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] Εἶπον () ἐγὼ () ἐν () καρδίᾳ () μου () Δεῦρο () δὴ () πειράσω () σε () ἐν () εὐφροσύνῃ, () καὶ () ἰδὲ () ἐν () ἀγαθῷ· () καὶ () ἰδοὺ () καί () γε () τοῦτο () ματαιότης. ()
[2] Τῷ () γέλωτι () εἶπα () περιφορὰν καὶ () τῇ () εὐφροσύνῃ () Τί () τοῦτο () ποιεῖς; ()
[3] Κατεσκεψάμην ἐν () καρδίᾳ () μου () τοῦ () ἑλκύσαι () εἰς () οἶνον () τὴν () σάρκα () μου ()—καὶ () καρδία () μου () ὡδήγησεν () ἐν () σοφίᾳ ()—καὶ () τοῦ () κρατῆσαι () ἐπ’ () ἀφροσύνῃ, () ἕως () οὗ () ἴδω () ποῖον () τὸ () ἀγαθὸν () τοῖς () υἱοῖς () τοῦ () ἀνθρώπου, () ὃ () ποιήσουσιν () ὑπὸ () τὸν () ἥλιον () ἀριθμὸν () ἡμερῶν () ζωῆς () αὐτῶν. ()
[4] Ἐμεγάλυνα () ποίημά () μου, () ᾠκοδόμησά () μοι () οἴκους, () ἐφύτευσά () μοι () ἀμπελῶνας, ()
[5] ἐποίησά () μοι () κήπους () καὶ () παραδείσους () καὶ () ἐφύτευσα () ἐν () αὐτοῖς () ξύλον () πᾶν () καρποῦ· ()
[6] ἐποίησά () μοι () κολυμβήθρας () ὑδάτων () τοῦ () ποτίσαι () ἀπ’ () αὐτῶν () δρυμὸν βλαστῶντα ξύλα· ()
[7] ἐκτησάμην () δούλους () καὶ () παιδίσκας, () καὶ () οἰκογενεῖς ἐγένοντό () μοι, () καί () γε () κτῆσις βουκολίου καὶ () ποιμνίου () πολλὴ () ἐγένετό () μοι () ὑπὲρ () πάντας () τοὺς () γενομένους () ἔμπροσθέν () μου () ἐν () Ιερουσαλημ· ()
[8] συνήγαγόν () μοι () καί () γε () ἀργύριον () καὶ () χρυσίον () καὶ () περιουσιασμοὺς βασιλέων () καὶ () τῶν () χωρῶν· () ἐποίησά () μοι () ᾄδοντας () καὶ () ᾀδούσας () καὶ () ἐντρυφήματα υἱῶν () τοῦ () ἀνθρώπου () οἰνοχόον καὶ () οἰνοχόας·
[9] καὶ () ἐμεγαλύνθην () καὶ () προσέθηκα () παρὰ () πάντας () τοὺς () γενομένους () ἔμπροσθέν () μου () ἐν () Ιερουσαλημ· () καί () γε () σοφία () μου () ἐστάθη () μοι. ()
[10] Καὶ () πᾶν, () ὃ () ᾔτησαν () οἱ () ὀφθαλμοί () μου, () οὐχ () ὑφεῖλον ἀπ’ () αὐτῶν, () οὐκ () ἀπεκώλυσα τὴν () καρδίαν () μου () ἀπὸ () πάσης () εὐφροσύνης, () ὅτι () καρδία () μου () εὐφράνθη () ἐν () παντὶ () μόχθῳ () μου, () καὶ () τοῦτο () ἐγένετο () μερίς () μου () ἀπὸ () παντὸς () μόχθου () μου. ()
[11] Καὶ () ἐπέβλεψα () ἐγὼ () ἐν () πᾶσιν () ποιήμασίν () μου, () οἷς () ἐποίησαν () αἱ () χεῖρές () μου, () καὶ () ἐν () μόχθῳ, () ᾧ () ἐμόχθησα τοῦ () ποιεῖν, () καὶ () ἰδοὺ () τὰ () πάντα () ματαιότης () καὶ () προαίρεσις πνεύματος, () καὶ () οὐκ () ἔστιν () περισσεία () ὑπὸ () τὸν () ἥλιον. ()
[12] Καὶ () ἐπέβλεψα () ἐγὼ () τοῦ () ἰδεῖν () σοφίαν () καὶ () περιφορὰν καὶ () ἀφροσύνην· () ὅτι () τίς () ὁ () ἄνθρωπος, () ὃς () ἐπελεύσεται () ὀπίσω () τῆς () βουλῆς () τὰ () ὅσα () ἐποίησεν () αὐτήν; ()
[13] Καὶ () εἶδον () ἐγὼ () ὅτι () ἔστιν () περισσεία () τῇ () σοφίᾳ () ὑπὲρ () τὴν () ἀφροσύνην () ὡς () περισσεία () τοῦ () φωτὸς () ὑπὲρ () τὸ () σκότος· ()
[14] τοῦ () σοφοῦ () οἱ () ὀφθαλμοὶ () αὐτοῦ () ἐν () κεφαλῇ () αὐτοῦ, () καὶ () ὁ () ἄφρων () ἐν () σκότει () πορεύεται. () Καὶ () ἔγνων () καί () γε () ἐγὼ () ὅτι () συνάντημα ἓν () συναντήσεται () τοῖς () πᾶσιν () αὐτοῖς. ()
