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Ecclesiastes 2

Ecclesiastes

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New American Standard Bible 2020

Ecclesiastes 2

The Futility of Pleasure and Possessions

1I saidH559 1to myselfH3820, “ComeH1980 nowH4994, I will testH5254 you with 2pleasureH8057. So 3enjoyH7200H2896 yourself.” And beholdH2009, it tooH1571 was futilityH1892. 24I saidH559 of laughterH7814, “It is senselessH1984,” and of pleasureH8057, “WhatH4100 does thisH2088 accomplishH6213?” 3I exploredH8446 with my 5mindH3820 how to 6refreshH4900 my bodyH1320 with wineH3196 while my 7mindH3820 was guidingH5090 me wiselyH2451; and how to seizeH270 8foolishnessH5531, untilH5704H834 I could seeH7200 9whatH335H2088 goodH2896 there is for the sonsH1121 of mankindH120 10to doH6213 underH8478 heavenH8064 for the fewH4557 11yearsH3117 of their livesH2425. 4I enlargedH1431 my worksH4639: I 12builtH1129 housesH1004 for myself, I plantedH5193 13vineyardsH3754 for myself; 5I madeH6213 14gardensH1593 and 15parksH6508 for myself, and I plantedH5193 in them allH3605 kinds of fruitH6529 treesH6086; 6I madeH6213 16pondsH1295 of waterH4325 for myself from which to irrigateH8248 a forestH3293 of growingH6779 treesH6086. 7I boughtH7069 maleH5650 and femaleH8198 slavesH8198H5650, and I hadH1961 1718slavesH1121 born at homeH1004. I alsoH1571 possessed flocksH6629 and 19herdsH1241 largerH7235 thanH4480 allH3605 whoH7945 precededH6440 me in JerusalemH3389. 8I alsoH1571 amassedH3664 for myself silverH3701 and 20goldH2091, and the treasureH5459 of kingsH4428 and provincesH4082. I providedH6213 for myself 21male and female singersH7891, and the pleasuresH8588 of the sonsH1121 of mankindH120: manyH7705 concubinesH7705.

9Then I becameH1431 22greatH1431 and increasedH3254 moreH4480 thanH4480 allH3605 whoH7945 precededH6440 me in JerusalemH3389. My wisdomH2451 alsoH637 stoodH5975 by me. 1023AllH3605 that my eyesH5869 desiredH7592, I did not refuseH680 them. I did not restrainH4513 my heartH3820 from anyH3605 pleasureH8057, for my heartH3820 was pleasedH8056 becauseH4480 of allH3605 my laborH5999; and thisH2088 was my 24rewardH2506 for allH3605 my laborH5999. 11So I consideredH6437 allH3605 my activitiesH4639 whichH7945 my handsH3027 had doneH6213 and the laborH5999 whichH7945 I had 25exertedH6213, and beholdH2009, allH3605 was 26futilityH1892 and strivingH7469 after windH7307, and thereH369 wasH369 27noH369 benefitH3504 underH8478 the sunH8121.

Wisdom Surpasses Foolishness

12So I turnedH6437 to 28considerH7200 wisdomH2451, insanityH1947, and foolishnessH5531; for whatH4100 will the manH120 do whoH7945 will comeH935 afterH310 the kingH4428, except 29whatH834 has alreadyH3528 been doneH6213? 13Then I sawH7200 that 30wisdomH2451 surpassesH3426H3504H4480 foolishnessH5531 as lightH216 surpassesH3504H4480 darknessH2822. 14The wiseH2450 person’sH2450 eyesH5869 are in his headH7218, but the 31foolH3684 walksH1980 in darknessH2822. And yetH1571 I knowH3045 that 32oneH259 and the same fateH4745 happensH7136 to 33bothH3605 of them. 15Then I saidH559 34to myselfH3820, “35As is the fateH4745 of the foolH3684, it will alsoH1571 happenH7136 to me. 36WhyH4100 thenH227 have I beenH2449 extremelyH3148 wiseH2449?” So 37I saidH1696 to myselfH3820, “ThisH2088 tooH1571 is futilityH1892.” 16For thereH369 isH369 38noH369 39lastingH5769 remembranceH2146 of the wiseH2450, alongH5973 withH5973 the foolH3684, sinceH7945 in the comingH935 daysH3117 everythingH3605 will 40soonH3528 be forgottenH7911. And 41howH349 the wiseH2450 and the foolH3684 alikeH5973 dieH4191! 17So I 42hatedH8130 lifeH2425, for the workH4639 whichH7945 had been doneH6213 underH8478 the sunH8121 was 43unhappyH7451 to me; becauseH3588 everythingH3605 is futilityH1892 and strivingH7469 after windH7307.

