Ecclesiastes 2:11

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 Living Translation (NLT)But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless—like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere.

Context of Ecclesiastes 2:11

9So I became great and excelled more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. 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. 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. 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. 13Then I saw that wisdom excels folly As light excels darkness.

Ecclesiastes 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then I lookedפָּנָהpânâh · to turnH6437
• on all the worksמַעֲשֶׂהma‛ăώeh · deed: workH4639
• that my handsיָדyâd · handH3027
• had wroughtעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• and on the labourעָמָל‛âmâl · troubleH5999
• that I had labouredעָמַל‛âmal · to toilH5998
• vanityהֶ֫בֶלhebel hăbêl · vanityH1892
• and vexationרְעוּתre‛ûth · longingH7469
• of spiritרוּחַrûach · spirit: breathH7307
• no profitיִתְרוֹןyithrôn · advantageH3504
• under the sunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁshemesh · sunH8121

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 2:11

• Ecclesiastes 2:14The wise man’s eyes are in his head, But the fool walks in darkness. Yet I myself perceived That the same event happens to them all.
• Genesis 1:31Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
• Exodus 39:43Then Moses looked over all the work, and indeed they had done it; as the Lord had commanded, just so they had done it. And Moses blessed them.
• 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 1:3What profit has a man from all his labor In which he toils under the sun?
• Habakkuk 2:13Behold, is it not of the Lord of hosts That the peoples labor to feed the fire, And nations weary themselves in vain?
• 1 Timothy 6:6Now godliness with contentment is great gain.

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

• Amusements and Worldly Pleasures
• Industry
• Investigation
• Pleasure
• Vanity
• Wine
• Wisdom
• Worldliness

In the dictionaries

• Gather
• Laughter
• Ecclesiastes, the Preacher
• Labor
• Look
• Synagogue, the Great
• Wisdom

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