Ecclesiastes 2

All 26 verses in the Clear Bible Translation. Tap a verse to compare the KJV and read what it means.

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1. 1I said in my heart, 'Come now, I will test you with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure.' But look, this also is vanity.
2. 2I said of laughter, 'It is mad,' and of mirth, 'What does it accomplish?'
3. 3I sought in my heart to give myself to wine, yet acquainting my heart with wisdom, and to lay hold on folly, until I might see what was good for the sons of men to do under heaven all the days of their life.
4. 4I made great works for myself. I built houses for myself and planted vineyards.
5. 5I made gardens and orchards for myself, and planted trees in them of every kind of fruit.
6. 6I made pools of water for myself, to water the wood that brings forth trees.
7. 7I acquired male and female servants, and had servants born in my house. I also had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all who were in Jerusalem before me.
8. 8I also gathered silver and gold for myself, and the special treasure of kings and of the provinces. I acquired male and female singers, and the delights of the sons of men, musical instruments, and that of all sorts.
9. 9So I was great and increased more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me.
10. 10And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced in all my labor, and this was my portion from all my labor.
11. 11Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done, and on the labor that I had labored to do, and look, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.
12. 12And I turned myself to consider wisdom, and madness, and folly; for what can the person who comes after the king do? Even that which has already been done.
13. 13Then I saw that wisdom surpasses folly, as far as light surpasses darkness.
14. 14The wise person's eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. And I myself perceived also that one event happens to them all.
15. 15Then I said in my heart, 'As it happens to the fool, so it happens even to me; and why was I then more wise?' Then I said in my heart that this also is vanity.
16. 16For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool forever, seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how does the wise person die? As the fool.
17. 17Therefore I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun is grievous to me, for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
18. 18Yes, I hated all my labor which I had taken under the sun, because I should leave it to the person who shall be after me.
19. 19And who knows whether he shall be a wise person or a fool? Yet he shall have rule over all my labor in which I have labored, and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.
20. 20Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labor which I took under the sun.
21. 21For there is a person whose labor is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a person who has not labored in it shall he leave it as his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.
22. 22For what does a person have of all his labor, and of the vexation of his heart, in which he has labored under the sun?
23. 23For all his days are sorrows, and his travail is grief; yes, his heart does not rest in the night. This also is vanity.
24. 24There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.
25. 25For who can eat, or who else can hasten to it, more than I?
26. 26For God gives to a person who is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.