New King James Version
Ecclesiastes 2:10
10Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, For my heart rejoiced in all my labor; And this was my reward from all my labor.
Ecclesiastes 2:10 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.
- New International Version (NIV)I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my labor, and this was the reward for all my toil.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Anything I wanted, I would take. I denied myself no pleasure. I even found great pleasure in hard work, a reward for all my labors.
Context of Ecclesiastes 2:10
8I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the special treasures of kings and of the provinces. I acquired male and female singers, the delights of the sons of men, and musical instruments of all kinds. 9So I became great and excelled more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, For my heart rejoiced in all my labor; And this was my reward from all my labor. 11Then 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. 12Then 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.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 2Ecclesiastes 2:10 word by word
וְכֹל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שָֽׁאֲל֣וּ עֵינַ֔י לֹ֥א אָצַ֖לְתִּי מֵהֶ֑ם לֹֽא־מָנַ֨עְתִּי אֶת־לִבִּ֜י מִכָּל־שִׂמְחָ֗ה כִּֽי־לִבִּ֤י שָׂמֵ֙חַ֙ מִכָּל־עֲמָלִ֔י וְזֶֽה־הָיָ֥ה חֶלְקִ֖י מִכָּל־עֲמָלִֽי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And whatsoever mine eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869
- desiredשָׁאַלshâ'al shâ'êl · to askH7592
- I keptאָצַל'âtsal · to reserveH680
- not from them, I withheldמָנַעmâna‛ · to withholdH4513
- not my heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
- from any joyשִׂמְחָהώimchâh · joyH8057
- rejoicedשָׂמֵחַώâmêach · gladH8056
- in all my labourעָמָל‛âmâl · troubleH5999
- and this was my portionחֵ֫לֶקchêleq · portionH2506
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 2:10
- Ecclesiastes 3:22So I perceived that nothing is better than that a man should rejoice in his own works, for that is his heritage. For who can bring him to see what will happen after him?
- Ecclesiastes 6:9Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of desire. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.
- Ecclesiastes 11:9Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, And let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth; Walk in the ways of your heart, And in the sight of your eyes; But know that for all these God will bring you into judgment.
- Genesis 3:6So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.
- Genesis 6:2that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose.
- Judges 14:2So he went up and told his father and mother, saying, “I have seen a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines; now therefore, get her for me as a wife.”
- Job 31:1“I have made a covenant with my eyes; Why then should I look upon a young woman?
- Psalms 119:37Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, And revive me in Your way.
- Proverbs 23:5Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; They fly away like an eagle toward heaven.
- 1 John 2:16For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.
- Ecclesiastes 2:1I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure”; but surely, this also was vanity.
- Ecclesiastes 5:18Here is what I have seen: It is good and fitting for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life which God gives him; for it is his heritage.
- Ecclesiastes 9:9Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life which He has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity; for that is your portion in life, and in the labor which you perform under the sun.
- Psalms 128:2When you eat the labor of your hands, You shall be happy, and it shall be well with you.
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 2:10
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 10I withheld not my heart from any joy - He had every means of gratification; he could desire nothing that was not within his reach; and whatever he wished, he took care to possess.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 10For my heart took delight in all my work: The Teacher highlights a key theme: Joy comes from wise and diligent work (Ecclesiastes 5:12, 18–20).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 2:10
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries