NASB — Ecclesiastes 2 — KJV

The Futility of Pleasure and Possessions

1 I said° Ito myself°, “Come° now°, I will test° you with apleasure°. So IIenjoy°° yourself.” And behold°, it too° was futility°. 2 aI said° of laughter°, “It is madness°,” and of pleasure°, “What° does it accomplish°?” 3 I explored° with my Imind° [how] to astimulate° my body° with wine° while my Imind° was guiding° [me] wisely°, and how to take° hold° of bfolly°, until°° I could see° cwhat°° good° there is for the sons° of men° IIto do° under° heaven° the few° IIIyears° of their lives°. 4 I enlarged° my works°: I abuilt° houses° for myself, I planted° bvineyards° for myself; 5 I made° agardens° and bparks° for myself and I planted° in them all° kinds of fruit° trees°; 6 I made° aponds° of water° for myself from which to irrigate° a forest° of growing° trees°. 7 I bought° male° and female° slaves°° and I had° Iahomeborn°° slaves°. Also° I possessed flocks° and bherds° larger° than° all° who° preceded° me in Jerusalem°. 8 Also°, I collected° for myself silver° and agold° and the treasure° of kings° and provinces°. I provided° for myself bmale and female singers° and the pleasures° of men°°—many° concubines°.

[1] ILit in my heart IILit consider with goodness aEc 7:4; 8:15
[2] aPv 14:13; Ec 7:3, 6
[3] ILit heart IILit which they do IIILit days aJg 9:13; Ps 104:15; Ec 10:19 bEc 7:25 cEc 2:24; 3:12, 13; 5:18; 6:12; 8:15; 12:13
[4] a1K 7:1-12 bSo 8:11
[5] aSo 4:16; 5:1 bNe 2:8
[6] aNe 2:14; 3:15, 16
[7] ILit sons of the house aGn 14:14; 15:3 b1K 4:23
[8] a1K 9:28; 10:10, 14, 21 b2S 19:35

9 ¶ Then I became° agreat° and increased° more° than° all° who° preceded° me in Jerusalem°. My wisdom° also° stood° by me. 10 aAll° that my eyes° desired° I did not refuse° them. I did not withhold° my heart° from any° pleasure°, for my heart° was pleased° because° of all° my labor° and this° was my breward° for all° my labor°. 11 Thus I considered° all° my activities° which° my hands° had done° and the labor° which° I had Iexerted°, and behold° all° was IIavanity° and striving° after wind° and there° was bno° profit° under° the sun°.

[9] a1Ch 29:25; Ec 1:16
[10] aEc 6:2 bEc 3:22; 5:18; 9:9
[11] ILit labored to do IIOr futility, and so throughout the ch aEc 1:14; 2:22, 23 bEc 1:3; 3:9; 5:16

Wisdom Excels Folly

12 ¶ So I turned° to aconsider° wisdom°, madness° and folly°; for what° [will] the man° [do] who° will come° after° the king° [except] bwhat° has already° been done°? 13 And I saw° that awisdom° excels° folly° as light° excels° darkness°. 14 The wise° man’s° eyes° are in his head°, but the afool° walks° in darkness°. And yet° I know° that bone° fate° befalls° them both°. 15 Then I said° Ito myself°, “aAs is the fate° of the fool°, it will also° befall° me. bWhy° then° have I been° extremely° wise°?” So III said° to myself°, “This° too° is vanity°.” 16 For there° is ano° Ilasting° remembrance° of the wise° man° [as] with the fool°, inasmuch° as [in] the coming° days° all° will be forgotten°. And bhow° the wise° man° and the fool° alike° die°! 17 So I ahated° life°, for the work° which° had been done° under° the sun° was Igrievous° to me; because° everything° is futility° and striving° after wind°.

