Ecclesiastes 2:10

Ecclesiastes 2:10 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.
• New International Version (NIV)I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my labor, and this was the reward for all my toil.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And 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.
• New King James Version (NKJV)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.

Context of Ecclesiastes 2:10

8I also amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I gathered male and female singers for myself, and many concubines, the delights of men. 9So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem; my wisdom also remained with me. All that my eyes desired, I did not deny them. I did not refuse myself any pleasure, for I took pleasure in all my struggles. This was my reward for all my struggles. 11When I considered all that I had accomplished and what I had labored to achieve, I found everything to be futile and a pursuit of the wind. There was nothing to be gained under the sun. 12Then I turned to consider wisdom, madness, and folly, for what will the king’s successor be like? He will do what has already been done.

Ecclesiastes 2:10 word by word

וְכֹל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שָֽׁאֲל֣וּ עֵינַ֔י לֹ֥א אָצַ֖לְתִּי מֵהֶ֑ם לֹֽא־מָנַ֨עְתִּי אֶת־לִבִּ֜י מִכָּל־שִׂמְחָ֗ה כִּֽי־לִבִּ֤י שָׂמֵ֙חַ֙ מִכָּל־עֲמָלִ֔י וְזֶֽה־הָיָ֥ה חֶלְקִ֖י מִכָּל־עֲמָלִֽי׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And whatsoever mine eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869
• desiredשָׁאַלshâ'al shâ'êl · to askH7592
• I keptאָצַל'âtsal · to reserveH680
• not from them, I withheldמָנַעmâna‛ · to withholdH4513
• not my heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
• from any joyשִׂמְחָהώimchâh · joyH8057
• rejoicedשָׂמֵחַώâmêach · gladH8056
• in all my labourעָמָל‛âmâl · troubleH5999
• and this was my portionחֵ֫לֶקchêleq · portionH2506

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 2:10

• Ecclesiastes 3:22I have seen that there is nothing better than for a person to enjoy his activities because that is his reward. For who can enable him to see what will happen after he dies?
• Ecclesiastes 6:9Better what the eyes see than wandering desire. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
• Ecclesiastes 11:9Rejoice, young person, while you are young, and let your heart be glad in the days of your youth. And walk in the ways of your heart and in the desire of your eyes; but know that for all of these things God will bring you to judgment.
• Genesis 3:6The woman saw that the tree was good for food and delightful to look at, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate it; she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
• Genesis 6:2the sons of God saw that the daughters of mankind were beautiful, and they took any they chose as wives for themselves.
• Judges 14:2He went back and told his father and his mother, “I have seen a young Philistine woman in Timnah. Now get her for me as a wife.”
• Job 31:1I have made a covenant with my eyes. How then could I look at a young woman?
• Psalms 119:37Turn my eyes from looking at what is worthless; give me life in your ways.
• Proverbs 23:5As soon as your eyes fly to it, it disappears, for it makes wings for itself and flies like an eagle to the sky.
• 1 John 2:16For everything in the world — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s possessions — is not from the Father, but is from the world.
• Ecclesiastes 2:1I said to myself, “Go ahead, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy what is good.” But it turned out to be futile.
• Ecclesiastes 5:18Here is what I have seen to be good: It is appropriate to eat, drink, and experience good in all the labor one does under the sun during the few days of his life God has given him, because that is his reward.
• Ecclesiastes 9:9Enjoy life with the wife you love all the days of your fleeting life, which has been given to you under the sun, all your fleeting days. For that is your portion in life and in your struggle under the sun.
• Psalms 128:2You will surely eat what your hands have worked for. You will be happy, and it will go well for you.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 2:10

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 10I withheld not my heart from any joy - He had every means of gratification; he could desire nothing that was not within his reach; and whatever he wished, he took care to possess.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 10For my heart took delight in all my work: The Teacher highlights a key theme: Joy comes from wise and diligent work (Ecclesiastes 5:12, 18–20).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 2:10

• Epicureans
• Industry
• Investigation
• Joy
• Pleasure
• Self-Indulgence
• Vanity
• Wisdom
• Worldliness

In the dictionaries

• Gather
• Laughter
• Ecclesiastes, the Preacher
• Labor
• 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