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 labour wherewith I had been toiling under the sun, because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me. 19And who knoweth whether he will be a wise [man] or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour at which I have laboured, and wherein I have been wise under the sun. This also is vanity. Then I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour wherewith I had laboured under the sun. 21For there is a man whose labour hath been with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skill, and who leaveth it to a man that hath not laboured therein, to be his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil. 22For what will man have of all his labour and of the striving of his heart, wherewith he hath wearied himself under the sun?

Ecclesiastes 2:20 word by word

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

• wentסָבַבsâbab · to turn: turnH5437
• heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
• despairיָאַשׁyâ'ash · to despairH2976
• sunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁshemesh · sunH8121

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 2:20

• Genesis 43:14And the Almighty God give you mercy before the man, that he may send away your other brother and Benjamin! And I, if I be bereaved of children, am bereaved.
• Job 17:11My days are past, my purposes are broken off, the cherished thoughts of my heart.
• Psalms 39:6Verily, man walketh in a vain show; verily they are disquieted in vain; he heapeth up [riches], and knoweth not who shall gather them.
• 1 Corinthians 15:19If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are [the] most miserable of all men.
• 2 Corinthians 1:8For we do not wish you to be ignorant, brethren, as to our tribulation which happened [to us] in Asia, that we were excessively pressed beyond [our] power, so as to despair even of living.
• 1 Thessalonians 3:3that no one might be moved by these afflictions. (For yourselves know that we are set for this;

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