American Standard Version
Ecclesiastes 2:3
3I searched in my heart how to cheer my flesh with wine, my heart yet guiding me with wisdom, and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what it was good for the sons of men that they should do under heaven all the days of their life.
Ecclesiastes 2:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life.
- New International Version (NIV)I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was good for people to do under the heavens during the few days of their lives.
- English Standard Version (ESV)I searched with my heart how to cheer my body with wine—my heart still guiding me with wisdom—and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the children of man to do under heaven during the few days of their life.
- New King James Version (NKJV)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.
Context of Ecclesiastes 2:3
1I said in my heart, Come now, I will prove thee with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also was vanity. 2I said of laughter, It is mad; and of mirth, What doeth it? I searched in my heart how to cheer my flesh with wine, my heart yet guiding me with wisdom, and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what it was good for the sons of men that they should do under heaven all the days of their life. 4I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards; 5I made me gardens and parks, and I planted trees in them of all kinds of fruit;
Read all of Ecclesiastes 2Ecclesiastes 2:3 word by word
תַּ֣רְתִּי בְלִבִּ֔י לִמְשׁ֥וֹךְ בַּיַּ֖יִן אֶת־בְּשָׂרִ֑י וְלִבִּ֞י נֹהֵ֤ג בַּֽחָכְמָה֙ וְלֶאֱחֹ֣ז בְּסִכְל֔וּת עַ֣ד אֲשֶׁר־אֶרְאֶ֗ה אֵי־זֶ֨ה ט֜וֹב לִבְנֵ֤י הָאָדָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר יַעֲשׂוּ֙ תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם מִסְפַּ֖ר יְמֵ֥י חַיֵּיהֶֽם׃Read the interlinear
- heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
- fleshבָּשָׂרbâώâr · fleshH1320
- wineיַ֫יִןyayin · wineH3196
- wisdomחׇכְמָהchokmâh · wisdomH2451
- holdאָחַז'âchaz · to graspH270
- follyסִכְלוּתsiklûth ώiklûth · follyH5531
- seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- goodטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
- sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- menאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
- heavenשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
- daysיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 2:3
- Ecclesiastes 1:17And I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also was a striving after wind.
- 1 Samuel 25:36And Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal’s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunken: wherefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light.
- Proverbs 20:1Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler; And whosoever erreth thereby is not wise.
- Proverbs 31:4It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; Nor for princes to say, Where is strong drink?
- Ephesians 5:18And be not drunken with wine, wherein is riot, but be filled with the Spirit;
- Ecclesiastes 7:18It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from that withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth from them all.
- Proverbs 23:29Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? Who hath complaining? who hath wounds without cause? Who hath redness of eyes?
- Matthew 6:24No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
- 2 Corinthians 6:15And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what portion hath a believer with an unbeliever?
- Ecclesiastes 6:12For who knoweth what is good for man in his life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?
- Ecclesiastes 12:13This isthe end of the matter; all hath been heard: Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.
- Genesis 47:9And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty years: few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.
- Job 14:14If a man die, shall he liveagain? All the days of my warfare would I wait, Till my release should come.
- Psalms 90:9For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: We bring our years to an end as a sigh.
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 2:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3To give myself unto wine, (yet acquainting [נהג noheg, "guiding"] mine heart with wisdom) - I did not run into extremes, as when I gave up myself to mirth and pleasure. There, I threw off all restraint; here, I took the middle course, to see whether a moderate enjoyment of the things of the world might not produce that happiness which I supposed man was created to enjoy here below.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3I sought - Rather, I resolved (literally “I turned in my heart”) to draw my flesh with wine (see the margin), my heart guiding me with wisdom. In the course of his attempt to answer the question of Ecclesiastes 1:3, while his heart was directing him (as a charioteer directs his horses or a shepherd his sheep) with wisdom, and while he was following that guidance, he determined to draw with him his flesh by wine, thus making his flesh, which he speaks of…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3The Teacher realized that using wine to cheer himself was foolish, yet he did it while still seeking wisdom. He wanted to understand how to find happiness. This effort turned out to be pointless (Ecclesiastes 2:11). the few days of their lives: All human experiences are like "a breath."Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3-113-11. Illustration more at large of Ec 2:1, 2. I sought--I resolved, after search into many plans. give myself unto wine--literally, "to draw my flesh," or "body to wine" (including all banquetings). Image from a captive drawn after a chariot in triumph (Ro 6:16, 19; 1Co 12:2); or, one "allured" (2Pe 2:18, 19). yet acquainting ... wisdom--literally, "and my heart (still) was behaving, or guiding itself," with wisdom [Gesenius]. Maurer translates: "was…Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 2:3
In the dictionaries
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
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries