Ecclesiastes 2:11

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

9As a result, I was greater than anyone who had ever lived in Jerusalem before me. And I continued to follow the way of wisdom. 10If I saw something that I wanted I took it for myself. If something would give me pleasure, I did it. So all my work made me very happy. My hard work gave me things to enjoy. Then I thought about everything that I had done, and all my hard work. After all that, I realized that none of these things had a purpose. I was like somebody who tries to catch the wind. None of the things on earth have any value. 12Then I decided to think about wisdom. I also thought about foolish ways to live. I thought, ‘The next king will not do any more than I have already done.’ 13I realized that it is better to be wise than foolish. In the same way, the light is better than the dark.

Ecclesiastes 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then I lookedפָּנָהpânâh · to turnH6437
• on all the worksמַעֲשֶׂהma‛ăώeh · deed: workH4639
• that my handsיָדyâd · handH3027
• had wroughtעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• and on the labourעָמָל‛âmâl · troubleH5999
• that I had labouredעָמַל‛âmal · to toilH5998
• vanityהֶ֫בֶלhebel hăbêl · vanityH1892
• and vexationרְעוּתre‛ûth · longingH7469
• of spiritרוּחַrûach · spirit: breathH7307
• no profitיִתְרוֹןyithrôn · advantageH3504
• under the sunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁshemesh · sunH8121

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 2:11

• Ecclesiastes 2:14Wise people can see where they are going. Foolish people walk in the dark. But at the end of their lives, there is no difference. They both die.
• Genesis 1:31God looked at everything that he had made. He saw that it was very good. Evening passed. And then it was morning. That was the sixth day.
• Exodus 39:43Moses carefully checked all the work. He saw that the workers had done it exactly as the Lord had commanded them. When Moses saw this, he blessed the people.
• 1 John 2:16What are the wrong things that belong to this world? People want to do bad things to make themselves happy. People want to have things that they see, even bad things. People want to show other people how rich they are. These ideas do not come from God, our Father. They are the thoughts of people who belong to the world.
• Ecclesiastes 1:3People work very hard while they live on the earth. But in the end, what do they receive in return for their work?
• Habakkuk 2:13Listen! The Lord Almighty has commanded this: All the work that people do to get things for themselves is useless. The things that the nations work so hard to get will become smoke!
• 1 Timothy 6:6What makes our life really rich? We should serve God in a way that pleases him and be happy with the things that we have.

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

• Amusements and Worldly Pleasures
• Industry
• Investigation
• Pleasure
• Vanity
• Wine
• Wisdom
• Worldliness

In the dictionaries

• Gather
• Laughter
• Ecclesiastes, the Preacher
• Labor
• Look
• Synagogue, the Great
• Wisdom

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