New American Standard Bible 2020
Ecclesiastes 2:11
11So I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had 1exerted, and behold, all was 2futility and striving after wind, and there was 3no benefit under the sun.
Ecclesiastes 2:11 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.
- New International Version (NIV)Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then 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.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done And on the labor in which I had toiled; And indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun.
Context of Ecclesiastes 2:11
9Then I became great and increased more than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also stood by me. 10All that my eyes desired, I did not refuse them. I did not restrain my heart from any pleasure, for my heart was pleased because of all my labor; and this was my reward for all my labor. So I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold, all was futility and striving after wind, and there was no benefit under the sun. 12So I turned to consider wisdom, insanity, and foolishness; for what will the man do who will come after the king, except what has already been done? 13Then I saw that wisdom surpasses foolishness as light surpasses darkness.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 2Ecclesiastes 2:11 word by word
וּפָנִ֣יתִֽי אֲנִ֗י בְּכָל־מַעֲשַׂי֙ שֶֽׁעָשׂ֣וּ יָדַ֔י וּבֶֽעָמָ֖ל שֶׁעָמַ֣לְתִּי לַעֲשׂ֑וֹת וְהִנֵּ֨ה הַכֹּ֥ל הֶ֙בֶל֙ וּרְע֣וּת ר֔וּחַ וְאֵ֥ין יִתְר֖וֹן תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃Read the interlinear
- So I consideredפָּנָהpânâh · to turnH6437
- allכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
- my activitiesמַעֲשֶׂהma‛ăώeh · deed: workH4639
- whichשֶׁלshel · whichH7945
- my handsיָדyâd · handH3027
- had doneעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- and the laborעָמָל‛âmâl · troubleH5999
- and beholdהִנֵּהhinnêh · beholdH2009
- futilityהֶ֫בֶלhebel hăbêl · vanityH1892
- and strivingרְעוּתre‛ûth · longingH7469
- after windרוּחַrûach · spirit: breathH7307
- and thereאַ֫יִן'ayin · nothingH369
- benefitיִתְרוֹןyithrôn · advantageH3504
- underתַּחַתtachath · underneath: underH8478
- the sunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁshemesh · sunH8121
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 2:11
- Ecclesiastes 2:14The wise person’s eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. And yet I know that one and the same fate happens to both of them.
- Genesis 1:31And God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
- Exodus 39:43And Moses examined all the work, and behold, they had done it; just as the Lord had commanded, this they had done. So Moses blessed them.
- 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 1:3What advantage does a person have in all his work Which he does under the sun?
- Habakkuk 2:13Is it not indeed from the Lord of armies That peoples labor merely for fire, And nations become weary for nothing?
- 1 Timothy 6:6But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment.
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 2:11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11And, behold, all was vanity - Emptiness and insufficiency in itself. And vexation of spirit - Because it promised the good I wished for, but did not, could not, perform the promise; and left my soul discontented and chagrined.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11futile...nothing to be gained: Accomplishments may lead to hopelessness and discouragement because they lack lasting meaning (Ecclesiastes 2:18–23).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 2:11
In the dictionaries
Notes
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
New American Standard Bible 2020 — © 1960–2020 The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
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