Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun. New Living Translation But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless—like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere. English Standard Version Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun. Berean Standard Bible 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. King James Bible Then 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. New King James Version Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done And on the labor in which I had toiled; And indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun. New American Standard Bible So I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold, all was futility and striving after wind, and there was no benefit under the sun. NASB 1995 Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun. NASB 1977 Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun. Legacy Standard Bible Thus I turned to all my works which my hands had done and the labor which I had labored to do, and behold, all was vanity and striving after wind, and there was no advantage under the sun. Amplified Bible Then I considered all which my hands had done and labored to do, and behold, all was vanity and chasing after the wind and there was no profit (nothing of lasting value) under the sun. Christian Standard Bible When I considered all that I had accomplished and what I had labored to achieve, I found everything to be futile and a pursuit of the wind. There was nothing to be gained under the sun. Holman Christian Standard Bible When I considered all that I had accomplished and what I had labored to achieve, I found everything to be futile and a pursuit of the wind. There was nothing to be gained under the sun. American Standard Version Then 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. Aramaic Bible in Plain English And I gazed at all the work that my hands had made and at all the labor that I had labored to make, and behold, everything was futility and agitation of spirit, and there is no profit under the sun Brenton Septuagint Translation And I looked on all my works which my hands had wrought, and on my labour which I laboured to perform: and behold, all was vanity and waywardness of spirit, and there is no advantage under the sun. Contemporary English Version Then I thought about everything I had done, including the hard work, and it was simply chasing the wind. Nothing on earth is worth the trouble. Douay-Rheims Bible 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. English Revised Version Then 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 a striving after wind, and there was no profit under the sun. GOD'S WORD® Translation But when I turned to look at all that I had accomplished and all the hard work I had put into it, I saw that it was all pointless. [It was like] trying to catch the wind. I gained nothing [from any of my accomplishments] under the sun. Good News Translation Then I thought about all that I had done and how hard I had worked doing it, and I realized that it didn't mean a thing. It was like chasing the wind--of no use at all. International Standard Version Then I examined all of my accomplishments that I had brought about by my own efforts, including the work that I had labored so hard to complete—and it was all pointless, like chasing after the wind, and there was nothing to be gained on earth. JPS Tanakh 1917 Then 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 a striving after wind, and there was no profit under the sun. Literal Standard Version and I have looked on all my works that my hands have done, and on the labor that I have labored to do, and behold, the whole [is] vanity and distress of spirit, and there is no advantage under the sun! Majority Standard Bible 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. New American Bible But when I turned to all the works that my hands had wrought, and to the fruit of the toil for which I had toiled so much, see! all was vanity and a chase after wind. There is no profit under the sun. NET Bible Yet when I reflected on everything I had accomplished and on all the effort that I had expended to accomplish it, I concluded: "All these achievements and possessions are ultimately profitless--like chasing the wind! There is nothing gained from them on earth." New Revised Standard Version Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had spent in doing it, and again, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun. New Heart English Bible Then I looked at all the works that my hands had worked, and at the labor that I had labored to do; and look, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was no profit under the sun. Webster's Bible Translation Then 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 vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun. World English Bible Then I looked at all the works that my hands had worked, and at the labor that I had labored to do; and behold, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was no profit under the sun. Young's Literal Translation and I have looked on all my works that my hands have done, and on the labour that I have laboured to do, and lo, the whole is vanity and vexation of spirit, and there is no advantage under the sun! Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Futility of Pleasure…10Anything my eyes desired, I did not deny myself. I refused my heart no pleasure. For my heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor. 11Yet 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. Cross References Psalm 89:47 Remember the briefness of my lifespan! For what futility You have created all men! Ecclesiastes 1:3 What does a man gain from all his labor, at which he toils under the sun? Ecclesiastes 1:14 I have seen all the things that are done under the sun, and have found them all to be futile, a pursuit of the wind. Ecclesiastes 1:17 So I set my mind to know wisdom and madness and folly; I learned that this, too, is a pursuit of the wind. Ecclesiastes 2:18 I hated all for which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes after me. Ecclesiastes 2:22 For what does a man get for all the toil and striving with which he labors under the sun? 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. Treasury of Scripture Then I looked on all the works that my hands had worked, and on the labor that I had labored to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun. i looked Ecclesiastes 2:14 The 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. Genesis 1:31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. Exodus 39:43 And Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, they had done it as the LORD had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them. behold Ecclesiastes 1:3,14 What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun? … Habakkuk 2:13 Behold, is it not of the LORD of hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity? 1 Timothy 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. Jump to Previous Achieve Activities Advantage Chasing Considered Cost Gained Hands Labor Laboured Profit Purpose Pursuit Spent Spirit Striving Sun Surveyed Toil Toiled Vanity Vexation Whole Wind Worked Working Works WroughtJump to Next Achieve Activities Advantage Chasing Considered Cost Gained Hands Labor Laboured Profit Purpose Pursuit Spent Spirit Striving Sun Surveyed Toil Toiled Vanity Vexation Whole Wind Worked Working Works WroughtEcclesiastes 2 1. the vanity of human courses is the work of pleasure12. Though the wise be better than the fool, yet both have one event 18. The vanity of human labor, in leaving it they know not to whom 24. Nothing better than joy in our labor but that is God's gift Verse 11. - Then I looked on - I turned to contemplate - all the works which my hands had wrought. He examined carefully the effects of the conduct and proceedings mentioned in vers. 1-10, and he now gives his matured judgment concerning them. They had contributed nothing to his anxious inquiry for man's real good. His sorrowful conclusion again is that all was vanity, a hunting of wind; in all the pursuits and labors that men undertake there is no real profit (Ecclesiastes 1:3), no lasting happiness, nothing to satisfy the cravings of the spirit. Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Yet when Iאֲנִ֗י (’ă·nî) Pronoun - first person common singular Strong's 589: I considered וּפָנִ֣יתִֽי (ū·p̄ā·nî·ṯî) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular Strong's 6437: To turn, to face, appear, look all בְּכָל־ (bə·ḵāl) Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every the works מַעֲשַׂי֙ (ma·‘ă·śay) Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular Strong's 4639: An action, a transaction, activity, a product, property that my hands יָדַ֔י (yā·ḏay) Noun - fdc | first person common singular Strong's 3027: A hand had accomplished שֶֽׁעָשׂ֣וּ (še·‘ā·śū) Pronoun - relative | Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Strong's 6213: To do, make and [what] וּבֶֽעָמָ֖ל (ū·ḇe·‘ā·māl) Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 5999: Toil, wearing effort, worry, wheth, of body, mind I had toiled שֶׁעָמַ֣לְתִּי (še·‘ā·mal·tî) Pronoun - relative | Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular Strong's 5998: To toil, work severely and with irksomeness to achieve, לַעֲשׂ֑וֹת (la·‘ă·śō·wṯ) Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct Strong's 6213: To do, make I found וְהִנֵּ֨ה (wə·hin·nêh) Conjunctive waw | Interjection Strong's 2009: Lo! behold! everything הַכֹּ֥ל (hak·kōl) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every to be futile, הֶ֙בֶל֙ (he·ḇel) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 1892: Emptiness, vanity, transitory, unsatisfactory a pursuit וּרְע֣וּת (ū·rə·‘ūṯ) Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct Strong's 7469: A feeding upon, grasping after of the wind; ר֔וּחַ (rū·aḥ) Noun - common singular Strong's 7307: Wind, breath, exhalation, life, anger, unsubstantiality, a region of the sky, spirit there was nothing וְאֵ֥ין (wə·’ên) Conjunctive waw | Adverb Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle to be gained יִתְר֖וֹן (yiṯ·rō·wn) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 3504: Preeminence, gain under תַּ֥חַת (ta·ḥaṯ) Preposition Strong's 8478: The bottom, below, in lieu of the sun. הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ (haš·šā·meš) Article | Noun - common singular Strong's 8121: The sun, the east, a ray, a notched battlement Links Ecclesiastes 2:11 NIVEcclesiastes 2:11 NLT Ecclesiastes 2:11 ESV Ecclesiastes 2:11 NASB Ecclesiastes 2:11 KJV Ecclesiastes 2:11 BibleApps.com Ecclesiastes 2:11 Biblia Paralela Ecclesiastes 2:11 Chinese Bible Ecclesiastes 2:11 French Bible Ecclesiastes 2:11 Catholic Bible OT Poetry: Ecclesiastes 2:11 Then I looked at all the works (Ecclesiast. Ec Ecc Eccles.) |