[12] aEc 1:17 bEc 1:9, 10; 3:15
[13] aEc 7:11, 12, 19; 9:18; 10:10
[14] a1 Jn 2:11 bPs 49:10; Ec 3:19; 6:6; 7:2; 9:2, 3
[15] ILit in my heart IILit I spoke in my heart aEc 2:16 bEc 6:8, 11
[16] ILit forever aEc 1:11; 9:5 bEc 2:14
[17] ILit evil aEc 4:2, 3

The Futility of Labor

18 ¶ Thus I hated° aall° the fruit° of my labor° for which° I had labored° under° the sun°, for I must bleave° it to the man° who° will come° after° me. 19 And who° knows° whether he will be a wise° man° or° aa fool°? Yet he will have Icontrol° over° all° the fruit° of my labor° for which° I have labored° by acting° wisely° under° the sun°. This° too° is bvanity°. 20 Therefore I Icompletely°° despaired° of all° the fruit° of my labor° for which° I had labored° under° the sun°. 21 When° there° is a man° who° has labored° with wisdom°, knowledge° and askill°, then he bgives° his Ilegacy° to one° who° has not labored° with them. This° too° is vanity° and a great° evil°. 22 For what° does a man° get° in aall° his labor° and in Ihis striving° with which° he labors° under° the sun°? 23 Because° all° his days° his task° is painful° and agrievous°; even° at night° his Imind° bdoes not rest°. This° too° is vanity°.

[18] aEc 1:3; 2:11 bPs 39:6; 49:10
[19] ILit dominion a1K 12:13 b1Ti 6:10
[20] ILit turned aside my heart to despair
[21] ILit share aEc 4:4 bEc 2:18
[22] ILit the striving of his heart aEc 1:3; 2:11
[23] ILit heart aJb 5:7; 14:1; Ec 1:18; 5:17 bPs 127:2

24 ¶ There° is anothing° better° for a man° [than] to eat° and drink° and Itell° himself° that his labor° is good°. This° also° I have seen° that it is bfrom the hand° of God°. 25 For who° can eat° and who° can have° enjoyment° without°° IHim? 26 For to a person° who° is good° in His sight° aHe has given° wisdom° and knowledge° and joy°, while to the sinner° He has given° the task° of gathering° and collecting° so that he may bgive° to one° who° is good° in God’s° sight°. This° too° is cvanity° and striving° after wind°.

[24] ILit cause his soul to see good in his labor aEc 2:3; 3:12, 13, 22; 5:18; 6:12; 8:15; 9:7; Is 56:12; Lk 12:19; 1Co 15:32; 1Ti 6:17 bEc 3:13
[25] ISo Gr; Heb me
[26] aJb 32:8; Pv 2:6 bJb 27:16, 17; Pv 13:22 cEc 1:14


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The vanity of human courses in the works of pleasure.

1 ¶ I² saidºª in mine heart,º Go to² now,¹ª² I will proveºª thee with mirth,º therefore enjoyºª pleasure:º and, behold,² this² also² [is] vanity.º 2 I saidºª of laughter,º [It is] mad:ºª and of mirth,º What¹² doethºª it?² 3 I soughtºª in mine heartº to giveºª² myselfº unto wine,º yet acquaintingºª mine heartº with wisdom;º and to lay holdºª on folly,º till²² I might seeºª what² [was] that² goodº for the sonsº of men,º which² they should doºª under² the heavenº allº the daysº of their life.º 4 I made me greatºª works;º I buildedºª me houses;º I plantedºª me vineyards:º 5 I madeºª me gardensº and orchards,º and I plantedºª treesº in them of all² [kind of] fruits:º 6 I madeºª me poolsº of water,º to waterºª therewith² the woodº that bringeth forthºª trees:º 7 I gotºª [me] servantsº and maidens,º and had² servants bornº in my house;º also² I had² greatºª possessionsº of greatº and small cattleº above all²² that were²² in Jerusalemº beforeº me: 8 I gatheredºª me also² silverº and gold,º and the peculiar treasureº of kingsº and of the provinces:º I gatºª me men singersºª and women singers,ºª and the delightsº of the sonsº of men,º [as] musical instruments,º and that of all sorts. 9 So I was great,ºª and increased¹ª more² than all²² that were²² beforeº me in Jerusalem:º also² my wisdomº remainedºª with me. 10 And whatsoever²² mine eyesº desiredºª I keptºª not² from² them, I withheldºª not²² my heartº from any²² joy;º for² my heartº rejoicedº in all²² my labour:º and this² was² my portionº of all²² my labour.º 11 Then I² lookedºª on all² the worksº that my hands¹ had wrought,ºª²² and on the labourº that I had labouredºª² to do:ºª and, behold,² all² [was] vanityº and vexationº of spirit,º and [there was] no² profitº under² the sun.º