The Futility of Labor

18So I hatedH8130 44allH3605 the fruitH5999 ofH5999 my laborH5999 for whichH7945 I had laboredH6001 underH8478 the sunH8121, because I must 45leaveH5117 it to the manH120 whoH7945 will comeH1961 afterH310 me. 19And whoH4310 knowsH3045 whether he will be wiseH2450 orH176 46a foolH5530? Yet he will haveH7980 controlH7980 overH7980 allH3605 the fruitH5999 ofH5999 my laborH5999 for whichH7945 I have laboredH5998 by actingH2449 wiselyH2449 underH8478 the sunH8121. ThisH2088 tooH1571 is 47futilityH1892. 20Therefore I 48completelyH5437H3820 despairedH2976 overH5921 allH3605 the fruitH5999 ofH5999 my laborH5999 for whichH7945 I had laboredH5998 underH8478 the sunH8121. 21WhenH3588 thereH3426 isH3426 a personH120 whoH7945 has laboredH5998 with wisdomH2451, knowledgeH1847, and 49skillH3788, and then 50givesH5414 his 51legacyH2506 to oneH120 whoH7945 has not laboredH5998 for it; thisH2088 tooH1571 is futilityH1892 and a greatH7227 evilH7463. 22For whatH4100 does a personH120 getH1933 in 52allH3605 his laborH5999 and in 53his strivingH7475 with whichH7945 he laborsH6001 underH8478 the sunH8121? 23BecauseH3588 allH3605 his daysH3117 his activityH6045 is painfulH4341 and 54irritatingH3708; evenH1571 at nightH3915 his 55mindH3820 56does not restH7901. ThisH2088 tooH1571 is futilityH1892.

24ThereH369 isH369 57nothingH369 betterH2896 for a personH120 than to eatH398 and drinkH8354, and showH7200 58himselfH5315 some goodH2896 in his troubleH5999. ThisH2090 tooH1571 I have seenH7200, that it is 59from the handH3027 of GodH430. 25For whoH4310 can eatH398 and whoH4310 can haveH2363 enjoymentH2363 withoutH2351H4480 60Him? 26For to a personH120 whoH7945 is goodH2896 in His sightH6440, 61He has givenH5414 wisdomH2451 and knowledgeH1847 and joyH8057, while to the sinnerH2398 He has givenH5414 the taskH6045 of gatheringH622 and collectingH3664 so that he may 62giveH5414 to oneH2896 who is goodH2896 in God’sH430 sightH6440. ThisH2088 tooH1571 is 63futilityH1892 and strivingH7469 after windH7307.

