Ecclesiastes 2 - Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)

2 I said in my heart: I will go, and abound with delights, and enjoy good things. And I saw that this also was vanity.

2 Laughter I counted error: and to mirth I said: Why art thou vainly deceived?

3 I thought in my heart, to withdraw my flesh from wine, that I might turn my mind to wisdom, and might avoid folly, till I might see what was profitable for the children of men: and what they ought to do under the sun, all the days of their life.

4 I made me great works, I built me houses, and planted vineyards,

5 I made gardens, and orchards, and set them with trees of all kinds,

6 And I made me ponds of water, to water therewith the wood of the young trees,

7 I got me menservants, and maidservants, and had a great family: and herds of oxen, and great flocks of sheep, above all that were before me in Jerusalem:

8 I heaped together for myself silver and gold, and the wealth of kings, and provinces: I made me singing men, and singing women, and the delights of the sons of men, cups and vessels to serve to pour out wine:

9 And I surpassed in riches all that were before me in Jerusalem: my wisdom also remained with me.

10 And whatsoever my eyes desired, I refused them not: and I withheld not my heart from enjoying every pleasure, and delighting itself in the things which I had prepared: and esteemed this my portion, to make use of my own labour.

11 And when I turned myself to all the works which my hands had wrought, and to the labours wherein I had laboured in vain, I saw in all things vanity, and vexation of mind, and that nothing was lasting under the sun.

12 I passed further to behold wisdom, and errors and folly, (What is man, said I, that he can follow the King his maker?)

13 And I saw that wisdom excelled folly, as much as light differeth from darkness.

14 The eyes of a wise man are in his head: the fool walketh in darkness: and I learned that they were to die both alike.

15 And I said in my heart: If the death of the fool and mine shall be one, what doth it avail me, that I have applied myself more to the study of wisdom? And speaking with my own mind, I perceived that this also was vanity.

16 For there shall be no remembrance of the wise no more than of the fool for ever, and the times to come shall cover all things together with oblivion: the learned dieth in like manner as the unlearned.

17 And therefore I was weary of my life, when I saw that all things under the sun are evil, and all vanity and vexation of spirit.

18 Again I hated all my application wherewith I had earnestly laboured under the sun, being like to have an heir after me,

19 Whom I know not whether he will be a wise man or a fool, and he shall have rule over all my labours with which I have laboured and been solicitous: and is there any thing so vain?

20 Wherefore I left off and my heart renounced labouring any more under the sun.

21 For when a man laboureth in wisdom, and knowledge, and carefulness, he leaveth what he hath gotten to an idle man: so this also is vanity, and a great evil.

22 For what profit shall a man have of all his labour, and vexation of spirit, with which he hath been tormented under the sun?

23 All his days are full of sorrows and miseries, even in the night he doth not rest in mind: and is not this vanity?

24 Is it not better to eat and drink, and to shew his soul good things of his labours? and this is from the hand of God.

25 Who shall so feast and abound with delights as I?

26 God hath given to a man that is good in his sight, wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he hath given vexation, and superfluous care, to heap up and to gather together, and to give it to him that hath pleased God: but this also is vanity, and a fruitless solicitude of the mind.

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