[1] Gn 11:3, 7; 2K 5:5; Ps 10:6; 14:1; 27:8; 30:6; Ec 1:16; 2:15; 3:17; 8:15; 11:9; Is 5:5; 50:5, 11; Lk 12:19; 16:19, 23; Tit 3:3; Jm 4:13; 5:1, 5; Rv 18:7.
[2] Pv 14:13; Ec 7:2; Is 22:12; Am 6:3; 1P 4:2.
[3] Gn 47:9; 1S 25:36; Jb 14:14; Ps 90:9; Pv 20:1; 23:29; 31:4; Ec 1:17; 6:12; 7:18; 12:13; Mt 6:24; 2Co 6:15; Ep 5:18.
[4] Gn 11:4; Dt 8:12; 2S 18:18; 1K 7:1, 8; 9:1; 10:19; 15:19; 1Ch 27:27; 2Ch 8:1, 11; 26:10; Ps 49:11; So 1:14; 7:12; 8:11; Is 5:1; Dn 4:30.
[5] Gn 2:8; So 4:12; 5:1; 6:2; Jr 39:4; Lk 17:27.
[6] Ne 2:14; Ps 1:3; So 7:4; Jr 17:8.
[7] Gn 13:2; 17:12; 1K 9:20; 2K 3:4; 1Ch 27:29; 2Ch 26:10; 32:27; Ezr 2:58; Ne 7:57; Jb 1:3; 42:12.
[8] 2S 19:35; 1K 9:14, 28; 10:10; 14:21, 27; 1Ch 25:1, 6; 2Ch 9:11, 15; Ezr 2:65; Jb 21:11; Ps 150:3; Dn 3:5, 7, 15; Am 6:5.
[9] 1K 3:12; 10:7, 23; 1Ch 29:25; 2Ch 1:1; 9:22; Ec 1:16.
[10] Gn 3:6; 6:2; Jg 14:2; Jb 31:1; Ps 119:37; 128:2; Pv 23:5; Ec 2:22; 3:22; 5:18; 6:9; 9:9; 11:9; 1Jn 2:16.
[11] Gn 1:31; Ex 39:43; Ec 1:3, 14; 2:17; Hab 2:13; 1Ti 6:6; 1Jn 2:16.

Though the wise be better than the fool, yet both have one event.

12 ¶ And I² turnedºª myself to beholdºª wisdom,º and madness,º and folly:º for² what² [can] the manº [do] that comethºª² afterº the king?º [even]² that which² hath been alreadyº done.ºª 13 Then I² sawºª thatº² wisdomº excellethº folly,º² as far as lightº excellethº darkness.º² 14 The wise man'sº eyesº [are] in his head;º but the foolº walkethºª in darkness:º and I myself² perceivedºª also² that one¹ eventº²² happenethºª to² them all.² 15 Then¹ saidºª I² in my heart,º As it happenethº to the fool,º so it happenethºª even² to me;¹ and why² was I² then² moreº wise?ºª Then I saidºª in my heart,º that this² also²² [is] vanity.º 16 For² [there is] no² remembranceº of the wiseº more thanº of the foolº for ever;º seeing that which nowº² [is] in the daysº to comeºª shall all² be forgotten.ºª And how² diethºª the wiseº [man]? as² the fool.º 17 Therefore I hatedºª² life;º because² the workº that is wroughtºª² under² the sunº [is] grievousº unto² me: for² all² [is] vanityº and vexationº of spirit.º

[12] Ec 1:17; 2:25; 7:25.
[13] Ps 119:105, 130; Pv 4:5, 18; 16:16; Ec 7:11; 9:16; 11:7; Mal 3:18; 4:1; Mt 6:23; Lk 11:34; Ep 5:8.
[14] Ps 19:10; 49:10; Pv 14:8; 17:24; Ec 8:1; 9:1, 11, 16; 10:2; 1Jn 2:11.
[15] 1K 3:12; Ec 1:2, 14, 16, 18; 2:1.
[16] Ex 1:6, 8; 2S 3:33; Ps 49:10; 88:12; 103:16; Ec 1:11; 6:8; Mal 3:16; He 9:27.
[17] Nu 11:15; 1K 19:4; Jb 3:20; 7:15; 14:13; Ps 89:47; Ec 1:14; 2:11, 22; 3:16; 6:9; Jr 20:14; Ezk 3:14; Jna 4:3, 8; Hab 1:3; Php 1:23.

