Ecclesiastes 2:12-16
American Standard Version
12 And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh [a]after the king? even that which hath been done long ago. 13 Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness. 14 The wise man’s eyes are in his head, and the fool walketh in darkness: and yet I perceived that one event happeneth to them all. 15 Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then said I in my heart, that this also is vanity. 16 For of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no remembrance for ever; seeing that in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. And how doth the wise man die even as the fool!
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- Ecclesiastes 2:12 Or, after the king, even him whom they made king long ago? Or, after the king, in those things which have been already done?
Ecclesiastes 2:12-16
Lexham English Bible
The Living Must Abandon the Work of their Hands to Others at Death
12 Next, I considered wisdom, as well as delusion and folly. What can anyone do who will come after the king that has not already been done? 13 I realized that wisdom has an advantage over folly, just as light has an advantage over darkness. 14 The wise man can see where he is walking,[a] but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also realized that both of them suffer the same fate. 15 So I said to myself,[b] “If I also suffer the same fate as the fool,[c] what advantage is my great wisdom?”[d] So I said to myself,[e] “This also is vanity!”
16 Certainly no one will remember the wise man or the fool in future generations.[f] When future days come, both will have been forgotten already. How is it that the wise man dies the same as the fool?
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- Ecclesiastes 2:14 Literally “The eyes of the wise are in his head”
- Ecclesiastes 2:15 Literally “in my heart”
- Ecclesiastes 2:15 Literally “Just as the fate of the fool—so it will happen to me!”
- Ecclesiastes 2:15 Literally “why have I been so exceedingly wise?”
- Ecclesiastes 2:15 Literally “in my heart”
- Ecclesiastes 2:16 Literally “the futures”
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