Ecclesiastes 2 – read and compare multiple versions of the Bible

World English Bible

Ecclesiastes 2 (WEBP)

[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.

Scripture quotations are taken from The World English Bible™ of eBible.org, 2020 stable text edition. It is in the public domain.

King James w/Strong’s #s

Ecclesiastes 2 (KJVS)

[1] I said () in mine heart, Go to now, () I will prove () thee with mirth, therefore enjoy () pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.
[2] I said () of laughter, It is mad: () and of mirth, What doeth () it?
[3] I sought () in mine heart to give () myself unto wine, yet acquainting () mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold () on folly, till I might see () what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do () under the heaven all the days of their life.
[4] I made me great () works; I builded () me houses; I planted () me vineyards:
[5] I made () me gardens and orchards, and I planted () trees in them of all kind of fruits:
[6] I made () me pools of water, to water () therewith the wood that bringeth forth () trees:
[7] I got () me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great () possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me:
[8] I gathered () me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat () me men singers () and women singers, () and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts.
[9] So I was great, () and increased () more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained () with me.
[10] And whatsoever mine eyes desired () I kept () not from them, I withheld () not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.
[11] Then I looked () on all the works that my hands had wrought, () and on the labour that I had laboured () to do: () and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.
[12] 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 already done. ()
[13] Then I saw () that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.
[14] The wise man’s eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh () in darkness: and I myself perceived () also that one event happeneth () to them all.
[15] Then said () I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth () even to me; and why was I then more wise? () Then I said () in my heart, that this also is vanity.
[16] For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come () shall all be forgotten. () And how dieth () the wise man? as the fool.
[17] Therefore I hated () life; because the work that is wrought () under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
[18] Yea, I hated () all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave () it unto the man that shall be after me.
[19] And who knoweth () whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule () over all my labour wherein I have laboured, () and wherein I have shewed myself wise () under the sun. This is also vanity.
[20] Therefore I went about () to cause my heart to despair () of all the labour which I took () under the sun.
[21] For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured () therein shall he leave () it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.
[22] For what hath () man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun?
[23] For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest () in the night. This is also vanity.
[24] There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat () and drink, () and that he should make his soul enjoy () good in his labour. This also I saw, () that it was from the hand of God.
[25] For who can eat, () or who else can hasten () hereunto, more than I?
[26] For God giveth () to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner () he giveth () travail, to gather () and to heap up, () that he may give () to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

Ecclesiastes 2:3a Heb. to draw my flesh with wine
Ecclesiastes 2:3b Heb. the number of the days of their life
Ecclesiastes 2:7 Heb. sons of my house
Ecclesiastes 2:8 , and that of all sorts: Heb. musical instrument, and instruments
Ecclesiastes 2:12 Or, in those things which have been already done
Ecclesiastes 2:13 Heb. that there is an excellency in Wisdom more then in folly, etc
Ecclesiastes 2:15 Heb. happeneth to me, even to me
Ecclesiastes 2:18 Heb. laboured
Ecclesiastes 2:21 Heb. give
Ecclesiastes 2:24 Or, delight his senses
Ecclesiastes 2:26 Heb. before him

Scripture quotations from The Authorized King James Version of the Holy Bible, using the standardized text of 1769. It is in the public domain.

Greek Bible (LXX/BYZ)

Ecclesiastes 2 (BYZ)

