Ecclesiastes 2:18

Ecclesiastes 2:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me.
• New International Version (NIV)I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me.
• English Standard Version (ESV)I hated all my toil in which I toil under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to the man who will come after me,
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then I hated all my labor in which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who will come after me.

Context of Ecclesiastes 2:18

16For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man ? as the fool. 17Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous to me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit. Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it to the man that shall be after me. 19And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour in which I have laboured, and in which I have showed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity. 20Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 2:18 word by word

וְשָׂנֵ֤אתִֽי אֲנִי֙ אֶת־כָּל־עֲמָלִ֔י שֶׁאֲנִ֥י עָמֵ֖ל תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ שֶׁ֣אַנִּיחֶ֔נּוּ לָאָדָ֖ם שֶׁיִּהְיֶ֥ה אַחֲרָֽי׃Read the interlinear

• hatedשָׂנֵאώânê' · to hateH8130
• labourעָמָל‛âmâl · troubleH5999
• takenעָמֵל‛âmêl · laboriousH6001
• sunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁshemesh · sunH8121
• leaveיָנַחyânach · to restH3240
• manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• afterאַחַר'achar · afterH310

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 2:18

• Ecclesiastes 2:4I made for myself great works; I built houses; I planted vineyards:
• Ecclesiastes 1:13And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this grievous labour hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised with it.
• Ecclesiastes 4:3Yea, better is he than both they, who hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
• Ecclesiastes 5:18Behold that which I have seen: it is good and proper for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.
• Ecclesiastes 9:9Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun.
• Ecclesiastes 2:26For God giveth to a man who is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth toil, to gather and to store up wealth, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.
• Ecclesiastes 5:13There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners of them to their hurt.
• 1 Kings 11:1But king Solomon loved many foreign women, in addition to the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites;
• Psalms 17:14From men who are thy hand, O LORD, from men of the world, who have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure : they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes.
• Psalms 39:6Surely every man walketh in a vain show: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.
• Psalms 49:10For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the stupid person perish, and leave their wealth to others.
• Luke 12:20But God said to him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
• Luke 16:27Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house:
• Acts 20:29For I know this, that after my departure grievous wolves shall enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
• 1 Corinthians 3:10According to the grace of God which is given to me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth upon it. But let every man take heed how he buildeth upon it.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 2:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18I hated all my labor - Because, It has not answered the end for which it was instituted. I can enjoy the fruits of it but a short time. 3. I must leave it to others, and know not whether a wise man, a knave, or a fool will possess it.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-26Verses 18-26 Our hearts are very loth to quit their expectations of great things from the creature; but Solomon came to this at length. The world is a vale of tears, even to those that have much of it. See what fools they are, who make themselves drudges to the world, which affords a man nothing better than subsistence for the body. And the utmost he can attain in this respect is to allow himself a sober, cheerful use thereof, according to his rank and…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17-20The Teacher began to dislike life because of its: Sorrows (Ecclesiastes 1:18) Hard work (Ecclesiastes 2:18) Seeming pointlessness (Ecclesiastes 2:19–20)Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 18-1918-19. One hope alone was left to the disappointed worldling, the perpetuation of his name and riches, laboriously gathered, through his successor. For selfishness is mostly at the root of worldly parents' alleged providence for their children. But now the remembrance of how he himself, the piously reared child of David, had disregarded his father's dying charge (1Ch 28:9), suggested the sad misgivings as to what Rehoboam, his son by an idolatrous…Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 2:18

• Death
• Heir
• Industry
• Inheritance
• Murmuring
• Wisdom

In the dictionaries

• Gather
• Laughter
• Labor
• 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