Ecclesiastes 2:18-26

Christian Standard Bible

The Emptiness of Work

¹⁸ I hated all my work that I labored at under the sun^(A) because I must leave it to the one who comes after me.^{(B) 19} And who knows whether he will be wise or a fool?^(C) Yet he will take over all my work that I labored at skillfully under the sun. This too is futile. ²⁰ So I began to give myself over^[a] to despair concerning all my work that I had labored at under the sun. ²¹ When there is a person whose work was done with wisdom, knowledge, and skill,^(D) and he must give his portion to a person who has not worked for it, this too is futile and a great wrong. ²² For what does a person get with all his work and all his efforts^(E) that he labors at under the sun? ²³ For all his days are filled with grief, and his occupation is sorrowful;^(F) even at night, his mind does not rest.^(G) This too is futile.

²⁴ There is nothing better for a person than to eat, drink, and enjoy^[b][c] his work.^(H) I have seen that even this is from God’s hand,^{(I) 25} because who can eat and who can enjoy life^[d] apart from him?^{[e] 26} For to the person who is pleasing in his sight, he gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy;^(J) but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and accumulating in order to give to the one who is pleasing in God’s sight.^(K) This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.^(L)