Ecclesiastes 2:22
◄  Ecclesiastes 2:22  ►
New International Version (©2011)
What do people get for all the toil and anxious striving with which they labor under the sun?

New Living Translation (©2007)
So what do people get in this life for all their hard work and anxiety?

English Standard Version (©2001)
What has a man from all the toil and striving of heart with which he toils beneath the sun?

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
For what does a man get in all his labor and in his striving with which he labors under the sun?

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun?

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
For what does a man get with all his work and all his efforts that he labors at under the sun?

International Standard Version (©2012)
For what does a person gain from everything that he accomplishes and from his inner life struggles that he undergoes while working on earth?

NET Bible (©2006)
What does a man acquire from all his labor and from the anxiety that accompanies his toil on earth?

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
What do people get from all of their hard work and struggles under the sun?

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
For what has man for all his labor, and for the striving of his heart, with which he has labored under the sun?

American King James Version
For what has man of all his labor, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he has labored under the sun?

American Standard Version
For what hath a man of all his labor, and of the striving of his heart, wherein he laboreth under the sun?

Douay-Rheims Bible
For what profit shall a man have of all his labour, and vexation of spirit, with which he bath been tormented under the sun?

Darby Bible Translation
For what will man have of all his labour and of the striving of his heart, wherewith he hath wearied himself under the sun?

English Revised Version
For what hath a man of all his labour, and of the striving of his heart, wherein he laboureth under the sun?

Webster's Bible Translation
For what hath man of all his labor, and of the vexation of his heart, in which he hath labored under the sun?

World English Bible
For what has a man of all his labor, and of the striving of his heart, in which he labors under the sun?

Young's Literal Translation
For what hath been to a man by all his labour, and by the thought of his heart that he laboured at under the sun?

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

2:18-26 Our hearts are very loth to quit their expectations of great things from the creature; but Solomon came to this at length. The world is a vale of tears, even to those that have much of it. See what fools they are, who make themselves drudges to the world, which affords a man nothing better than subsistence for the body. And the utmost he can attain in this respect is to allow himself a sober, cheerful use thereof, according to his rank and condition. But we must enjoy good in our labour; we must use those things to make us diligent and cheerful in worldly business. And this is the gift of God. Riches are a blessing or a curse to a man, according as he has, or has not, a heart to make a good use of them. To those that are accepted of the Lord, he gives joy and satisfaction in the knowledge and love of him. But to the sinner he allots labour, sorrow, vanity, and vexation, in seeking a worldly portion, which yet afterwards comes into better hands. Let the sinner seriously consider his latter end. To seek a lasting portion in the love of Christ and the blessings it bestows, is the only way to true and satisfying enjoyment even of this present world.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 22. - What hath man of all his labor? i.e. what is to be the result to man? Γίνεται ἐν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ; (Septuagint); Quidenim proderit homini? (Vulgate). There is, indeed, the pleasure that accompanies the pursuit of objects, and the successful accomplishment of enterprise; but this is poor and unsubstantial and embittered. And of the vexation of his heart; the striving, the effort of his mind to direct his labor to great ends. What does all this produce? The answer intended is," Nothing." This striving, with all its wisdom and knowledge and skill (ver. 21), is for the laborer fruitless.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart?.... What profit has he by it, when there is so much vexation in it, both in getting it, and in the thought of leaving it to others? What advantage is it to him, when it is all acquired for and possessed by another; and especially of what use is it to him after his death? Even of all

wherein he hath laboured under the sun? the Targum adds, "in this world"; though he has been labouring all his days, yet there is not one thing he has got by his labour that is of any real advantage to him, or can yield him any solid comfort and satisfaction, or bring him true happiness, or lead him to it.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

22. Same sentiment as in Ec 2:21, interrogatively.

Ecclesiastes 2:22 Parallel Commentaries

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The Futility of Work
…21For there is a man whose labor is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that has not labored therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil. 22For what has man of all his labor, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he has labored under the sun? 23For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yes, his heart takes not rest in the night. This is also vanity. …

1 Corinthians 16:16 to submit to such people and to everyone who joins in the work and labors at it.
Ecclesiastes 1:3 What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun?
Ecclesiastes 2:11 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.