Ecclesiastes 2:20

Ecclesiastes 2:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun.
• New International Version (NIV)So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labor under the sun.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So I turned about and gave my heart up to despair over all the toil of my labors under the sun,
• New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore I turned my heart and despaired of all the labor in which I had toiled under the sun.

Context of Ecclesiastes 2:20

18And I hated all my labor wherein I labored under the sun, seeing that I must leave it unto the man that shall be after me. 19And who knoweth whether he will be a wise man or a fool? yet will he have rule over all my labor wherein I have labored, and wherein I have showed myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity. Therefore I turned about to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor wherein I had labored under the sun. 21For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skilfulness; yet to a man that hath not labored therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil. 22For what hath a man of all his labor, and of the striving of his heart, wherein he laboreth under the sun?

Ecclesiastes 2:20 word by word

וְסַבּ֥וֹתִֽי אֲנִ֖י לְיַאֵ֣שׁ אֶת־לִבִּ֑י עַ֚ל כָּל־הֶ֣עָמָ֔ל שֶׁעָמַ֖לְתִּי תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃Read the interlinear

• turnedסָבַבsâbab · to turn: turnH5437
• heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
• despairיָאַשׁyâ'ash · to despairH2976
• laborעָמָל‛âmâl · troubleH5999
• sunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁshemesh · sunH8121

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 2:20

• Genesis 43:14and God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release unto you your other brother and Benjamin. And if I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.
• Job 17:11My days are past, my purposes are broken off, Even the thoughts of my heart.
• Psalms 39:6Surely every man walketh in a vain show; Surely they are disquieted in vain: He heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.
• 1 Corinthians 15:19If we have only hoped in Christ in this life, we are of all men most pitiable.
• 2 Corinthians 1:8For we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning our affliction which befell us in Asia, that we were weighed down exceedingly, beyond our power, insomuch that we despaired even of life:
• 1 Thessalonians 3:3that no man be moved by these afflictions; for yourselves know that hereunto we are appointed.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 2:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20I went about to cause my heart to despair - What makes all worse, there is no remedy. It is impossible in the present state of things to prevent these evils.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-26Verses 18-26 Our hearts are very loth to quit their expectations of great things from the creature; but Solomon came to this at length. The world is a vale of tears, even to those that have much of it. See what fools they are, who make themselves drudges to the world, which affords a man nothing better than subsistence for the body. And the utmost he can attain in this respect is to allow himself a sober, cheerful use thereof, according to his rank and…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17-20The Teacher began to dislike life because of its: Sorrows (Ecclesiastes 1:18) Hard work (Ecclesiastes 2:18) Seeming pointlessness (Ecclesiastes 2:19–20)Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. I gave up as desperate all hope of solid fruit from my labor.Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 2:20

• Industry
• Wisdom

In the dictionaries

• Gather
• Laughter
• Synagogue, the Great

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings