Ecclesiastes 2:11

9 So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.

10 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.

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.

12 And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.

13 Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.

Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
Yet when I considered all the works that my hands had accomplished and what I had toiled to achieve, I found everything to be futile, a pursuit of the wind; there was nothing to be gained under the sun.
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.
WEB
Then I looked at all the works that my hands had worked, and at the labor that I had labored to do; and behold, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.
ASV
Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labor that I had labored to do; and, behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.
DARBY
Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that it had cost me to do [them]; and behold, all was vanity and pursuit of the wind, and there was no profit under the sun.
BLB
And I turned to all the works that my hands had done, and to the toil that I had toiled to do, and behold—all [was] vapor and a striving after the wind, and there was no profit under the sun.
ÅB
Men når jeg så på alt det som mine hender hadde gjort, og på den strev det hadde kostet meg, da så jeg at alt sammen var tomhet og jag etter vind, og at det ikke er noen vinning å nå under solen.
OTB
Men da jeg så på alt det mine hender hadde oppnådd og hva jeg hadde strevet for å oppnå, var alt meningsløst, et jag etter vind; det var ingen vinning under solen.
B1930
Men når jeg så på alt det som mine hender hadde gjort, og på den møie det hadde kostet mig, da så jeg at alt sammen var tomhet og jag efter vind, og at det ikke er nogen vinning å nå under solen.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references