Ecclesiastes 2:4-11
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
4 I made great works; I built houses and planted vineyards for myself;(A) 5 I made myself gardens and parks and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees.(B) 6 I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees. 7 I bought male and female slaves and had slaves who were born in my house; I also had great possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem. 8 I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and of the provinces; I got singers, both men and women, and delights of the flesh, many concubines.[a](C)
9 So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem; also my wisdom remained with me.(D) 10 Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them; I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure from all my toil, and this was my reward from all my toil.(E) 11 Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had spent in doing it, and again, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.(F)
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- 2.8 Meaning of Heb uncertain
Ecclesiastes 2:4-11
English Standard Version
4 I made great works. I (A)built houses and planted (B)vineyards for myself. 5 I made myself (C)gardens and parks, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees. 6 I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees. 7 I bought male and female slaves, and had (D)slaves who were born in my house. I had also great possessions of (E)herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem. 8 I also gathered for myself silver and (F)gold and the treasure of (G)kings and (H)provinces. I got (I)singers, both men and women, and many (J)concubines,[a] the delight of the sons of man.
9 So I became great and (K)surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my (L)wisdom remained with me. 10 And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart (M)found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my (N)reward for all my toil. 11 Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was (O)vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing (P)to be gained under the sun.
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- Ecclesiastes 2:8 The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain
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