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 (A)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 [a]heritage to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil. 22 (B)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 (C)sorrowful, and his work burdensome; even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.

24 (D)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, [b]more than I? 26 For God gives (E)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 (F)he may give to him who is good before God. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 2:21 Lit. portion
  2. Ecclesiastes 2:25 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; some Heb. mss., LXX, Syr. without Him

17 So I hated life, because the work that is wrought under the sun was grievous unto me; for all is vanity and a striving after wind. 18 And I hated all my labor wherein I labored under the sun, seeing that I must leave it unto the man that shall be after me. 19 And who knoweth whether he will be a wise man or a fool? yet will he have rule over all my labor wherein I have labored, and wherein I have showed myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity. 20 Therefore I turned about to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor wherein I had labored under the sun. 21 For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with [a]skilfulness; yet to a man that hath not labored therein shall he [b]leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil. 22 For what hath a man of all his labor, and of the [c]striving of his heart, wherein he laboreth under the sun? 23 For all his days are but sorrows, and his travail is grief; yea, even in the night his heart taketh 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 [d]have enjoyment, [e]more than I? 26 For to the man that pleaseth him God giveth wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that pleaseth God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 2:21 Or, success
  2. Ecclesiastes 2:21 Hebrew give.
  3. Ecclesiastes 2:22 Or, vexation
  4. Ecclesiastes 2:25 Or, hasten thereto
  5. Ecclesiastes 2:25 According to Septuagint and Syriac, apart from him.