Ecclesiastes 2 - Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

The Emptiness of Pleasure

2 I said to myself, “Go ahead, I will test you with pleasure;(A) enjoy what is good.” But it turned out to be futile. 2 I said about laughter,(B) “It is madness,” and about pleasure, “What does this accomplish?” 3 I explored with my mind the pull of wine(C) on my body—my mind still guiding me with wisdom—and how to grasp folly,(D) until I could see what is good for people to do under heaven[a] during the few days of their lives.(E)

The Emptiness of Possessions

4 I increased my achievements. I built houses(F) and planted vineyards(G) for myself. 5 I made gardens(H) and parks for myself and planted every kind of fruit tree in them. 6 I constructed reservoirs for myself from which to irrigate a grove of flourishing trees.(I) 7 I acquired male and female servants and had slaves who were born in my house.(J) I also owned livestock—large herds and flocks—more than all who were before me in Jerusalem.(K) 8 I also amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces.(L) I gathered male and female singers for myself,(M) and many concubines, the delights of men.[b][c] 9 So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem;(N) my wisdom also remained with me. 10 All that my eyes desired, I did not deny them.(O) I did not refuse myself any pleasure, for I took pleasure in all my struggles. This was my reward for all my struggles.(P) 11 When I considered all that I had accomplished[d] and what I had labored to achieve, I found everything to be futile and a pursuit of the wind.[e](Q) There was nothing to be gained under the sun.(R)

The Relative Value of Wisdom

12 Then I turned to consider wisdom,(S) madness, and folly, for what will the king’s successor[f] be like? He[g] will do what has already been done.(T) 13 And I realized that there is an advantage to wisdom over folly, like the advantage of light over darkness.(U)

14 The wise person has eyes in his head,
but the fool walks in darkness.(V)

Yet I also knew that one fate comes to them both.(W) 15 So I said to myself, “What happens to the fool will also happen to me. Why then have I been overly wise?” (X) And I said to myself that this is also futile. 16 For, just like the fool, there is no lasting remembrance of the wise,(Y) since in the days to come both will be forgotten. How is it that the wise person dies just like the fool? 17 Therefore, I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was distressing to me. For everything is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

The Emptiness of Work

18 I hated all my work that I labored at under the sun(Z) because I must leave it to the one who comes after me.(AA) 19 And who knows whether he will be wise or a fool?(AB) Yet he will take over all my work that I labored at skillfully under the sun. This too is futile. 20 So I began to give myself over[h] to despair concerning all my work that I had labored at under the sun. 21 When there is a person whose work was done with wisdom, knowledge, and skill,(AC) and he must give his portion to a person who has not worked for it, this too is futile and a great wrong. 22 For what does a person get with all his work and all his efforts(AD) that he labors at under the sun? 23 For all his days are filled with grief, and his occupation is sorrowful;(AE) even at night, his mind does not rest.(AF) This too is futile.

24 There is nothing better for a person than to eat, drink, and enjoy[i][j] his work.(AG) I have seen that even this is from God’s hand,(AH) 25 because who can eat and who can enjoy life[k] apart from him?[l] 26 For to the person who is pleasing in his sight, he gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy;(AI) but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and accumulating in order to give to the one who is pleasing in God’s sight.(AJ) This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.(AK)

Footnotes

  1. 2:3 Two Hb mss, LXX, Syr read the sun
  2. 2:8 LXX, Theod, Syr read and male cupbearers and female cupbearers; Aq, Tg, Vg read a cup and cups; Hb obscure
  3. 2:8 Or many treasures that people delight in
  4. 2:11 Lit all my works that my hands had done
  5. 2:11 Or a feeding on wind, or an affliction of spirit; also in vv. 17,26
  6. 2:12 Lit the man who comes after the king
  7. 2:12 Some Hb mss read They
  8. 2:20 Lit And I turned to cause my heart
  9. 2:24 Syr, Tg; MT reads There is no good in a person who eats and drinks and enjoys
  10. 2:24 Lit and his soul sees good
  11. 2:25 LXX, Theod, Syr read can drink
  12. 2:25 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr read me

Cross references

  1. 2:1 : Ec 7:4; 8:15; Lk 12:19
  2. 2:2 : Pr 14:13; Ec 7:3,6
  3. 2:3 : Ps 104:15; Ec 10:19
  4. 2:3 : Ec 7:25
  5. 2:3 : Ec 2:24; 3:12,13; 5:18; 8:15
  6. 2:4 : 1Kg 7:1–12
  7. 2:4 : Sg 8:11
  8. 2:5 : Sg 4:16
  9. 2:6 : Neh 2:14; 3:15–16
  10. 2:7 : Gn 14:14; 15:3
  11. 2:7 : 1Kg 4:23
  12. 2:8 : 1Kg 9:28; 10:10,14,21
  13. 2:8 : 2Sm 19:35
  14. 2:9 : 1Ch 29:25; Ec 1:16
  15. 2:10 : Ec 6:2
  16. 2:10 : Ec 3:22; 5:18; 9:9
  17. 2:11 : Ec 1:14; 2:22–23
  18. 2:11 : Ec 1:3; 3:9; 5:16
  19. 2:12 : Ec 1:17
  20. 2:12 : Ec 1:9–10; 3:15
  21. 2:13 : Ec 7:11–12,19; 9:18; 10:10
  22. 2:14 : Pr 2:10–13; 1Jn 2:11
  23. 2:14 : Ps 49:10; Ec 3:19; 6:6; 7:2; 9:2–3
  24. 2:15 : Ec 6:8,11; 7:16
  25. 2:16 : Dt 32:26; 2Sm 18:18; Ec 1:11; 9:5
  26. 2:18 : Ec 1:3; 2:11
  27. 2:18 : Ps 39:6; 49:10; Pr 13:22
  28. 2:19 : Ezk 18:9–10
  29. 2:21 : Ec 4:4
  30. 2:22 : Ec 1:3; 2:11
  31. 2:23 : Jb 5:7; 14:1
  32. 2:23 : Ps 127:2
  33. 2:24 : Ec 2:3; 3:12–13,22; 5:18; 6:12; 8:15; 9:7; Is 56:12; Lk 12:19; 1Co 15:32; 1Tm 6:17
  34. 2:24 : Ec 3:13
  35. 2:26 : Jb 32:8; Pr 2:6
  36. 2:26 : Jb 27:16–17; Pr 13:22; 28:8
  37. 2:26 : Ec 1:14

