Ecclesiastes 2:1-11
New American Standard Bible
The Futility of Pleasure and Possessions
2 I said [a]to myself, “Come now, I will test you with (A)pleasure. So [b]enjoy yourself.” And behold, it too was futility. 2 (B)I said of laughter, “It is senseless,” and of pleasure, “What does this accomplish?” 3 I explored with my [c]mind how to (C)refresh my body with wine while my [d]mind was guiding me wisely; and how to seize (D)foolishness, until I could see (E)what good there is for the sons of mankind [e]to do under heaven for the few [f]years of their lives. 4 I enlarged my works: I (F)built houses for myself, I planted (G)vineyards for myself; 5 I made (H)gardens and (I)parks for myself, and I planted in them all kinds of fruit trees; 6 I made (J)ponds of water for myself from which to irrigate a forest of growing trees. 7 I bought male and female slaves, and I had [g](K)slaves born at home. I also possessed flocks and (L)herds larger than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. 8 I also amassed for myself silver and (M)gold, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I provided for myself (N)male and female singers, and the pleasures of the sons of mankind: many concubines.
9 Then I became (O)great and increased more than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also stood by me. 10 (P)All that my eyes desired, I did not refuse them. I did not restrain my heart from any pleasure, for my heart was pleased because of all my labor; and this was my (Q)reward for all my labor. 11 So I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had [h]exerted, and behold, all was (R)futility and striving after wind, and there was (S)no benefit under the sun.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Ecclesiastes 2:1 Lit in my heart
- Ecclesiastes 2:1 Lit consider with goodness
- Ecclesiastes 2:3 Lit heart
- Ecclesiastes 2:3 Lit heart
- Ecclesiastes 2:3 Lit which they do
- Ecclesiastes 2:3 Lit days
- Ecclesiastes 2:7 Lit sons
- Ecclesiastes 2:11 Lit labored to do
Ecclesiastes 2:1-11
New International Version
Pleasures Are Meaningless
2 I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure(A) to find out what is good.” But that also proved to be meaningless. 2 “Laughter,”(B) I said, “is madness. And what does pleasure accomplish?” 3 I tried cheering myself with wine,(C) and embracing folly(D)—my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was good for people to do under the heavens during the few days of their lives.
4 I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself(E) and planted vineyards.(F) 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(G) 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(H) for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces.(I) I acquired male and female singers,(J) and a harem[a] as well—the delights of a man’s heart. 9 I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem(K) before me.(L) 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;(M)
nothing was gained under the sun.(N)
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 2:8 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
Ecclesiastes 2:1-11
King James Version
2 I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.
2 I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?
3 I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life.
4 I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards:
5 I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits:
6 I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees:
7 I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me:
8 I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts.
9 So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.
10 And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.
11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.
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