Ecclesiastes 2:22

Ecclesiastes 2:22 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun?
• New International Version (NIV)What do people get for all the toil and anxious striving with which they labor under the sun?
• English Standard Version (ESV)What has a man from all the toil and striving of heart with which he toils beneath the sun?
• New King James Version (NKJV)For what has man for all his labor, and for the striving of his heart with which he has toiled under the sun?

Context of Ecclesiastes 2:22

20So I was very upset when I thought about all my hard work on the earth. 21Some people are very wise and clever. They use their knowledge to provide good things for themselves. But after they die, someone else will have all their things. Their good things will belong to someone who did not have to work to get them. This also has no purpose. It only brings trouble. People have to do a lot of hard work on this earth and it causes them to worry. But in the end, they have nothing. 23Every day, their work causes their bodies to suffer. At night, their minds do not have any rest. All this has no purpose. 24So I decided what is best for us to do. We should be happy to eat and to drink. And we should enjoy our work. I realized that all these things are gifts from God.

Ecclesiastes 2:22 word by word

כִּ֠י מֶֽה־הֹוֶ֤ה לָֽאָדָם֙ בְּכָל־עֲמָל֔וֹ וּבְרַעְי֖וֹן לִבּ֑וֹ שֶׁה֥וּא עָמֵ֖ל תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• For what hathהָוָהhâvâ' hâvâh · to beH1933
• manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• of all his labourעָמָל‛âmâl · troubleH5999
• and of the vexationרַעְיוֹןra‛yôn · strivingH7475
• of his heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
• whereinהוּאhû' hîy' · he/she/itH1931
• he hath labouredעָמֵל‛âmêl · laboriousH6001
• under the sunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁshemesh · sunH8121

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 2:22

• 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?
• Ecclesiastes 3:9People work very hard, but what do they receive in return?
• Ecclesiastes 5:10People who love money never have enough. They may get more and more valuable things, but they are never happy. This also has no purpose.
• Ecclesiastes 6:7The reason people work so hard is to get food. But they never have enough to eat.
• Ecclesiastes 8:15So I think that we should enjoy our lives. People should be happy to eat, drink and enjoy their lives. That is the best thing for them to do. It will help them to enjoy the work that they do during their lives. That is the life which God has given them on the earth.
• Proverbs 16:26When a worker feels hungry, it causes him to work more. So it helps him to get food to eat.
• 1 Timothy 6:8So, if we have enough food and clothes, we should be happy with that.
• Ecclesiastes 4:6It is good to have only a little food and be happy. That is better than too much hard work that gives you a lot of food. It is as useless as somebody who tries to catch the wind.
• Psalms 127:2It will not help you to work all day for food, and never stop. God gives food to the people that he loves. Even while they sleep, God takes care of them.
• Matthew 6:11Please give us the food that we need today.
• Matthew 16:26A person may get everything in the whole world for himself. But if he loses his life, it will not be any good for him. There is nothing that a person can give to get back his life.
• Luke 12:22Jesus said to his disciples, ‘I tell you this: You should not worry about how to stay alive. Do not worry about the food that you need to stay alive. Do not worry about the clothes that you need to wear.
• Philippians 4:6Do not worry about anything. Instead, pray to God about everything. Ask him to help you with the things that you need. And thank him for his help.
• 1 Peter 5:7If you have any kind of trouble in your mind, give it to God. God has promised to take care of you.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 2:22

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 22For what hath man of all his laborer - Labour of body, disappointment of hope, and vexation of heart, have been all my portion.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. 12-23The Teacher now examines the value of wisdom (Ecclesiastes 2:12–17) and hard work (2:18–23). These, too, are futile (Ecclesiastes 2:17).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2222. Same sentiment as in Ec 2:21, interrogatively.Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 2:22

• Afflictions and Adversities
• 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