New American Standard Bible 1995

Ecclesiastes 2:3-12

3I explored with my 1mind how to 2stimulate my body with wine while my 3mind was guiding me wisely, and how to take hold of 4folly, until I could see 5what good there is for the sons of men 6to do under heaven the few 7years of their lives. 4I enlarged my works: I 8built houses for myself, I planted 9vineyards for myself; 5I made 10gardens and 11parks for myself and I planted in them all kinds of fruit trees; 6I made 12ponds of water for myself from which to irrigate a forest of growing trees. 7I bought male and female slaves and I had 13 14homeborn slaves. Also I possessed flocks and 15herds larger than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. 8Also, I collected for myself silver and 16gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I provided for myself 17male and female singers and the pleasures of men--many concubines.

9Then I became 18great and increased more than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also stood by me. 10 19All 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 20reward for all my labor. 11Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had 21exerted, and behold all was 22 23vanity and striving after wind and there was 24no profit under the sun.

12So I turned to 25consider wisdom, madness and folly; for what will the man do who will come after the king except 26what has already been done?

Read all of Ecclesiastes 2

Notes

1. Ecclesiastes 2:3 Lit heart ↩
2. Ecclesiastes 2:3 Judg 9:13; Ps 104:15; Eccl 10:19 ↩
3. Ecclesiastes 2:3 Lit heart ↩
4. Ecclesiastes 2:3 Eccl 7:25 ↩
5. Ecclesiastes 2:3 Eccl 2:24; 3:12, 13; 5:18; 6:12; 8:15; 12:13 ↩
6. Ecclesiastes 2:3 Lit which they do ↩
7. Ecclesiastes 2:3 Lit days ↩
8. Ecclesiastes 2:4 1 Kin 7:1-12 ↩
9. Ecclesiastes 2:4 Song 8:11 ↩
10. Ecclesiastes 2:5 Song 4:16; 5:1 ↩
11. Ecclesiastes 2:5 Neh 2:8 ↩
12. Ecclesiastes 2:6 Neh 2:14; 3:15, 16 ↩
13. Ecclesiastes 2:7 Lit sons of the house ↩
14. Ecclesiastes 2:7 Gen 14:14; 15:3 ↩
15. Ecclesiastes 2:7 1 Kin 4:23 ↩
16. Ecclesiastes 2:8 1 Kin 9:28; 10:10, 14, 21 ↩
17. Ecclesiastes 2:8 2 Sam 19:35 ↩
18. Ecclesiastes 2:9 1 Chr 29:25; Eccl 1:16 ↩
19. Ecclesiastes 2:10 Eccl 6:2 ↩
20. Ecclesiastes 2:10 Eccl 3:22; 5:18; 9:9 ↩
21. Ecclesiastes 2:11 Lit labored to do ↩
22. Ecclesiastes 2:11 Or futility, and so throughout the ch ↩
23. Ecclesiastes 2:11 Eccl 1:14; 2:22, 23 ↩
24. Ecclesiastes 2:11 Eccl 1:3; 3:9; 5:16 ↩
25. Ecclesiastes 2:12 Eccl 1:17 ↩
26. Ecclesiastes 2:12 Eccl 1:9, 10; 3:15 ↩

Notes

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 2