Ecclesiastes 2:4-11
Legacy Standard Bible
4 I made my works great: I (A)built houses for myself; I planted (B)vineyards for myself; 5 I made for myself (C)gardens and (D)parks, and I planted in them all kinds of fruit trees; 6 I made for myself (E)pools of water from which to water a forest of growing trees. 7 I bought male and female slaves, and I had [a](F)homeborn slaves. Also I possessed flocks and (G)herds larger than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. 8 Also, I collected for myself silver and (H)gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I provided for myself (I)male and female singers and the pleasures of the sons of men—many concubines.
9 Then I became (J)great and increased more than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also stood by me. 10 (K)All that my eyes asked for I did not refuse them. I did not withhold my heart from any gladness, for my heart was glad because of all my labor, and this was my (L)reward for all my labor. 11 Thus I turned to all my works which my hands had done and the labor which I had labored to do, and behold, all was [b](M)vanity and striving after wind, and there was (N)no advantage under the sun.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Ecclesiastes 2:7 Lit sons of the house
- Ecclesiastes 2:11 Or futility, so in ch
Ecclesiastes 2:4-11
New International Version
4 I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself(A) and planted vineyards.(B) 5 I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. 6 I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. 7 I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves(C) who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. 8 I amassed silver and gold(D) for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces.(E) I acquired male and female singers,(F) and a harem[a] as well—the delights of a man’s heart. 9 I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem(G) before me.(H) In all this my wisdom stayed with me.
10 I denied myself nothing my eyes desired;
I refused my heart no pleasure.
My heart took delight in all my labor,
and this was the reward for all my toil.
11 Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done
and what I had toiled to achieve,
everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind;(I)
nothing was gained under the sun.(J)
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 2:8 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
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