You Might Also Like:

Ecclesiastes 2 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

2 I said in my heart, `Pray, come, I try thee with mirth, and look thou on gladness;' and lo, even it [is] vanity. 2 Of laughter I said, `Foolish!' and of mirth, `What [is] this it is doing?' 3 I have sought in my heart to draw out with wine my appetite, (and my heart leading in wisdom), and to take...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 2 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

2 Therefore I said in mine heart, I shall go, and I shall flow in delights, and I shall use goods; and I saw also that this was vanity. (And so I said in my heart, I shall go, and I shall enjoy all delights, and I shall enjoy all good things; and I saw that this was also empty and futile.) 2 And lau...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 2 - World English Bible (WEB)

2 I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with mirth: therefore enjoy pleasure;” and behold, this also was vanity. 2 I said of laughter, “It is foolishness;” and of mirth, “What does it accomplish?” 3 I searched in my heart how to cheer my flesh with wine, my heart yet guiding me with wisdom...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 2 - The Voice (VOICE)

2 Teacher: I said to myself, “Let me dabble and test you in pleasure and see if there is any good in that.” But look, that, too, was fleeting. 2 Of laughter I said, “Foolishness.” Of pleasure, “And in the end what is accomplished?” 3 So I thought about drinking wine, for it soothes the flesh. But ...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 2 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Futility of Human Pleasures2 I said within myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure to see what is good.” Yet behold, this too was meaningless. 2 I said of laughter, “It is madness!” and of pleasure, “What does it accomplish?” 3 I thought deeply about how to cheer my flesh with wine—lettin...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 2 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

The Futility of Self-Indulgence2 I said to myself, “Come now, I will make a test of pleasure; enjoy yourself.” But behold, this also was vanity. 2 I said of laughter, “It is mad,” and of pleasure, “What use is it?” 3 I searched with my mind how to cheer my body with wine—my mind still guiding me w...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 2 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

The Futility of Self-Indulgence2 I said to myself, “Come now, I will make a test of pleasure; enjoy yourself.” But behold, this also was vanity. 2 I said of laughter, “It is mad,” and of pleasure, “What use is it?” 3 I searched with my mind how to cheer my body with wine—my mind still guiding me w...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 2 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

The Futility of Self-Indulgence2 I said to myself, ‘Come now, I will make a test of pleasure; enjoy yourself.’ But again, this also was vanity. 2 I said of laughter, ‘It is mad’, and of pleasure, ‘What use is it?’ 3 I searched with my mind how to cheer my body with wine—my mind still guiding me wi...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 2 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

The Futility of Self-Indulgence2 I said to myself, “Come now, I will make a test of pleasure; enjoy yourself.” But again, this also was vanity.(A)2 I said of laughter, “It is mad,” and of pleasure, “What use is it?”(B)3 I searched with my mind how to cheer my body with wine—my mind still guiding me ...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 2 - New Living Translation (NLT)

The Futility of Pleasure2 I said to myself, “Come on, let’s try pleasure. Let’s look for the ‘good things’ in life.” But I found that this, too, was meaningless. 2 So I said, “Laughter is silly. What good does it do to seek pleasure?” 3 After much thought, I decided to cheer myself with wine. And wh...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 2 - New Life Version (NLV)

Fun Is of No Worth2 I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with things that are fun. So have a good time.” But see, this also was for nothing. 2 I said of laughing, “It is crazy,” and of fun, “What use is it?” 3 I tried to find in my mind how to make my body happy with wine, yet at the same ...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 2 - New King James Version (NKJV)

The Vanity of Pleasure(A)2 I said (B)in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with (C)mirth; [a]therefore enjoy pleasure”; but surely, (D)this also was vanity. 2 I said of laughter—“Madness!”; and of mirth, “What does it accomplish?” 3 (E)I searched in my heart how [b]to gratify my flesh with wine,...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 2 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Pleasures are meaningless2 I said to myself, ‘Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good.’ But that also proved to be meaningless. 2 ‘Laughter,’ I said, ‘is madness. And what does pleasure accomplish?’ 3 I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly – my mind still g...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 2 - New International Version (NIV)

Pleasures Are Meaningless2 I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure(A) to find out what is good.” But that also proved to be meaningless. 2 “Laughter,”(B) I said, “is madness. And what does pleasure accomplish?” 3 I tried cheering myself with wine,(C) and embracing folly(D)—my mind...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 2 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

Pleasure Is Meaningless2 I said to myself, “Come on. I’ll try out pleasure. I want to find out if it is good.” But it also proved to be meaningless. 2 “Laughter doesn’t make any sense,” I said. “And what can pleasure do for me?” 3 I tried cheering myself up by drinking wine. I even tried living in...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 2 - New Century Version (NCV)

Does “Having Fun” Bring Happiness?2 I said to myself, “I will try having fun. I will enjoy myself.” But I found that this is also useless. 2 It is foolish to laugh all the time, and having fun doesn’t accomplish anything. 3 I decided to cheer myself up with wine while my mind was still thinking wi...
Read More