Ecclesiastes 2:4-11
Lexham English Bible
Qohelet’s Investigation of Personal Accomplishment
4 I accomplished great things.[a] I built for myself houses; I planted for myself vineyards. 5 I made for myself gardens and parks, and I planted all sorts of fruit trees in them. 6 I made for myself pools of water from which to irrigate a grove of flourishing trees. 7 I acquired male slaves and female slaves, as well as children born in my house. I also had livestock, cattle, and flocks more than anyone who was before me in Jerusalem. 8 I also gathered to myself silver and gold—the royal and provincial treasuries. I acquired for myself male and female singers, as well as the delight of men,[b] voluptuous concubines.[c]
9 Thus, I accomplished far more[d] than anyone who was before me in Jerusalem—indeed, my wisdom stood by me. 10 I neither withheld anything from my eyes that they desired, nor did I deprive any pleasure from my heart. My heart rejoiced in all my toil, for this was my reward from all my toil. 11 Yet when I considered[e] all the effort which I expended and the toil with which I toiled to do, then behold, “Everything is vanity and chasing wind! There is nothing profitable under the sun!”
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- Ecclesiastes 2:4 Literally “I made great my works”
- Ecclesiastes 2:8 Literally “the sons of the man”
- Ecclesiastes 2:8 Literally “a breast and breasts,” as a synecdoche for beautiful women in the king’s harem
- Ecclesiastes 2:9 Literally “I became great and I surpassed”
- Ecclesiastes 2:11 Or “turned to”
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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