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

8Also, I collected for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I provided for myself male and female singers and the pleasures of men--many concubines. 9Then I became great and increased more than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also stood by me. All that my eyes desired I did not refuse them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my heart was pleased because of all my labor and this was my reward for all my labor. 11Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun. 12So I turned to consider wisdom, madness and folly; for what will the man do who will come after the king except 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

• Allכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
• that my eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869
• desiredשָׁאַלshâ'al shâ'êl · to askH7592
• I did not refuseאָצַל'âtsal · to reserveH680
• them. I did not withholdמָנַעmâna‛ · to withholdH4513
• my heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
• pleasureשִׂמְחָהώimchâh · joyH8057
• was pleasedשָׂמֵחַώâmêach · gladH8056
• becauseמִן־min minnîy minnêy · fromH4480
• my laborעָמָל‛âmâl · troubleH5999
• and thisזֶהzeh · thisH2088
• rewardחֵ֫לֶקchêleq · portionH2506

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 2:10

• Ecclesiastes 3:22I have seen that nothing is better than that man should be happy in his activities, for that is his lot. For who will bring him to see what will occur after him?
• Ecclesiastes 6:9What the eyes see is better than what the soul desires. This too is futility and a striving after wind.
• Ecclesiastes 11:9Rejoice, young man, during your childhood, and let your heart be pleasant during the days of young manhood. And follow the impulses of your heart and the desires of your eyes. Yet know that God will bring you to judgment for all these things.
• Genesis 3:6When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.
• Genesis 6:2that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose.
• Judges 14:2So he came back and told his father and mother, “I saw a woman in Timnah, one of the daughters of the Philistines; now therefore, get her for me as a wife.”
• Job 31:1“I have made a covenant with my eyes; How then could I gaze at a virgin?
• Psalms 119:37Turn away my eyes from looking at vanity, And revive me in Your ways.
• Proverbs 23:5When you set your eyes on it, it is gone. For wealth certainly makes itself wings Like an eagle that flies toward the heavens.
• 1 John 2:16For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.
• Ecclesiastes 2:1I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure. So enjoy yourself.” And behold, it too was futility.
• Ecclesiastes 5:18Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat, to drink and enjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he toils under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him; for this is his reward.
• Ecclesiastes 9:9Enjoy life with the woman whom you love all the days of your fleeting life which He has given to you under the sun; for this is your reward in life and in your toil in which you have labored under the sun.
• Psalms 128:2When you shall eat of the fruit of your hands, You will be happy and it will 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