New American Standard Bible 1995

Ecclesiastes 2:18-26

18Thus I hatedH8130 1allH3605 the fruitH5999 of my laborH5999 for whichH7945 I had laboredH6001 underH8478 the sunH8121, for I must 2leaveH5117 it to the manH120 whoH7945 will comeH1961 afterH310 me. 19And whoH4310 knowsH3045 whether he will be a wiseH2450 manH2450 orH176 3a foolH5530? Yet he will have 4controlH7980 overH7980 allH3605 the fruitH5999 of my laborH5999 for whichH7945 I have laboredH5998 by actingH2449 wiselyH2449 underH8478 the sunH8121. ThisH2088 tooH1571 is 5vanityH1892. 20Therefore I 6completelyH5437 H3820 despairedH2976 of allH3605 the fruitH5999 of my laborH5999 for whichH7945 I had laboredH5998 underH8478 the sunH8121. 21WhenH3588 thereH3426 is a manH120 whoH7945 has laboredH5998 with wisdomH2451, knowledgeH1847 and 7skillH3788, then he 8givesH5414 his 9legacyH2506 to oneH120 whoH7945 has not laboredH5998 with them. ThisH2088 tooH1571 is vanityH1892 and a greatH7227 evilH7463. 22For whatH4100 does a manH120 getH1933 in 10allH3605 his laborH5999 and in 11his strivingH7475 with whichH7945 he laborsH6001 underH8478 the sunH8121? 23BecauseH3588 allH3605 his daysH3117 his taskH6045 is painfulH4341 and 12grievousH3708; evenH1571 at nightH3915 his 13mindH3820 14does not restH7901. ThisH2088 tooH1571 is vanityH1892.

24ThereH369 is 15nothingH369 betterH2896 for a manH120 than to eatH398 and drinkH8354 and 16tellH7200 himselfH5315 that his laborH5999 is goodH2896. ThisH2090 alsoH1571 I have seenH7200 that it is 17from the handH3027 of GodH430. 25For whoH4310 can eatH398 and whoH4310 can haveH2363 enjoymentH2363 withoutH2351 H4480 18Him? 26For to a personH120 whoH7945 is goodH2896 in His sightH6440 19He has givenH5414 wisdomH2451 and knowledgeH1847 and joyH8057, while to the sinnerH2398 He has givenH5414 the taskH6045 of gatheringH622 and collectingH3664 so that he may 20giveH5414 to oneH2896 whoH2896 is goodH2896 in God’sH430 sightH6440. ThisH2088 tooH1571 is 21vanityH1892 and strivingH7469 after windH7307.

Notes

1. Ecclesiastes 2:18 Eccl 1:3; 2:11 ↩
2. Ecclesiastes 2:18 Ps 39:6; 49:10 ↩
3. Ecclesiastes 2:19 1 Kin 12:13 ↩
4. Ecclesiastes 2:19 Lit dominion ↩
5. Ecclesiastes 2:19 1 Tim 6:10 ↩
6. Ecclesiastes 2:20 Lit turned aside my heart to despair ↩
7. Ecclesiastes 2:21 Eccl 4:4 ↩
8. Ecclesiastes 2:21 Eccl 2:18 ↩
9. Ecclesiastes 2:21 Lit share ↩
10. Ecclesiastes 2:22 Eccl 1:3; 2:11 ↩
11. Ecclesiastes 2:22 Lit the striving of his heart ↩
12. Ecclesiastes 2:23 Job 5:7; 14:1; Eccl 1:18; 5:17 ↩
13. Ecclesiastes 2:23 Lit heart ↩
14. Ecclesiastes 2:23 Ps 127:2 ↩
15. Ecclesiastes 2:24 Eccl 2:3; 3:12, 13, 22; 5:18; 6:12; 8:15; 9:7; Is 56:12; Luke 12:19; 1 Cor 15:32; 1 Tim 6:17 ↩
16. Ecclesiastes 2:24 Lit cause his soul to see good in his labor ↩
17. Ecclesiastes 2:24 Eccl 3:13 ↩
18. Ecclesiastes 2:25 So Gr; Heb me ↩
19. Ecclesiastes 2:26 Job 32:8; Prov 2:6 ↩
20. Ecclesiastes 2:26 Job 27:16, 17; Prov 13:22 ↩
21. Ecclesiastes 2:26 Eccl 1:14 ↩