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Ecclesiastes 2:17-26
World English Bible
Ecclesiastes 2:17-26
World English Bible
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.
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Ecclesiastes 2:17-26
New American Standard Bible
Ecclesiastes 2:17-26
New American Standard Bible
17 So I (A)hated life, for the work which had been done under the sun was [a]unhappy to me; because everything is futility and striving after wind.
The Futility of Labor
18 So I hated (B)all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun, because I must (C)leave it to the man who will come after me. 19 And who knows whether he will be wise or (D)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 (E)futility. 20 Therefore I [b]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 (F)skill, and then (G)gives his [c]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 (H)all his labor and in [d]his striving with which he labors under the sun? 23 Because all his days his activity is painful and (I)irritating; even at night his [e]mind (J)does not rest. This too is futility.
24 There is (K)nothing better for a person than to eat and drink, and show [f]himself some good in his trouble. This too I have seen, that it is (L)from the hand of God. 25 For who can eat and who can have enjoyment without [g]Him? 26 For to a person who is good in His sight, (M)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 (N)give to one who is good in God’s sight. This too is (O)futility and striving after wind.
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- Ecclesiastes 2:17 Lit evil
- Ecclesiastes 2:20 Lit turned aside my heart to despair
- Ecclesiastes 2:21 Lit share
- Ecclesiastes 2:22 Lit the striving of his heart
- Ecclesiastes 2:23 Lit heart
- Ecclesiastes 2:24 Lit his soul
- Ecclesiastes 2:25 As in LXX; Heb me
Ecclesiastes 2:17-26
New International Version
Ecclesiastes 2:17-26
New International Version
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.(A) 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.(B) 19 And who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish?(C) 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?(D) 23 All their days their work is grief and pain;(E) even at night their minds do not rest.(F) This too is meaningless.
24 A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink(G) and find satisfaction in their own toil.(H) This too, I see, is from the hand of God,(I) 25 for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment?(J) 26 To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom,(K) knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth(L) to hand it over to the one who pleases God.(M) This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
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