Berean Standard Bible
Ecclesiastes 2:11
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.
Ecclesiastes 2:11 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.
- New International Version (NIV)Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.
- New King James Version (NKJV)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. There was no profit under the sun.
Context of Ecclesiastes 2:11
9So I became great and surpassed all in Jerusalem who had preceded me; and 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. Yet 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. 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? 13And I saw that wisdom exceeds folly, just as light exceeds darkness:
Read all of Ecclesiastes 2Ecclesiastes 2:11 word by word
וּפָנִ֣יתִֽי אֲנִ֗י בְּכָל־מַעֲשַׂי֙ שֶֽׁעָשׂ֣וּ יָדַ֔י וּבֶֽעָמָ֖ל שֶׁעָמַ֣לְתִּי לַעֲשׂ֑וֹת וְהִנֵּ֨ה הַכֹּ֥ל הֶ֙בֶל֙ וּרְע֣וּת ר֔וּחַ וְאֵ֥ין יִתְר֖וֹן תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃Read the interlinear
- Yet when Iאֲנִי'ănîy · IH589
- consideredפָּנָהpânâh · to turnH6437
- allכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
- the worksמַעֲשֶׂהma‛ăώeh · deed: workH4639
- that my handsיָדyâd · handH3027
- had accomplishedעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- andעָמָל‛âmâl · troubleH5999
- I had toiledעָמַל‛âmal · to toilH5998
- I foundהִנֵּהhinnêh · beholdH2009
- to be futileהֶ֫בֶלhebel hăbêl · vanityH1892
- a pursuitרְעוּתre‛ûth · longingH7469
- of the windרוּחַrûach · spirit: breathH7307
- there was nothingאַ֫יִן'ayin · nothingH369
- to be gainedיִתְרוֹןyithrôn · advantageH3504
- underתַּחַתtachath · underneath: underH8478
- the sunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁshemesh · sunH8121
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 2:11
- Ecclesiastes 2:14The 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.
- Genesis 1:31And God looked upon all that He had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.
- Exodus 39:43And Moses inspected all the work and saw that they had accomplished it just as the LORD had commanded. So Moses blessed them.
- 1 John 2:16For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world.
- Ecclesiastes 1:3What does a man gain from all his labor, at which he toils under the sun?
- Habakkuk 2:13Is it not indeed from the LORD of Hosts that the labor of the people only feeds the fire, and the nations weary themselves in vain?
- 1 Timothy 6:6Of course, godliness with contentment is great gain.
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 2:11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11And, behold, all was vanity - Emptiness and insufficiency in itself. And vexation of spirit - Because it promised the good I wished for, but did not, could not, perform the promise; and left my soul discontented and chagrined.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11futile...nothing to be gained: Accomplishments may lead to hopelessness and discouragement because they lack lasting meaning (Ecclesiastes 2:18–23).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 2:11
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
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