Ecclesiastes 2:20
18 I hated all for which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes after me.
19 And who knows whether that man will be wise or foolish? Yet he will take over all the labor at which I have worked skillfully under the sun. This too is futile.
So my heart began to despair over all the labor that I had done under the sun.
21 When there is a man who has labored with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, and he must give his portion to a man who has not worked for it, this too is futile and a great evil.
22 For what does a man get for all the toil and striving with which he labors under the sun?
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- So my heart began to despair over all the labor that I had done under the sun.
- KJV
- Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun.
- WEB
- Therefore I began to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor in which I had labored under the sun.
- ASV
- Therefore I turned about to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor wherein I had labored under the sun.
- DARBY
- Then I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour wherewith I had laboured under the sun.
- BLB
- And I turned around my heart to despair over all the toil that I have toiled under the sun.
- ÅB
- Da begynte jeg å bli fortvilet i mitt hjerte over alt det strev som jeg hadde møyet meg med under solen;
- OTB
- Så mitt hjerte ble fylt med fortvilelse over alt mitt møysommelige arbeid under solen.
- B1930
- Da begynte jeg å bli fortvilet i mitt hjerte over alt det strev som jeg hadde møiet mig med under solen;
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
1 Thessalonians 3:3–4
so that none of you would be shaken by these trials. For you know that we are destined for this.
Read in contextJob 17:11–15
My days have passed; my plans are broken off— even the desires of my heart.
Read in contextPsalms 39:6–7
Surely every man goes about like a phantom; surely he bustles in vain; he heaps up riches not knowing who will haul them away.
Read in contextGenesis 43:14
May God Almighty grant you mercy before the man, that he may release your other brother along with Benjamin. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.”
Read in context2 Corinthians 1:8–10
We do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the hardships we encountered in the province of Asia. We were under a burden far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.
Read in context1 Corinthians 15:19
If our hope in Christ is for this life alone, we are to be pitied more than all men.
Read in context