“I said in my heart Come now, I will test you with mirth. Therefore enjoy pleasure. But surely this also was vanity.”
Ecclesiastes 2
26 of 26 verses have a reading · Berean Standard Bible
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DH
David Hocking26
CC
Carter Conlon16
CS
Chuck Smith7
JJ
James Jennings7
EJ
E.A. Johnston6
DC
Don Currin4
DW
Don Wilkerson2
DP
David Platt2
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Philip Powell1
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Charles Leiter1
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David Hocking26
CC
Carter Conlon16
CS
Chuck Smith7
JJ
James Jennings7
EJ
E.A. Johnston6
DC
Don Currin4
DW
Don Wilkerson2
DP
David Platt2
PP
Philip Powell1
CL
Charles Leiter1
All voices →
1I said to myself, "Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy what is good!" But it proved to be futile.
2I said of laughter, "It is folly," and of pleasure, "What does it accomplish?"
“I said of laughter it is mad. And of mirth what doeth it?”
“I said of laughter it is madness and of mirth what does it accomplish.”
“I said of laughter. It is madness and of mirth. What does it accomplish?”
3I sought to cheer my body with wine and to embrace folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom—until I could see what was worthwhile for men to do under heaven during the few days of their lives.
“I Searched in my heart how to gratify my flesh with wine while guiding my heart with wisdom and how to lay hold on folly. Till I might see what was good for the sons of men to do under heaven all the days of their lives.”
4I expanded my pursuits. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself.
“I made me great works. I builded me houses. I planted me vineyards.”
“I enlarged my works, I built houses for myself, I planted vineyards for myself,”
“I made me great works. I builded me houses. I planted me vineyards.”
“I made my works great. I built myself houses and planted myself vineyards.”
“I made me great works, I've builded me houses, I planted me vineyards,”
5I made gardens and parks for myself, where I planted all kinds of fruit trees.
“I made me gardens and orchards and I planted trees in them of all kinds of fruits.”
“I made myself gardens and orchards. And I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them.”
“I made myself gardens and orchards and I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them.”
6I built reservoirs to water my groves of flourishing trees.
“I made me pools of water to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees.”
“I made myself water pools from which to water the growing trees of the grove.”
“I made me pools of water to water there with the wood that bringeth forth trees.”
“I made me pools of water to water there with the wood that bringeth forth trees.”
7I acquired menservants and maidservants, and servants were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me,
“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.”
“I Acquired male and female servants and had servants born in my house. Yes, I had greater possessions of herds and flocks than all who were in Jerusalem before me.”
“I got me servants and maidens, I had servants born in my house. Also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me.”
8and I accumulated for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I gathered to myself male and female singers, and the delights of the sons of men—many concubines.
“I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the special treasures of kings and of the provinces. I acquired male and female singers, the delights of the sons of men, and musical instruments of all kinds.”
“I gathered me also silver and gold and the peculiar treasures of kings and of provinces. I got me men singers and women singers and the delights of the sons of men as musical instruments and that of all sorts.”
“I gathered me also silver and gold and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces. I get me men singers and women singers and the delights of the sons of men as musical instruments and all sorts.”
9So I became great and surpassed all in Jerusalem who had preceded me; and my wisdom remained with me.
“So I was great and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me”
“So I was great and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem. Also, my wisdom remained with me”
“So I became great and excelled more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me”
“I was great. And increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me.”
“I was great and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me,”
10Anything my eyes desired, I did not deny myself. I refused my heart no pleasure. For my heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor.
“whatever my eyes desired, I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure. For my heart rejoiced in all my labor. And this was my reward from all my labor.”
“all 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 reward for my labor.”
“Whatever my eyes desired. I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure for my heart rejoiced in all my labor. And this was my reward from all my labor.”
“and 11. Whatever my eyes desired, I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil. And this was my reward for all my toil.”
“And whatsoever my eyes desired, I kept not from them. I withheld not my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced in all my labor, and this was my portion of all my labor.”
“and whatsoever my eyes desired I kept not from them. I withheld not my heart from any joy for my heart rejoiced in all my labor and this was my portion of all my labor.”
11Yet when I considered all the works that my hands had accomplished and what I had toiled to achieve, I found everything to be futile, a pursuit of the wind; there was nothing to be gained under the sun.
“Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done, and on the labor in which I had toiled, and indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind, and there was no profit under the sun.”
“Then I looked on all the works that my hand had wrought and on the labor that I had labored to do, and behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.”
“Then I looked at all the works that my hands had done and on the labor in which I had toiled and Indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the Sun.”
“Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, on the labor that I had labored to do, and behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun,”
“Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after win, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.”
“Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done. The labor which I exerted, and behold, all was vanity. And striving after wind, and there was no prophet under the sun.”
12Then I turned to consider wisdom and madness and folly; for what more can the king's successor do than what has already been accomplished?
“And I turned myself to behold wisdom and madness and folly. For what can the man do that cometh after the king? Even that which has been already done.”
“Then I turned myself to consider wisdom and madness and folly for what can the man do who succeeds the king? Only what he is already done.”
13And I saw that wisdom exceeds folly, just as light exceeds darkness:
“Then I saw the wisdom excels folly as light excels darkness.”
14The wise man has eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also came to realize that one fate overcomes them both.
“The wise man's eyes are in his head. But the fool walks in darkness yet. I myself perceive that the same event happens to them all.”
15So I said to myself, "The fate of the fool will also befall me. What then have I gained by being wise?" And I said to myself that this too is futile.
“So I said in my heart all it as it happens to the fool. It also happens to me and why was I then more wise then I said in my heart. This also is vanity.”
“I said in my heart, as it happens to the fool, it also happened to me, so why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, this also is vanity.”
16For there is no lasting remembrance of the wise, just as with the fool, seeing that both will be forgotten in the days to come. Alas, the wise man will die just like the fool!
“For there is no more remembrance of the wise man than of the fool forever since all that now is will be forgotten in the Days to come how does a wise man die as the fool?”
17So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. For everything is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
“Therefore I hated life, because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me, for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.”
“Therefore I hated life. Because the work that is wrought under the Sun is grievous unto me for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.”
“Therefore I hated life because the work that was done in the Sun was grievous to me for all is vanity and grasping for the wind.”
18I hated all for which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes after me.
“Yea, I hated all my labor, which I had taken under the Sun. Because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me”
“Then I hated all my labor in which I had toiled under the Sun because I must leave it to the man who will come After me”
“Yea, I hated all my labor which I had taken under the sun, because I should leave it unto the man that should be after me.”
“I hated all my toil in which I toil under the sun, seeing I must leave it to a man who will come after me.”
19And who knows whether that man will be wise or foolish? Yet he will take over all the labor at which I have worked skillfully under the sun. This too is futile.
“And who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? Yet he will be master of all for which I toiled and use my wisdom under the sun. This also is vanity.”
“and who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool. Yet he will rule over all my labor in which I toiled in which I have shown myself wise under the Sun this also is Vanity.”
“and who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool. Yet shall he have rule over all my labor. Wherein I have labored and wherein I have showed myself wise under the Sun. This is also vanity.”
20So my heart began to despair over all the labor that I had done under the sun.
“Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labor which I took under the Sun.”
“Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all of the labor which I took under the sun.”
“Therefore I turned my heart and despaired of all the labor in which I had toiled under the Sun”
“So I turned about and I gave up my heart to despair over all the toil of my labors under the sun.”
21When there is a man who has labored with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, and he must give his portion to a man who has not worked for it, this too is futile and a great evil.
“Because sometimes a person who is toiled with wisdom and knowledge and skill must leave everything to be enjoyed by someone who did not toil for it. This also is vanity and a great evil.”
“for there is a man whose labor Is with wisdom knowledge and skill yet? He must leave his heritage to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil.”
“for there is a man whose labor is in wisdom and in knowledge and in equity, yet to a man that has not labored therein shall he leave it for his portion. This is vanity and a great evil.”
22For what does a man get for all the toil and striving with which he labors under the sun?
“For what hath man of all of his labor and of the vexation of his heart wherein he hath labored under the sun?”
“what is a man from all the toil and striving of heart with which he toils beneath the sun?”
“what is man for all his labor and for the striving of his heart with which he has toiled under the Sun?”
23Indeed, all his days are filled with grief, and his task is sorrowful; even at night, his mind does not rest. This too is futile.
“For all his days are full of sorrow and his work is a vexation. Even in the night his heart does not rest. This also is vanity.”
“For all his days are sorrowful in his work grievous even in the night. His heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.”
24Nothing is better for a man than to eat and drink and enjoy his work. I have also seen that this is from the hand of God.
“is nothing better for a man than that He should eat and drink and that his soul should enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw was from the hand of God”
25For apart from Him, who can eat and who can find enjoyment?
“for who can eat or who can have enjoyment more than I”
“apart from Him, who can eat or who can have enjoyment?”
26To the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner He assigns the task of gathering and accumulating that which he will hand over to one who pleases God. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
“For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight, wisdom and knowledge and joy. But to the sinner he gives travail to gather and to heap up that he may give unto him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of…”
“For God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy to a man who is good in his sight. But to the sinner he gives the work of gathering and collecting that he may give to him who is good before God. This also is vanity and grasping for…”