[15] Καὶ () εἶπα () ἐγὼ () ἐν () καρδίᾳ () μου () Ὡς () συνάντημα τοῦ () ἄφρονος () καί () γε () ἐμοὶ () συναντήσεταί () μοι, () καὶ () ἵνα () τί () ἐσοφισάμην; () Ἐγὼ () τότε () περισσὸν () ἐλάλησα () ἐν () καρδίᾳ () μου, () διότι () ἄφρων () ἐκ () περισσεύματος () λαλεῖ, () ὅτι () καί () γε () τοῦτο () ματαιότης. ()
[16] Ὅτι () οὐκ () ἔστιν () μνήμη () τοῦ () σοφοῦ () μετὰ () τοῦ () ἄφρονος () εἰς () αἰῶνα, () καθότι () ἤδη () αἱ () ἡμέραι () αἱ () ἐρχόμεναι () τὰ () πάντα () ἐπελήσθη· () καὶ () πῶς () ἀποθανεῖται () ὁ () σοφὸς () μετὰ () τοῦ () ἄφρονος; ()
[17] Καὶ () ἐμίσησα () σὺν () τὴν () ζωήν, () ὅτι () πονηρὸν () ἐπ’ () ἐμὲ () τὸ () ποίημα () τὸ () πεποιημένον () ὑπὸ () τὸν () ἥλιον, () ὅτι () τὰ () πάντα () ματαιότης () καὶ () προαίρεσις πνεύματος. ()
[18] Καὶ () ἐμίσησα () ἐγὼ () σὺν () πάντα () μόχθον () μου, () ὃν () ἐγὼ () μοχθῶ ὑπὸ () τὸν () ἥλιον, () ὅτι () ἀφίω () αὐτὸν () τῷ () ἀνθρώπῳ () τῷ () γινομένῳ () μετ’ () ἐμέ· ()
[19] καὶ () τίς () οἶδεν () εἰ () σοφὸς () ἔσται () ἢ () ἄφρων; () Καὶ () ἐξουσιάζεται () ἐν () παντὶ () μόχθῳ () μου, () ᾧ () ἐμόχθησα καὶ () ᾧ () ἐσοφισάμην () ὑπὸ () τὸν () ἥλιον. () Καί () γε () τοῦτο () ματαιότης. ()
[20] Καὶ () ἐπέστρεψα () ἐγὼ () τοῦ () ἀποτάξασθαι () τῇ () καρδίᾳ () μου () ἐπὶ () παντὶ () τῷ () μόχθῳ, () ᾧ () ἐμόχθησα ὑπὸ () τὸν () ἥλιον, ()
[21] ὅτι () ἔστιν () ἄνθρωπος, () οὗ () μόχθος () αὐτοῦ () ἐν () σοφίᾳ () καὶ () ἐν () γνώσει () καὶ () ἐν () ἀνδρείᾳ, καὶ () ἄνθρωπος, () ὃς () οὐκ () ἐμόχθησεν ἐν () αὐτῷ, () δώσει () αὐτῷ () μερίδα () αὐτοῦ. () Καί () γε () τοῦτο () ματαιότης () καὶ () πονηρία () μεγάλη. ()
[22] Ὅτι () τί () γίνεται () τῷ () ἀνθρώπῳ () ἐν () παντὶ () μόχθῳ () αὐτοῦ () καὶ () ἐν () προαιρέσει καρδίας () αὐτοῦ, () ᾧ () αὐτὸς () μοχθεῖ ὑπὸ () τὸν () ἥλιον; ()
[23] Ὅτι () πᾶσαι () αἱ () ἡμέραι () αὐτοῦ () ἀλγημάτων καὶ () θυμοῦ () περισπασμὸς αὐτοῦ, () καί () γε () ἐν () νυκτὶ () οὐ () κοιμᾶται () ἡ () καρδία () αὐτοῦ. () Καί () γε () τοῦτο () ματαιότης () ἐστίν. ()
[24] Οὐκ () ἔστιν () ἀγαθὸν () ἐν () ἀνθρώπῳ· () ὃ () φάγεται () καὶ () ὃ () πίεται () καὶ () ὃ () δείξει () τῇ () ψυχῇ () αὐτοῦ, () ἀγαθὸν () ἐν () μόχθῳ () αὐτοῦ. () Καί () γε () τοῦτο () εἶδον () ἐγὼ () ὅτι () ἀπὸ () χειρὸς () τοῦ () θεοῦ () ἐστιν· ()
[25] ὅτι () τίς () φάγεται () καὶ () τίς () φείσεται () πάρεξ αὐτοῦ; ()
[26] Ὅτι () τῷ () ἀνθρώπῳ () τῷ () ἀγαθῷ () πρὸ () προσώπου () αὐτοῦ () ἔδωκεν () σοφίαν () καὶ () γνῶσιν () καὶ () εὐφροσύνην· () καὶ () τῷ () ἁμαρτάνοντι () ἔδωκεν () περισπασμὸν τοῦ () προσθεῖναι () καὶ () τοῦ () συναγαγεῖν () τοῦ () δοῦναι () τῷ () ἀγαθῷ () πρὸ () προσώπου () τοῦ () θεοῦ· () ὅτι () καί () γε () τοῦτο () ματαιότης () καὶ () προαίρεσις πνεύματος. ()

Old Testament scripture quotations and versification from Septuaginta, edited by Alfred Rahlfs (Stuttgart: Württembergische Bibelanstalt, 1935). New Testament quotations are from the Byzantine Text (Guardian Press, LLC, Robinson-Pierpont Byzantine Textform, 2026). Both are in the public domain.