Ecclesiastes 2:17-26

Legacy Standard Bible

¹⁷ So I ^(A)hated life, for the work which had been done under the sun was ^[a]grievous to me; because everything is vanity and striving after wind.

The Vanity of Labor

¹⁸ Thus I hated ^(B)all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun, for I must ^(C)leave it to the man who will come after me. ¹⁹ And who knows whether he will be a wise man or ^(D)a man of simpleminded folly? Yet he will have ^[b]power over all the fruit of my labor for which I have labored and for which I have acted wisely under the sun. This too is ^(E)vanity. ²⁰ Therefore I turned my heart to despair of all my labor for which I had labored under the sun. ²¹ When there is a man who has labored with wisdom, knowledge, and ^(F)skill, then he ^(G)gives his portion to one who has not labored with them. This too is vanity and a great evil. ²² For what does a man get in ^(H)all his labor and in the striving of his heart with which he labors under the sun? ²³ Because all his days his endeavor is painful and ^(I)vexing; even at night his heart ^(J)does not lie down. This too is vanity.

^24 [c]There is ^(K)nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and have his soul see good in his labor. This also I have seen that it is ^(L)from the hand of God. ²⁵ For who can eat and who can have enjoyment outside of ^[d]Him? ²⁶ For to a man who is good before Him, ^(M)He has given wisdom and knowledge and gladness, while to the sinner He has given the endeavor of gathering and collecting so that he may ^(N)give to one who is good before God. This too is ^(O)vanity and striving after wind.