Ecclesiastes 2:18-26

New American Standard Bible

The Futility of Labor

¹⁸ So I hated ^(A)all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun, because I must ^(B)leave it to the man who will come after me. ¹⁹ And who knows whether he will be wise or ^(C)a fool? Yet he will have control over all the fruit of my labor for which I have labored by acting wisely under the sun. This too is ^(D)futility. ²⁰ Therefore I ^[a]completely despaired over all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun. ²¹ When there is a person who has labored with wisdom, knowledge, and ^(E)skill, and then ^(F)gives his ^[b]legacy to one who has not labored for it; this too is futility and a great evil. ²² For what does a person get in ^(G)all his labor and in ^[c]his striving with which he labors under the sun? ²³ Because all his days his activity is painful and ^(H)irritating; even at night his ^[d]mind ^(I)does not rest. This too is futility.

²⁴ There is ^(J)nothing better for a person than to eat and drink, and show ^[e]himself some good in his trouble. This too I have seen, that it is ^(K)from the hand of God. ²⁵ For who can eat and who can have enjoyment without ^[f]Him? ²⁶ For to a person who is good in His sight, ^(L)He has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, while to the sinner He has given the task of gathering and collecting so that he may ^(M)give to one who is good in God’s sight. This too is ^(N)futility and striving after wind.