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
Ecclesiastes 1:14
I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
Read in context1 John 2:16–17
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
Read in contextEcclesiastes 1:3
What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?
Read in contextGenesis 1:31
And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
Read in contextExodus 39:43
And Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, they had done it as the LORD had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them.
Read in context1 Timothy 6:6
But godliness with contentment is great gain.
Read in contextEcclesiastes 2:17–23
Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
Read in contextHabakkuk 2:13
Behold, is it not of the LORD of hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity?
Read in context