Ecclesiastes 2:17-26

New International Reader's Version

Work Is Meaningless

¹⁷ So I hated life. That’s because the work done on this earth made me sad. None of it has any meaning. It’s like chasing the wind. ¹⁸ I hated everything I had worked for on earth. I’ll have to leave all of it to someone who lives after me. ¹⁹ And who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish? Either way, they’ll take over everything on earth I’ve worked so hard for. That doesn’t have any meaning either. ²⁰ So I began to lose hope because of all my hard work on this earth. ²¹ A person might use wisdom, knowledge and skill to do their work. But then they have to leave everything they own to someone who hasn’t worked for it. That doesn’t have any meaning either. In fact, it isn’t fair. ²² What do people get for all their hard work on earth? What do they get for all their worries? ²³ As long as they live, their work is nothing but pain and sorrow. Even at night their minds can’t rest. That doesn’t have any meaning either.

²⁴ A person can’t do anything better than eat, drink and be satisfied with their work. I’m finally seeing that those things also come from the hand of God. ²⁵ Without his help, who can eat or find pleasure? ²⁶ God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness to the person who pleases him. But to a sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth. Then the sinner must hand it over to the one who pleases God. That doesn’t have any meaning either. It’s like chasing the wind.