The vanity of human labour, in leaving it they know not to whom.

18 ¶ Yea, I² hatedºª² all² my labourº which I²² had takenº under² the sun:º because I should leave¹ª²² it unto the manº that shall be²² afterº me. 19 And who² knowethºª whether he shall be² a wiseº [man] or² a fool?º yet shall he have ruleºª over all² my labourº wherein I have laboured,ºª² and wherein I have shewed myself wiseºª² under² the sun.º This² [is] also² vanity.º 20 Therefore I² went aboutºª to cause¹ª² my heartº to despairºª of² all² the labourº which I tookºª² under² the sun.º 21 For² there isº a manº whose labourº² [is] in wisdom,º and in knowledge,º and in equity;º yet to a manº that hath not²² labouredºª therein shall he leaveºª it [for] his portion.º This² also² [is] vanityº and a greatº evil.º 22 For² what² hathºª manº of all² his labour,º and of the vexationº of his heart,º wherein¹ he²² hath labouredº under² the sun?º 23 For² all² his daysº [are] sorrows,º and his travailº grief;º yea,² his heartº taketh not² restºª in the night.º This² is also² vanity.º

[18] 1K 11:11; Ps 17:14; 39:6; 49:10; Ec 1:13; 2:4, 26; 4:3; 5:13, 18; 9:9; Lk 12:20; 16:27; Ac 20:29; 1Co 3:10.
[19] 1K 12:14; 14:25; 2Ch 10:13; 12:9; Ec 3:22; 9:13; Lk 16:8; Jm 1:17; 3:17.
[20] Gn 43:14; Jb 17:11; Ps 39:6; 1Co 15:19; 2Co 1:8; 1Th 3:3.
[21] 2Ch 31:20; 33:2; 34:2; 35:18; 36:5; Ec 2:17; 9:18; Jr 22:15, 17.
[22] Ps 127:2; Pv 16:26; Ec 1:3; 3:9; 4:6, 8; 5:10, 17; 6:7; 8:15; Mt 6:11, 25, 34; 16:26; Lk 12:22, 29; Php 4:6; 1Ti 6:8; 1P 5:7.
[23] Gn 47:9; Es 6:1; Jb 5:7; 7:13; 14:1; Ps 6:6; 32:4; 77:2; 90:7, 15; 127:2; Ec 5:12; Dn 6:18; Ac 14:22.

Nothing better than joy in our labour; but that is God's gift.

24 ¶ [There is] nothing² betterº for a man,º [than] that he should eatºª² and drink,ºª and [that] he should make his soulº²² enjoy¹ª goodº in his labour.º Thisº also² I² saw,ºª that² it² [was] from the handº² of God.º 25 For² who² can eat,ºª or who² else can hastenºª [hereunto], moreº than² I? 26 For² [God] givethºª to a manº that [is] goodº² in his sightº wisdom,º and knowledge,º and joy:º but to the sinnerºª he givethºª travail,º to gatherºª and to heap up,ºª that he may giveºª to [him that is] goodº beforeº God.º This² also² [is] vanityº and vexationº of spirit.º

[24] Dt 12:12, 18; Ne 8:10; Ec 3:12, 13, 22; 5:18, 19; 6:2; 8:15; 9:7; 11:9; Mal 2:2; Lk 12:19; Ac 14:17; 1Ti 6:17.
[25] 1K 4:21; Ec 2:1.
[26] Gn 7:1; 2Ch 31:20; Jb 27:16; Pv 3:13; 13:22; 28:8; Is 3:10; Lk 1:6; Jn 16:24; Ro 14:17; 1Co 1:30; Ga 5:22; Col 1:9; 3:16; Jm 3:17.


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