Ecclesiastes 2 – Bible | Equip God’s People

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

^[1] I saidH559(QalPerf) in mine heart,H3820 Go to now,H3212(QalImpv) I will proveH5254(PielImpf) thee with mirth,H8057 therefore enjoyH7200(QalImpv) pleasure:H2896 and, behold, this also [is] vanity.H1892 ^[2] I saidH559(QalPerf) of laughter,H7814 [It is] mad:H1984(PoelPtc) and of mirth,H8057 WhatH2090 doethH6213(QalActPtc) it? ^[3] I soughtH8446(QalPerf) in mine heartH3820 to giveH4900(QalInf) myselfH1320 unto wine,H3196 yet acquaintingH5090(QalActPtc) mine heartH3820 with wisdom;H2451 and to lay holdH270(QalInf) on folly,H5531 till I might seeH7200(QalImpf) what [was] that goodH2896 for the sonsH1121 of men,H120 which they should doH6213(QalImpf) under the heavenH8064 allH4557 the daysH3117 of their life.H2416 ^[4] I made me greatH1431(HiphPerf) works;H4639 I buildedH1129(QalPerf) me houses;H1004 I plantedH5193(QalPerf) me vineyards:H3754 ^[5] I madeH6213(QalPerf) me gardensH1593 and orchards,H6508 and I plantedH5193(QalPerf) treesH6086 in them of all [kind of] fruits:H6529 ^[6] I madeH6213(QalPerf) me poolsH1295 of water,H4325 to waterH8248(HiphInf) therewith the woodH3293 that bringeth forthH6779(QalActPtc) trees:H6086 ^[7] I gotH7069(QalPerf) [me] servantsH5650 and maidens,H8198 and had servants bornH1121 in my house;H1004 also I had greatH7235(HiphInf) possessionsH4735 of greatH1241 and small cattleH6629 above all that were in JerusalemH3389 beforeH6440 me: ^[8] I gatheredH3664(QalPerf) me also silverH3701 and gold,H2091 and the peculiar treasureH5459 of kingsH4428 and of the provinces:H4082 I gatH6213(QalPerf) me men singersH7891(QalActPtc) and women singers,H7891(QalActPtc) and the delightsH8588 of the sonsH1121 of men,H120 [as] musical instruments,H7705 and that of all sorts. ^[9] So I was great,H1431(QalPerf) and increasedH3254(HiphPerf) more than all that were beforeH6440 me in Jerusalem:H3389 also my wisdomH2451 remainedH5975(QalPerf) with me. ^[10] And whatsoever mine eyesH5869 desiredH7592(QalPerf) I keptH680(QalPerf) not from them, I withheldH4513(QalPerf) not my heartH3820 from any joy;H8057 for my heartH3820 rejoicedH8056 in all my labour:H5999 and this was my portionH2506 of all my labour.H5999 ^[11] Then I lookedH6437(QalPerf) on all the worksH4639 that my handsH3027 had wrought,H6213(QalPerf) and on the labourH5999 that I had labouredH5998(QalPerf) to do:H6213(QalInf) and, behold, all [was] vanityH1892 and vexationH7469 of spirit,H7307 and [there was] no profitH3504 under the sun.H8121 ^[12] And I turnedH6437(QalPerf) myself to beholdH7200(QalInf) wisdom,H2451 and madness,H1947 and folly:H5531 for what [can] the manH120 [do] that comethH935(QalImpf) afterH310 the king?H4428 [even] that which hath been alreadyH3528 done.H6213(QalPerf) ^[13] Then I sawH7200(QalPerf) thatH3426 wisdomH2451 excellethH3504 folly,H5531 as far as lightH216 excellethH3504 darkness.H2822 ^[14] The wise man’sH2450 eyesH5869 [are] in his head;H7218 but the foolH3684 walkethH1980(QalActPtc) in darkness:H2822 and I myself perceivedH3045(QalPerf) also that oneH259 eventH4745 happenethH7136(QalImpf) to them all. ^[15] ThenH227 saidH559(QalPerf) I in my heart,H3820 As it happenethH4745 to the fool,H3684 so it happenethH7136(QalImpf) even to me;H1571 and why was I then moreH3148 wise?H2449(QalPerf) Then I saidH1696(PielPerf) in my heart,H3820 that this also [is] vanity.H1892 ^[16] For [there is] no remembranceH2146 of the wiseH2450 more thanH5973 of the foolH3684 for ever;H5769 seeing that which nowH3528 [is] in the daysH3117 to comeH935(QalActPtc) shall all be forgotten.H7911(NiphPerf) And how diethH4191(QalImpf) the wiseH2450 [man]? as the fool.H3684 ^[17] Therefore I hatedH8130(QalPerf) life;H2416 because the workH4639 that is wroughtH6213(NiphPerf) under the sunH8121 [is] grievousH7451 unto me: for all [is] vanityH1892 and vexationH7469 of spirit.H7307 ^[18] Yea, I hatedH8130(QalPerf) all my labourH5999 which I had takenH6001 under the sun:H8121 because I should leaveH3240(HiphImpf) it unto the manH120 that shall be afterH310 me. ^[19] And who knowethH3045(QalActPtc) whether he shall be a wiseH2450 [man] or a fool?H5530 yet shall he have ruleH7980(QalImpf) over all my labourH5999 wherein I have laboured,H5998(QalPerf) and wherein I have shewed myself wiseH2449(QalPerf) under the sun.H8121 This [is] also vanity.H1892 ^[20] Therefore I went aboutH5437(QalPerf) to causeH2976 my heartH3820 to despairH2976(PielInf) of all the labourH5999 which I tookH5998(QalPerf) under the sun.H8121 ^[21] For there isH3426 a manH120 whose labourH5999 [is] in wisdom,H2451 and in knowledge,H1847 and in equity;H3788 yet to a manH120 that hath not labouredH5998(QalPerf) therein shall he leaveH5414(QalImpf) it [for] his portion.H2506 This also [is] vanityH1892 and a greatH7227 evil.H7451 ^[22] For what hathH1933(QalActPtc) manH120 of all his labour,H5999 and of the vexationH7475 of his heart,H3820 whereinH1931 he hath labouredH6001 under the sun?H8121 ^[23] For all his daysH3117 [are] sorrows,H4341 and his travailH6045 grief;H3708 yea, his heartH3820 taketh not restH7901(QalPerf) in the night.H3915 This is also vanity.H1892 ^[24] [There is] nothing betterH2896 for a man,H120 [than] that he should eatH398(QalImpf) and drink,H8354(QalPerf) and [that] he should make his soulH5315 enjoyH7200(HiphPerf) goodH2896 in his labour.H5999 ThisH2090 also I saw,H7200(QalPerf) that it [was] from the handH3027 of God.H430 ^[25] For who can eat,H398(QalImpf) or who else can hastenH2363(QalImpf) [hereunto], moreH2351 than I? ^[26] For [God] givethH5414(QalPerf) to a manH120 that [is] goodH2896 in his sightH6440 wisdom,H2451 and knowledge,H1847 and joy:H8057 but to the sinnerH2398(QalActPtc) he givethH5414(QalPerf) travail,H6045 to gatherH622(QalInf) and to heap up,H3664(QalInf) that he may giveH5414(QalInf) to [him that is] goodH2896 beforeH6440 God.H430 This also [is] vanityH1892 and vexationH7469 of spirit.H7307

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