KJV
Ecclesiastes 2
1¶ I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also [is] vanity.
2I said of laughter, [It is] mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?
3I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what [was] that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the 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 orchards, and I planted trees in them of all [kind of] fruits:
6I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees:
7I got [me] servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me:
8I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, [as] 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 in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.
11Then 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.
13Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.
14The wise man's eyes [are] in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all.
15Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also [is] vanity.
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.
17¶ 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.
18Yea, 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.
19And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise [man] or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed 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.
21For there is a man whose labour [is] in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it [for] his portion. This also [is] vanity and a great evil.
22For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun?
23For all his days [are] sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity.
24[There is] nothing better for a man, [than] that he should eat and drink, and [that] he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it [was] from the hand of God.
25For who can eat, or who else can hasten [hereunto], more than I?
26For [God] giveth to a man that [is] good in his sight 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 is] good before God. This also [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.
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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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