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Ecclesiastes 2
New King James Version
Ecclesiastes 2
New King James Version
The Vanity of Pleasure(A)
2 I said (B)in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with (C)mirth; [a]therefore enjoy pleasure”; but surely, (D)this also was vanity. 2 I said of laughter—“Madness!”; and of mirth, “What does it accomplish?” 3 (E)I searched in my heart how [b]to gratify my flesh with wine, while guiding my heart with wisdom, and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was (F)good for the sons of men to do under heaven all the days of their lives.
4 I made my works great, I built myself (G)houses, and planted myself vineyards. 5 I made myself gardens and orchards, and I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. 6 I made myself water pools from which to [c]water the growing trees of the grove. 7 I acquired male and female servants, and had [d]servants born in my house. Yes, I had greater possessions of herds and flocks than all who were in Jerusalem before me. 8 (H)I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the special treasures of kings and of the provinces. I acquired male and female singers, the delights of the sons of men, and [e]musical instruments of all kinds.
9 (I)So I became great and [f]excelled (J)more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me.
10 Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them.
I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure,
For my heart rejoiced in all my labor;
And (K)this was my [g]reward from all my labor.
11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done
And on the labor in which I had toiled;
And indeed all was (L)vanity and grasping for the wind.
There was no profit under the sun.
The End of the Wise and the Fool
12 Then I turned myself to consider wisdom (M)and madness and folly;
For what can the man do who succeeds the king?—
Only what he has already (N)done.
13 Then I saw that wisdom (O)excels folly
As light excels darkness.
14 (P)The wise man’s eyes are in his head,
But the fool walks in darkness.
Yet I myself perceived
That (Q)the same event happens to them all.
15 So I said in my heart,
“As it happens to the fool,
It also happens to me,
And why was I then more wise?”
Then I said in my heart,
“This also is vanity.”
16 For there is (R)no more remembrance of the wise than of the fool forever,
Since all that now is will be forgotten in the days to come.
And how does a wise man die?
As the fool!
17 Therefore I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was distressing to me, for all is vanity and grasping for the wind.
18 Then I hated all my labor in which I had toiled under the sun, because (S)I must leave it to the man who will come after me. 19 And who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? Yet he will rule over all my labor in which I toiled and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity. 20 Therefore I turned my heart and despaired of all the labor in which I had toiled under the sun. 21 For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, knowledge, and skill; yet he must leave his [h]heritage to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil. 22 (T)For what has man for all his labor, and for the striving of his heart with which he has toiled under the sun? 23 For all his days are (U)sorrowful, and his work burdensome; even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.
24 (V)Nothing is better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and that his soul should enjoy good in his labor. This also, I saw, was from the hand of God. 25 For who can eat, or who can have enjoyment, [i]more than I? 26 For God gives (W)wisdom and knowledge and joy to a man who is good in His sight; but to the sinner He gives the work of gathering and collecting, that (X)he may give to him who is good before God. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 2:1 gladness
- Ecclesiastes 2:3 Lit. to draw my flesh
- Ecclesiastes 2:6 irrigate
- Ecclesiastes 2:7 Lit. sons of my house
- Ecclesiastes 2:8 Exact meaning unknown
- Ecclesiastes 2:9 Lit. increased
- Ecclesiastes 2:10 Lit. portion
- Ecclesiastes 2:21 Lit. portion
- Ecclesiastes 2:25 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; some Heb. mss., LXX, Syr. without Him
Predikaren 2
nuBibeln (Swedish Contemporary Bible)
Predikaren 2
nuBibeln (Swedish Contemporary Bible)
Att glädja sig är meningslöst
2 Jag sa till mig själv: ”Nu får du pröva på glädjen och njuta av det goda”, men även det var meningslöst. 2 ”Skrattet är dåraktigt,” sa jag, ”och vad tjänar glädjen till?” 3 Jag kom på att jag kunde pigga upp mig med vin men ändå bevara visheten. Och jag ville hålla fast vid dårskapen, tills jag såg vad som var bra för människobarnen att göra under himlen under sina livsdagar.
