H5531 for what can the man H120 do that cometh H935 (QalImpf) after H310 the king? H4428 even that which hath been already H3528 done. H6213 (QalPerf)§ [13] Then I saw H7200 (QalPerf) that H3426 wisdom H2451 excelleth H3504 folly, H5531§ as far as light H216 excelleth H3504 darkness. H2822 [14] The wise man’s H2450 eyes H5869 are in his head; H7218 but the fool H3684 walketh H1980 (QalActPtc) in darkness: H2822 and I myself perceived H3045 (QalPerf) also that one H259 event H4745 happeneth H7136 (QalImpf) to them all. [15] Then H227 said H559 (QalPerf) I in my heart, H3820 As it happeneth H4745 to the fool, H3684 so it happeneth H7136 (QalImpf) even to me; H1571§ and why was I then more H3148 wise? H2449 (QalPerf) Then I said H1696 (PielPerf) in my heart, H3820 that this also is vanity. H1892 [16] For there is no remembrance H2146 of the wise H2450 more than H5973 of the fool H3684 for ever; H5769 seeing that which now H3528 is in the days H3117 to come H935 (QalActPtc) shall all be forgotten. H7911 (NiphPerf) And how dieth H4191 (QalImpf) the wise H2450 man? as the fool. H3684 [17] Therefore I hated H8130 (QalPerf) life; H2416 because the work H4639 that is wrought H6213 (NiphPerf) under the sun H8121 is grievous H7451 unto me: for all is vanity H1892 and vexation H7469 of spirit. H7307The Vanity of Work and Riches
[18] Yea, I hated H8130 (QalPerf) all my labour H5999 which I had taken H6001§ under the sun: H8121 because I should leave H3240 (HiphImpf) it unto the man H120 that shall be after H310 me. [19] And who knoweth H3045 (QalActPtc) whether he shall be a wise H2450 man or a fool? H5530 yet shall he have rule H7980 (QalImpf) over all my labour H5999 wherein I have laboured, H5998 (QalPerf) and wherein I have shewed myself wise H2449 (QalPerf) under the sun. H8121 This is also vanity. H1892 [20] Therefore I went about H5437 (QalPerf) to cause H2976 my heart H3820 to despair H2976 (PielInf) of all the labour H5999 which I took H5998 (QalPerf) under the sun. H8121 [21] For there is H3426 a man H120 whose labour H5999 is in wisdom, H2451 and in knowledge, H1847 and in equity; H3788 yet to a man H120 that hath not laboured H5998 (QalPerf) therein shall he leave H5414 (QalImpf)§ it for his portion. H2506 This also is vanity H1892 and a great H7227 evil. H7451 [22] For what hath H1933 (QalActPtc) man H120 of all his labour, H5999 and of the vexation H7475 of his heart, H3820 wherein H1931 he hath laboured H6001 under the sun? H8121 [23] For all his days H3117 are sorrows, H4341 and his travail H6045 grief; H3708 yea, his heart H3820 taketh not rest H7901 (QalPerf) in the night. H3915 This is also vanity. H1892 [24] There is nothing better H2896 for a man, H120 than that he should eat H398 (QalImpf) and drink, H8354 (QalPerf) and that he should make his soul H5315 enjoy H7200 (HiphPerf)§ good H2896 in his labour. H5999 This H2090 also I saw, H7200 (QalPerf) that it was from the hand H3027 of God. H430 [25] For who can eat, H398 (QalImpf) or who else can hasten H2363 (QalImpf) hereunto, more H2351 than I? [26] For God giveth H5414 (QalPerf) to a man H120 that is good H2896 in his sight H6440§ wisdom, H2451 and knowledge, H1847 and joy: H8057 but to the sinner H2398 (QalActPtc) he giveth H5414 (QalPerf) travail, H6045 to gather H622 (QalInf) and to heap up, H3664 (QalInf) that he may give H5414 (QalInf) to him that is good H2896 before H6440 God. H430 This also is vanity H1892 and vexation H7469 of spirit. H7307Footnotes
- § 2:3a Heb. to draw my flesh with wine
- § 2:3b Heb. the number of the days of their life
- § 2:7 Heb. sons of my house
- ⓘ 2:8 , and that of all sorts: Heb. musical instrument, and instruments
- § 2:12 Or, in those things which have been already done
- § 2:13 Heb. that there is an excellency in Wisdom more then in folly, etc
- § 2:15 Heb. happeneth to me, even to me
- § 2:18 Heb. laboured
- § 2:21 Heb. give
- § 2:24 Or, delight his senses
- § 2:26 Heb. before him
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