Ecclesiastes 2:3

Ecclesiastes 2:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life.
• New International Version (NIV)I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was good for people to do under the heavens during the few days of their lives.
• English Standard Version (ESV)I searched with my heart how to cheer my body with wine—my heart still guiding me with wisdom—and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the children of man to do under heaven during the few days of their life.
• New Living Translation (NLT)After much thought, I decided to cheer myself with wine. And while still seeking wisdom, I clutched at foolishness. In this way, I tried to experience the only happiness most people find during their brief life in this world.

Context of Ecclesiastes 2:3

1I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure”; but surely, this also was vanity. 2I said of laughter—“Madness!”; and of mirth, “What does it accomplish?” I searched in my heart how to gratify my flesh with wine, while guiding my heart with wisdom, and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the sons of men to do under heaven all the days of their lives. 4I made my works great, I built myself houses, and planted myself vineyards. 5I made myself gardens and orchards, and I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them.

Ecclesiastes 2:3 word by word

תַּ֣רְתִּי בְלִבִּ֔י לִמְשׁ֥וֹךְ בַּיַּ֖יִן אֶת־בְּשָׂרִ֑י וְלִבִּ֞י נֹהֵ֤ג בַּֽחָכְמָה֙ וְלֶאֱחֹ֣ז בְּסִכְל֔וּת עַ֣ד אֲשֶׁר־אֶרְאֶ֗ה אֵי־זֶ֨ה ט֜וֹב לִבְנֵ֤י הָאָדָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר יַעֲשׂוּ֙ תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם מִסְפַּ֖ר יְמֵ֥י חַיֵּיהֶֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• I soughtתּוּרtûr · to spyH8446
• in mine heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
• to giveמָשַׁךְmâshak · to drawH4900
• myselfבָּשָׂרbâώâr · fleshH1320
• unto wineיַ֫יִןyayin · wineH3196
• yet acquaintingנָהַגnâhag · to leadH5090
• with wisdomחׇכְמָהchokmâh · wisdomH2451
• and to lay holdאָחַז'âchaz · to graspH270
• on follyסִכְלוּתsiklûth ώiklûth · follyH5531
• till I might seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• that goodטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
• for the sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• of menאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• which they should doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• under the heavenשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
• allמִסְפָּרmispâr · numberH4557
• the daysיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• of their lifeחַיִּיםchay · lifeH2416

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 2:3

• Ecclesiastes 1:17And I set my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is grasping for the wind.
• 1 Samuel 25:36Now Abigail went to Nabal, and there he was, holding a feast in his house, like the feast of a king. And Nabal’s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunk; therefore she told him nothing, little or much, until morning light.
• Proverbs 20:1Wine is a mocker, Strong drink is a brawler, And whoever is led astray by it is not wise.
• Proverbs 31:4It is not for kings, O Lemuel, It is not for kings to drink wine, Nor for princes intoxicating drink;
• Ephesians 5:18And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,
• Ecclesiastes 7:18It is good that you grasp this, And also not remove your hand from the other; For he who fears God will escape them all.
• Proverbs 23:29Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes?
• Matthew 6:24“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
• 2 Corinthians 6:15And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?
• Ecclesiastes 6:12For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he passes like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will happen after him under the sun?
• Ecclesiastes 12:13Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all.
• Genesis 47:9And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The days of the years of my pilgrimage are one hundred and thirty years; few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.”
• Job 14:14If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait, Till my change comes.
• Psalms 90:9For all our days have passed away in Your wrath; We finish our years like a sigh.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 2:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3To give myself unto wine, (yet acquainting [נהג noheg, "guiding"] mine heart with wisdom) - I did not run into extremes, as when I gave up myself to mirth and pleasure. There, I threw off all restraint; here, I took the middle course, to see whether a moderate enjoyment of the things of the world might not produce that happiness which I supposed man was created to enjoy here below.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3I sought … - Rather, I resolved (literally “I turned in my heart”) to draw my flesh with wine (see the margin), my heart guiding me with wisdom. In the course of his attempt to answer the question of Ecclesiastes 1:3, while his heart was directing him (as a charioteer directs his horses or a shepherd his sheep) with wisdom, and while he was following that guidance, he determined to draw with him his flesh by wine, thus making his flesh, which he speaks of…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3The Teacher realized that using wine to cheer himself was foolish, yet he did it while still seeking wisdom. He wanted to understand how to find happiness. This effort turned out to be pointless (Ecclesiastes 2:11). the few days of their lives: All human experiences are like "a breath."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 2:3

• Epicureans
• Investigation
• Pleasure
• Vanity
• Wine
• Wisdom
• Worldliness

In the dictionaries

• Gather
• Laughter
• Ecclesiastes, the Preacher
• Give
• Guide
• 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