4 Jag åtog mig stora projekt, jag byggde hus åt mig och anlade vingårdar. 5 Jag anlade åt mig trädgårdar, parker med alla slags fruktträd. 6 Jag byggde dammar åt mig för bevattning av skogen med grönskande träd. 7 Jag köpte slavar och slavinnor, och andra föddes i mitt hem. Jag hade fårhjordar och nötboskap, mer än någon annan hade haft före mig i Jerusalem. 8 Jag samlade in åt mig silver och guld, skatter från kungar och provinser. Jag skaffade mig sångare och sångerskor, och det som är männens lust: en kvinna, ja, kvinnor[a]. 9 Jag blev större än någon annan före mig i Jerusalem, och min vishet bestod.
10 Inget av det mina ögon begärde nekade jag dem.
Jag unnade mig all glädje,
för i mitt innersta gladde jag mig över mitt arbete,
och detta var lönen för all min möda.
Att arbeta är meningslöst
11 Jag såg på allt det som jag hade gjort,
all den möda jag lagt ner,
och alltsammans var bara meningslöst,
ett jagande efter vind,
till ingen nytta under solen.
12 Sedan reflekterade jag över vishet, dumhet och dårskap.
Vad kan den göra som kommer efter kungen?
Ingenting mer än det som redan gjorts tidigare.
13 Jag såg att visheten är förmer än dårskapen,
liksom ljuset är bättre än mörkret.
14 Den vise har förmåga att se, medan dåren vandrar i mörkret.
Men jag insåg att samma öde drabbar dem båda.
15 Jag sa för mig själv:
”Jag går samma öde till mötes som dåren.
Vad har jag då för nytta av all min vishet?”
Vidare sa jag för mig själv:
”Även detta är meningslöst.”
16 Varken den vise eller dåren kommer att bli ihågkomna för evigt,
snart är båda bortglömda.
Både den vise och dåren dör.
17 Jag hatade livet, eftersom allt arbete som görs under solen ter sig ont för mig. Allt är meningslöst och ett jagande efter vind. 18 Jag hatade allt jag bemödat mig med under solen, för jag måste ändå lämna det åt någon annan som kommer efter mig. 19 Och vem vet om han är vis eller dåraktig? Ändå kommer han att råda över allt det som jag med klokhet och möda åstadkommit under solen. Även detta är meningslöst.
20 Jag blev förtvivlad över allt jag bemödat mig med under solen. 21 När en människa har arbetat med vishet, kunskap och skicklighet, måste hon lämna sin del åt någon som inte har arbetat för den. Även detta är meningslöst och mycket illa.
22 Vad får då människan ut av all sin möda och innerliga strävan och sitt slit under solen? 23 Med smärta och sorg utför hon sitt arbete. Inte ens om natten får hon ro i sinnet. Även detta är meningslöst.
Glädjen i livet kommer från Gud
(2:24—3:22)
24 Ingenting bättre återstår för en människa än att äta och dricka och finna tillfredsställelse i sin möda. Jag insåg att också detta kommer från Gud, 25 för vem kan äta eller vara glad[b] utan honom? 26 För den som är god inför honom ger han visdom, kunskap och glädje. Men åt syndaren ger han i uppdrag att samla välstånd och lägga på hög för att detta senare ska ges åt den som är god inför Gud. Även detta är meningslöst och ett jagande efter vind.
Ecclesiastes 2
New International Version
Ecclesiastes 2
New International Version
Pleasures Are Meaningless
2 I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure(A) to find out what is good.” But that also proved to be meaningless. 2 “Laughter,”(B) I said, “is madness. And what does pleasure accomplish?” 3 I tried cheering myself with wine,(C) and embracing folly(D)—my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was good for people to do under the heavens during the few days of their lives.
4 I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself(E) and planted vineyards.(F) 5 I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. 6 I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. 7 I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves(G) who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. 8 I amassed silver and gold(H) for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces.(I) I acquired male and female singers,(J) and a harem[a] as well—the delights of a man’s heart. 9 I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem(K) before me.(L) In all this my wisdom stayed with me.
10 I denied myself nothing my eyes desired;
I refused my heart no pleasure.
My heart took delight in all my labor,
and this was the reward for all my toil.
11 Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done
and what I had toiled to achieve,
everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind;(M)
nothing was gained under the sun.(N)
Wisdom and Folly Are Meaningless
12 Then I turned my thoughts to consider wisdom,
and also madness and folly.(O)
What more can the king’s successor do
than what has already been done?(P)
13 I saw that wisdom(Q) is better than folly,(R)
just as light is better than darkness.
14 The wise have eyes in their heads,
while the fool walks in the darkness;
but I came to realize
that the same fate overtakes them both.(S)
15 Then I said to myself,
“The fate of the fool will overtake me also.
What then do I gain by being wise?”(T)
I said to myself,
“This too is meaningless.”
16 For the wise, like the fool, will not be long remembered;(U)
the days have already come when both have been forgotten.(V)
Like the fool, the wise too must die!(W)
Toil Is Meaningless
17 So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.(X) 18 I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me.(Y) 19 And who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish?(Z) Yet they will have control over all the fruit of my toil into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless. 20 So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labor under the sun. 21 For a person may labor with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then they must leave all they own to another who has not toiled for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. 22 What do people get for all the toil and anxious striving with which they labor under the sun?(AA) 23 All their days their work is grief and pain;(AB) even at night their minds do not rest.(AC) This too is meaningless.
24 A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink(AD) and find satisfaction in their own toil.(AE) This too, I see, is from the hand of God,(AF) 25 for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment?(AG) 26 To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom,(AH) knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth(AI) to hand it over to the one who pleases God.(AJ) This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 2:8 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
Ecclesiastes 2
English Standard Version
Ecclesiastes 2
English Standard Version
The Vanity of Self-Indulgence
2 I (A)said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy yourself.” But behold, this also was vanity.[a] 2 I (B)said of laughter, “It is mad,” and of pleasure, “What use is it?” 3 I (C)searched with my heart how to cheer my body with wine—my heart still guiding me with wisdom—and how to lay hold on (D)folly, till I might see what was good for the children of man to do under heaven during the few days of their life. 4 I made great works. I (E)built houses and planted (F)vineyards for myself. 5 I made myself (G)gardens and parks, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees. 6 I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees. 7 I bought male and female slaves, and had (H)slaves who were born in my house. I had also great possessions of (I)herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem. 8 I also gathered for myself silver and (J)gold and the treasure of (K)kings and (L)provinces. I got (M)singers, both men and women, and many (N)concubines,[b] the delight of the sons of man.
9 So I became great and (O)surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my (P)wisdom remained with me. 10 And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart (Q)found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my (R)reward for all my toil. 11 Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was (S)vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing (T)to be gained under the sun.
The Vanity of Living Wisely
12 (U)So I turned to consider (V)wisdom and madness and folly. For what can the man do who comes after the king? Only (W)what has already been done. 13 Then I saw that there is more gain in wisdom than in folly, as there is more gain in light than in darkness. 14 (X)The wise person has his eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. And yet I perceived that the (Y)same event happens to all of them. 15 Then I said in my heart, (Z)“What happens to the fool will happen to me also. Why then have I been so very wise?” And I said in my heart that this also is vanity. 16 For of the wise as of the fool there is (AA)no enduring remembrance, seeing that in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. (AB)How the wise dies just like the fool! 17 So I hated life, because what is done under the sun was grievous to me, for (AC)all is vanity and a striving after wind.
The Vanity of Toil
18 I hated (AD)all my toil in which I toil under the sun, seeing that I must (AE)leave it to the man who will come after me, 19 and who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? Yet he will be master of all for which I toiled and used my wisdom under the sun. This also is vanity. 20 So I (AF)turned about and gave my heart up to despair (AG)over all the toil of my labors under the sun, 21 because sometimes a person who has toiled with wisdom and knowledge and skill must leave everything to be enjoyed by someone who did not toil for it. This also is vanity and a great evil. 22 What has a man from (AH)all the toil and striving of heart with which he toils beneath the sun? 23 For (AI)all his days are full of sorrow, and his (AJ)work is a vexation. Even in the night his heart does not rest. This also is vanity.
24 (AK)There is nothing better for a person than that he should (AL)eat and drink and find enjoyment[c] in his toil. This also, I saw, is (AM)from the hand of God, 25 for apart from him[d] who can eat or who can have enjoyment? 26 For to the one who pleases him (AN)God has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he has given (AO)the business of gathering and collecting, (AP)only to give to one who pleases God. (AQ)This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 2:1 The Hebrew term hebel can refer to a “vapor” or “mere breath”; also verses 11, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 26 (see note on 1:2)
- Ecclesiastes 2:8 The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain
- Ecclesiastes 2:24 Or and make his soul see good
- Ecclesiastes 2:25 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts apart from me
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
nuBibeln (Swedish Contemporary Bible) (NUB)
Swedish Contemporary Bible (nuBibeln) Copyright © 2015 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.