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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Anything I wanted, I would take. I denied myself no pleasure. I even found great pleasure in hard work, a reward for all my labors.

Context of Ecclesiastes 2:10

8I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I got singers, both men and women, and many concubines, the delight of the sons of man. 9So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. 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. 11Then 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. 12So I turned to consider wisdom and madness and folly. For what can the man do who comes after the king? Only 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 3:22So I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work, for that is his lot. Who can bring him to see what will be after him?
• Ecclesiastes 6:9Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite: this also is vanity and a striving after wind.
• Ecclesiastes 11:9Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.
• Genesis 3:6So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.
• Genesis 6:2the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose.
• Judges 14:2Then he came up and told his father and mother, "I saw one of the daughters of the Philistines at Timnah. Now get her for me as my wife."
• Job 31:1"I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I gaze at a virgin?
• Psalms 119:37Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways.
• Proverbs 23:5When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven.
• 1 John 2:16For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.
• Ecclesiastes 2:1I said in my heart, "Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy yourself." But behold, this also was vanity.
• Ecclesiastes 5:18Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot.
• Ecclesiastes 9:9Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun.
• Psalms 128:2You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with 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