New International Version
Ecclesiastes 2:15
15Then I said to myself, “The fate of the fool will overtake me also. What then do I gain by being wise?” I said to myself, “This too is meaningless.”
Ecclesiastes 2:15 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then I said in my heart, "What happens to the fool will happen to me also. Why then have I been so very wise?" And I said in my heart that this also is vanity.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So I said in my heart, “As it happens to the fool, It also happens to me, And why was I then more wise?” Then I said in my heart, “This also is vanity.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)Both will die. So I said to myself, “Since I will end up the same as the fool, what’s the value of all my wisdom? This is all so meaningless!”
Context of Ecclesiastes 2:15
13I saw that wisdom is better than folly, just as light is better than darkness. 14The wise have eyes in their heads, while the fool walks in the darkness; but I came to realize that the same fate overtakes them both. Then I said to myself, “The fate of the fool will overtake me also. What then do I gain by being wise?” I said to myself, “This too is meaningless.” 16For the wise, like the fool, will not be long remembered; the days have already come when both have been forgotten. Like the fool, the wise too must die! 17So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 2Ecclesiastes 2:15 word by word
וְאָמַ֨רְתִּֽי אֲנִ֜י בְּלִבִּ֗י כְּמִקְרֵ֤ה הַכְּסִיל֙ גַּם־אֲנִ֣י יִקְרֵ֔נִי וְלָ֧מָּה חָכַ֛מְתִּי אֲנִ֖י אָ֣ז יוֹתֵ֑ר וְדִבַּ֣רְתִּי בְלִבִּ֔י שֶׁגַּם־זֶ֖ה הָֽבֶל׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Thenאָז'âz · thenH227
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- I in my heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
- As it happenethמִקְרֶהmiqreh · accidentH4745
- to the foolכְּסִילkesîyl · foolH3684
- so it happenethקָרָהqârâh · to meetH7136
- even to meגַּםgam · alsoH1571
- and why was I then moreיוֹתֵרyôthêr · advantageH3148
- wiseחָכַםchâkam · be wiseH2449
- Then I saidדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- vanityהֶ֫בֶלhebel hăbêl · vanityH1892
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 2:15
- Ecclesiastes 1:16I said to myself, “Look, I have increased in wisdom more than anyone who has ruled over Jerusalem before me; I have experienced much of wisdom and knowledge.”
- 1 Kings 3:12I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be.
- Ecclesiastes 1:2“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.”
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 2:15
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15As it happeneth to the fool - Literally, "According as the event is to the fool, it happens to me, even me." There is a peculiar beauty and emphasis in the repetition of me. Having pointed out the advantages that wisdom has over folly, he takes this opportunity of reminding us of the danger of trusting too much to it, by showing that it is equally subject to the common accidents of life; and, therefore, incapable of making us completely happy. Having…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. 15-16The fate of the fool will also befall me. What then have I gained by being wise?: Since the lives of both are short, the conclusion is that everything is meaningless. both will be forgotten: Future generations will not remember us or our achievements, so our efforts will amount to nothing (compare Ecclesiastes 1:11; 9:13–16).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. why was I--so anxious to become, &c. (2Ch 1:10). Then--Since such is the case. this--namely, pursuit of (worldly) wisdom; it can never fill the place of the true wisdom (Job 28:28; Jr 8:9).Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 2:15
In the dictionaries
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
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