Notes

  1. 1. Ecclesiastes 2:1 Lit in my heart ↩
  2. 2. Ecclesiastes 2:1 Eccl 7:4; 8:15 ↩
  3. 3. Ecclesiastes 2:1 Lit consider with goodness ↩
  4. 4. Ecclesiastes 2:2 Prov 14:13; Eccl 7:3, 6 ↩
  5. 5. Ecclesiastes 2:3 Lit heart ↩
  6. 6. Ecclesiastes 2:3 Judg 9:13; Ps 104:15; Eccl 10:19 ↩
  7. 7. Ecclesiastes 2:3 Lit heart ↩
  8. 8. Ecclesiastes 2:3 Eccl 7:25 ↩
  9. 9. Ecclesiastes 2:3 Eccl 2:24; 3:12, 13; 5:18; 6:12; 8:15; 12:13 ↩
  10. 10. Ecclesiastes 2:3 Lit which they do ↩
  11. 11. Ecclesiastes 2:3 Lit days ↩
  12. 12. Ecclesiastes 2:4 1 Kin 7:1-12 ↩
  13. 13. Ecclesiastes 2:4 Song 8:11 ↩
  14. 14. Ecclesiastes 2:5 Song 4:16; 5:1 ↩
  15. 15. Ecclesiastes 2:5 Neh 2:8 ↩
  16. 16. Ecclesiastes 2:6 Neh 2:14; 3:15, 16 ↩
  17. 17. Ecclesiastes 2:7 Lit sons ↩
  18. 18. Ecclesiastes 2:7 Gen 14:14; 15:3 ↩
  19. 19. Ecclesiastes 2:7 1 Kin 4:23 ↩
  20. 20. Ecclesiastes 2:8 1 Kin 9:28; 10:10, 14, 21 ↩
  21. 21. Ecclesiastes 2:8 2 Sam 19:35 ↩
  22. 22. Ecclesiastes 2:9 1 Chr 29:25; Eccl 1:16 ↩
  23. 23. Ecclesiastes 2:10 Eccl 6:2 ↩
  24. 24. Ecclesiastes 2:10 Eccl 3:22; 5:18; 9:9 ↩
  25. 25. Ecclesiastes 2:11 Lit labored to do ↩
  26. 26. Ecclesiastes 2:11 Eccl 1:14; 2:22, 23 ↩
  27. 27. Ecclesiastes 2:11 Eccl 1:3; 3:9; 5:16 ↩
  28. 28. Ecclesiastes 2:12 Eccl 1:17 ↩
  29. 29. Ecclesiastes 2:12 Eccl 1:9, 10; 3:15 ↩
  30. 30. Ecclesiastes 2:13 Eccl 7:11, 12, 19; 9:18; 10:10 ↩
  31. 31. Ecclesiastes 2:14 1 John 2:11 ↩
  32. 32. Ecclesiastes 2:14 Ps 49:10; Eccl 3:19; 6:6; 7:2; 9:2, 3 ↩
  33. 33. Ecclesiastes 2:14 Lit all of ↩
  34. 34. Ecclesiastes 2:15 Lit in my heart ↩
  35. 35. Ecclesiastes 2:15 Eccl 2:16 ↩
  36. 36. Ecclesiastes 2:15 Eccl 6:8, 11 ↩
  37. 37. Ecclesiastes 2:15 Lit I spoke in my heart ↩
  38. 38. Ecclesiastes 2:16 Eccl 1:11; 9:5 ↩
  39. 39. Ecclesiastes 2:16 Lit forever ↩
  40. 40. Ecclesiastes 2:16 Lit already ↩
  41. 41. Ecclesiastes 2:16 Eccl 2:14 ↩
  42. 42. Ecclesiastes 2:17 Eccl 4:2, 3 ↩
  43. 43. Ecclesiastes 2:17 Lit evil ↩
  44. 44. Ecclesiastes 2:18 Eccl 1:3; 2:11 ↩
  45. 45. Ecclesiastes 2:18 Ps 39:6; 49:10 ↩
  46. 46. Ecclesiastes 2:19 1 Kin 12:13 ↩
  47. 47. Ecclesiastes 2:19 1 Tim 6:10 ↩
  48. 48. Ecclesiastes 2:20 Lit turned aside my heart to despair ↩
  49. 49. Ecclesiastes 2:21 Eccl 4:4 ↩
  50. 50. Ecclesiastes 2:21 Eccl 2:18 ↩
  51. 51. Ecclesiastes 2:21 Lit share ↩
  52. 52. Ecclesiastes 2:22 Eccl 1:3; 2:11 ↩
  53. 53. Ecclesiastes 2:22 Lit the striving of his heart ↩
  54. 54. Ecclesiastes 2:23 Job 5:7; 14:1; Eccl 1:18; 5:17 ↩
  55. 55. Ecclesiastes 2:23 Lit heart ↩
  56. 56. Ecclesiastes 2:23 Ps 127:2 ↩
  57. 57. 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 ↩
  58. 58. Ecclesiastes 2:24 Lit his soul ↩
  59. 59. Ecclesiastes 2:24 Eccl 3:13 ↩
  60. 60. Ecclesiastes 2:25 As in LXX; Heb me ↩
  61. 61. Ecclesiastes 2:26 Job 32:8; Prov 2:6 ↩
  62. 62. Ecclesiastes 2:26 Job 27:16, 17; Prov 13:22 ↩
  63. 63. Ecclesiastes 2:26 Eccl 1:14 ↩

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 2

New American Standard Bible 2020 — © 1960–2020 The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.