ASV
Ecclesiastes 2
1I said in my heart, Come now, I will prove thee with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also was vanity.
2I said of laughter, It is mad; and of mirth, What doeth it?
3I searched in my heart how to cheer my flesh with wine, my heart yet guiding [me] with wisdom, and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what it was good for the sons of men that they should do under heaven all the days of their life.
4I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards;
5I made me gardens and parks, and I planted trees in them of all kinds of fruit;
6I made me pools of water, to water therefrom the forest where trees were reared;
7I bought men-servants and maid-servants, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all that were before me in Jerusalem;
8I gathered me also silver and gold, and the treasure of kings and of the provinces; I gat me men-singers and women-singers, and the delights of the sons of men, musical instruments, and that of all sorts.
9So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.
10And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them; I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced because of all my labor; and this was my portion from all my labor.
11Then 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.
12And 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 done long ago.
13Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.
14The wise man's eyes are in his head, and the fool walketh in darkness: and yet I perceived that one event happeneth to them all.
15Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then said I in my heart, that this also is vanity.
16For of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no remembrance for ever; seeing that in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. And how doth the wise man die even as the fool!
17So I hated life, because the work that is wrought under the sun was grievous unto me; for all is vanity and a striving after wind.
18And I hated all my labor wherein I labored under the sun, seeing that I must leave it unto the man that shall be after me.
19And who knoweth whether he will be a wise man or a fool? yet will he have rule over all my labor wherein I have labored, and wherein I have showed myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.
20Therefore I turned about to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor wherein I had labored under the sun.
21For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skilfulness; yet to a man that hath not labored therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.
22For what hath a man of all his labor, and of the striving of his heart, wherein he laboreth under the sun?
23For all his days are [but] sorrows, and his travail is grief; yea, even in the night his heart taketh no rest. This also is vanity.
24There is nothing better for a man [than] that he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God.
25For who can eat, or who can have enjoyment, more than I?
26For to the man that pleaseth him [God] giveth wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that pleaseth God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
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Afflictions and Adversities of the Wicked: Continual Ecclesiastes 2:23
Indeed, all his days are filled with grief, and his task is sorrowful; even at night, his mind does not rest. This too is futile.
Afflictions and Adversities: Unclassified Scriptures Relating To Ecclesiastes 2:22, 23
For what does a man get for all the toil and striving with which he labors under the sun? / Indeed, all his days are filled with grief, and his task is sorrowful; even at night, his mind does not rest. This too is futile.
Agriculture: Practiced by Solomon Ecclesiastes 2:4–6
I expanded my pursuits. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself. / I made gardens and parks for myself, where I planted all kinds of fruit trees. / I built reservoirs to water my groves of flourishing trees.
Amusements and Worldly Pleasures: The Wicked Seek for Happiness In Ecclesiastes 2:1, 8
I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy what is good!” But it proved to be futile. / and I accumulated for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I gathered to myself male and female singers, and the delights of the sons of men—many concubines.
Amusements and Worldly Pleasures: Vain Ecclesiastes 2:11
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.
Blessing: Temporal, from God Ecclesiastes 2:24
Nothing is better for a man than to eat and drink and enjoy his work. I have also seen that this is from the hand of God.
Boredom Ecclesiastes 2:24–26
Nothing is better for a man than to eat and drink and enjoy his work. I have also seen that this is from the hand of God. / For apart from Him, who can eat and who can find enjoyment? / To the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner He assigns the task of gathering and accumulating that which he will hand over to one who pleases God. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
Botanical Gardens: (Park, Probably) Ecclesiastes 2:5, 6
I made gardens and parks for myself, where I planted all kinds of fruit trees. / I built reservoirs to water my groves of flourishing trees.
Contentment: General Scriptures Concerning Ecclesiastes 2:24
Nothing is better for a man than to eat and drink and enjoy his work. I have also seen that this is from the hand of God.
Death: Unclassified Scriptures Relating To Ecclesiastes 2:14–18
The wise man has eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also came to realize that one fate overcomes them both. / So I said to myself, “The fate of the fool will also befall me. What then have I gained by being wise?” And I said to myself that this too is futile. / For there is no lasting remembrance of the wise, just as with the fool, seeing that both will be forgotten in the days to come. Alas, the wise man will die just like the fool!
Enjoying Life Ecclesiastes 2:24
Nothing is better for a man than to eat and drink and enjoy his work. I have also seen that this is from the hand of God.
Enjoyment Ecclesiastes 2:24
Nothing is better for a man than to eat and drink and enjoy his work. I have also seen that this is from the hand of God.
Epicureans: Doctrines Propagated By, Familiar to Solomon Ecclesiastes 2:1–10
I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy what is good!” But it proved to be futile. / I said of laughter, “It is folly,” and of pleasure, “What does it accomplish?” / I sought to cheer my body with wine and to embrace folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom—until I could see what was worthwhile for men to do under heaven during the few days of their lives.
Experiment in Worldly Pleasure, Solomon's Ecclesiastes 2:1
I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy what is good!” But it proved to be futile.
Fools: Walk in Darkness Ecclesiastes 2:14
The wise man has eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also came to realize that one fate overcomes them both.
Fruits: The Produce of Trees Ecclesiastes 2:5
I made gardens and parks for myself, where I planted all kinds of fruit trees.
Fun Ecclesiastes 2:24
Nothing is better for a man than to eat and drink and enjoy his work. I have also seen that this is from the hand of God.
Gardens: Kinds of, Mentioned in Scripture: Fruit Trees Ecclesiastes 2:5, 6
I made gardens and parks for myself, where I planted all kinds of fruit trees. / I built reservoirs to water my groves of flourishing trees.
Gifts from God: Unclassified Scriptures Relating to Both Temporal and Spiritual Ecclesiastes 2:26
To the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner He assigns the task of gathering and accumulating that which he will hand over to one who pleases God. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
God: Providence of Ecclesiastes 2:24, 26
Nothing is better for a man than to eat and drink and enjoy his work. I have also seen that this is from the hand of God. / To the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner He assigns the task of gathering and accumulating that which he will hand over to one who pleases God. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
God: Providence of, Overruling Interpositions of The Ecclesiastes 2:26
To the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner He assigns the task of gathering and accumulating that which he will hand over to one who pleases God. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
Gold: Vanity of Heaping Up Ecclesiastes 2:8, 11
and I accumulated for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I gathered to myself male and female singers, and the delights of the sons of men—many concubines. / 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.
Happiness of the Righteous Ecclesiastes 2:24–26
Nothing is better for a man than to eat and drink and enjoy his work. I have also seen that this is from the hand of God. / For apart from Him, who can eat and who can find enjoyment? / To the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner He assigns the task of gathering and accumulating that which he will hand over to one who pleases God. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
Happiness of the Wicked is Vain Ecclesiastes 2:1
I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy what is good!” But it proved to be futile.
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