Ecclesiastes 2:12

Ecclesiastes 2:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.
• New International Version (NIV)Then I turned my thoughts to consider wisdom, and also madness and folly. What more can the king’s successor do than what has already been done?
• English Standard Version (ESV)So I turned to consider wisdom and madness and folly. For what can the man do who comes after the king? Only what has already been done.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then I turned myself to consider wisdom and madness and folly; For what can the man do who succeeds the king?— Only what he has already done.

Context of Ecclesiastes 2:12

10I did not restrain myself from getting whatever I wanted; I did not deny myself anything that would bring me pleasure. So all my accomplishments gave me joy; this was my reward for all my effort. 11Yet when I reflected on everything I had accomplished and on all the effort that I had expended to accomplish it, I concluded: “All these achievements and possessions are ultimately profitless – like chasing the wind! There is nothing gained from them on earth.” Next, I decided to consider wisdom, as well as foolish behavior and ideas. For what more can the king’s successor do than what the king has already done? 13I realized that wisdom is preferable to folly, just as light is preferable to darkness: 14The wise man can see where he is going, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also realized that the same fate happens to them both.

Ecclesiastes 2:12 word by word

וּפָנִ֤יתִֽי אֲנִי֙ לִרְא֣וֹת חָכְמָ֔ה וְהוֹלֵל֖וֹת וְסִכְל֑וּת כִּ֣י׀ מֶ֣ה הָאָדָ֗ם שֶׁיָּבוֹא֙ אַחֲרֵ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־כְּבָ֖ר עָשֽׂוּהוּ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And I turnedפָּנָהpânâh · to turnH6437
• myself to beholdרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: examineH7200
• wisdomחׇכְמָהchokmâh · wisdomH2451
• and madnessהוֹלֵלָהhôlêlâh · madnessH1947
• and follyסִכְלוּתsiklûth ώiklûth · follyH5531
• the manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• that comethבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• afterאַחַר'achar · afterH310
• the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• that which hath been alreadyכְּבָרkebâr · alreadyH3528
• doneעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 2:12

• Ecclesiastes 1:17So I decided to discern the benefit of wisdom and knowledge over foolish behavior and ideas; however, I concluded that even this endeavor is like trying to chase the wind!
• Ecclesiastes 7:25I tried to understand, examine, and comprehend the role of wisdom in the scheme of things, and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the insanity of folly.
• Ecclesiastes 2:25For no one can eat and drink or experience joy apart from him.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 2:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12For what can the man do that cometh after the king? - I have examined every thing proposed by science, by maddening pleasure, and by more refined and regulated mirth. I seized on the whole, and used them to the uttermost; and so far, that none ever shall be able to exceed me; as none can, in the course of things, ever have such power and means of gratification.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-17Verses 12-17 Solomon found that knowledge and prudence were preferable to ignorance and folly, though human wisdom and knowledge will not make a man happy. The most learned of men, who dies a stranger to Christ Jesus, will perish equally with the most ignorant; and what good can commendations on earth do to the body in the grave, or the soul in hell? And the spirits of just men made perfect cannot want them. So that if this were all, we might be led to…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12what more can the king’s successor do than what has already been accomplished?: After the Teacher, no one will have a better way to compare wisdom and foolishness because nothing new will happen under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9–10).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. He had tried (worldly) wisdom (Ec 1:12-18) and folly (foolish pleasure) (Ec 2:1-11); he now compares them (Ec 2:12) and finds that while (worldly) wisdom excelleth folly (Ec 2:13, 14), yet the one event, death, befalls both (Ec 2:14-16), and that thus the wealth acquired by the wise man's "labor" may descend to a "fool" that hath not labored (Ec 2:18, 19, 21); therefore all his labor is vanity (Ec 2:22, 23). what can the man do ... already done--(Ec…Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 2:12

• Investigation
• Pleasure
• Wisdom
• Worldliness

In the dictionaries

• Gather
• Laughter
• Madness
• Ecclesiastes, the Preacher
• Fool; Folly
• 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