[1] ειπον εγω εν καρδια μου δευρο δη πειρασω σε εν ευφροσυνη και ιδε εν αγαθω και ιδου και γε τουτο ματαιοτης
[2] τω γελωτι ειπα περιφοραν και τη ευφροσυνη τι τουτο ποιεις
[3] κατεσκεψαμην εν καρδια μου του ελκυσαι εις οινον την σαρκα μου και καρδια μου ωδηγησεν εν σοφια και του κρατησαι επ αφροσυνη εως ου ιδω ποιον το αγαθον τοις υιοις του ανθρωπου ο ποιησουσιν υπο τον ηλιον αριθμον ημερων ζωης αυτων
[4] εμεγαλυνα ποιημα μου ωκοδομησα μοι οικους εφυτευσα μοι αμπελωνας
[5] εποιησα μοι κηπους και παραδεισους και εφυτευσα εν αυτοις ξυλον παν καρπου
[6] εποιησα μοι κολυμβηθρας υδατων του ποτισαι απ αυτων δρυμον βλαστωντα ξυλα
[7] εκτησαμην δουλους και παιδισκας και οικογενεις εγενοντο μοι και γε κτησις βουκολιου και ποιμνιου πολλη εγενετο μοι υπερ παντας τους γενομενους εμπροσθεν μου εν ιερουσαλημ
[8] συνηγαγον μοι και γε αργυριον και χρυσιον και περιουσιασμους βασιλεων και των χωρων εποιησα μοι αδοντας και αδουσας και εντρυφηματα υιων του ανθρωπου οινοχοον και οινοχοας
[9] και εμεγαλυνθην και προσεθηκα παρα παντας τους γενομενους εμπροσθεν μου εν ιερουσαλημ και γε σοφια μου εσταθη μοι
[10] και παν ο ητησαν οι οφθαλμοι μου ουχ υφειλον απ αυτων ουκ απεκωλυσα την καρδιαν μου απο πασης ευφροσυνης οτι καρδια μου ευφρανθη εν παντι μοχθω μου και τουτο εγενετο μερις μου απο παντος μοχθου μου
[11] και επεβλεψα εγω εν πασιν ποιημασιν μου οις εποιησαν αι χειρες μου και εν μοχθω ω εμοχθησα του ποιειν και ιδου τα παντα ματαιοτης και προαιρεσις πνευματος και ουκ εστιν περισσεια υπο τον ηλιον
[12] και επεβλεψα εγω του ιδειν σοφιαν και περιφοραν και αφροσυνην οτι τις ο ανθρωπος ος επελευσεται οπισω της βουλης τα οσα εποιησεν αυτην
[13] και ειδον εγω οτι εστιν περισσεια τη σοφια υπερ την αφροσυνην ως περισσεια του φωτος υπερ το σκοτος
[14] του σοφου οι οφθαλμοι αυτου εν κεφαλη αυτου και ο αφρων εν σκοτει πορευεται και εγνων και γε εγω οτι συναντημα εν συναντησεται τοις πασιν αυτοις
[15] και ειπα εγω εν καρδια μου ως συναντημα του αφρονος και γε εμοι συναντησεται μοι και ινα τι εσοφισαμην εγω τοτε περισσον ελαλησα εν καρδια μου διοτι αφρων εκ περισσευματος λαλει οτι και γε τουτο ματαιοτης
[16] οτι ουκ εστιν μνημη του σοφου μετα του αφρονος εις αιωνα καθοτι ηδη αι ημεραι αι ερχομεναι τα παντα επελησθη και πως αποθανειται ο σοφος μετα του αφρονος
[17] και εμισησα συν την ζωην οτι πονηρον επ εμε το ποιημα το πεποιημενον υπο τον ηλιον οτι τα παντα ματαιοτης και προαιρεσις πνευματος
[18] και εμισησα εγω συν παντα μοχθον μου ον εγω μοχθω υπο τον ηλιον οτι αφιω αυτον τω ανθρωπω τω γινομενω μετ εμε
[19] και τις οιδεν ει σοφος εσται η αφρων και εξουσιαζεται εν παντι μοχθω μου ω εμοχθησα και ω εσοφισαμην υπο τον ηλιον και γε τουτο ματαιοτης
[20] και επεστρεψα εγω του αποταξασθαι τη καρδια μου επι παντι τω μοχθω ω εμοχθησα υπο τον ηλιον
[21] οτι εστιν ανθρωπος ου μοχθος αυτου εν σοφια και εν γνωσει και εν ανδρεια και ανθρωπος ος ουκ εμοχθησεν εν αυτω δωσει αυτω μεριδα αυτου και γε τουτο ματαιοτης και πονηρια μεγαλη
[22] οτι τι γινεται τω ανθρωπω εν παντι μοχθω αυτου και εν προαιρεσει καρδιας αυτου ω αυτος μοχθει υπο τον ηλιον
[23] οτι πασαι αι ημεραι αυτου αλγηματων και θυμου περισπασμος αυτου και γε εν νυκτι ου κοιμαται η καρδια αυτου και γε τουτο ματαιοτης εστιν
[24] ουκ εστιν αγαθον εν ανθρωπω ο φαγεται και ο πιεται και ο δειξει τη ψυχη αυτου αγαθον εν μοχθω αυτου και γε τουτο ειδον εγω οτι απο χειρος του θεου εστιν
[25] οτι τις φαγεται και τις φεισεται παρεξ αυτου
[26] οτι τω ανθρωπω τω αγαθω προ προσωπου αυτου εδωκεν σοφιαν και γνωσιν και ευφροσυνην και τω αμαρτανοντι εδωκεν περισπασμον του προσθειναι και του συναγαγειν του δουναι τω αγαθω προ προσωπου του θεου οτι και γε τουτο ματαιοτης και προαιρεσις πνευματος