Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Then I said to myself, “The fate of the fool will overtake me also. What then do I gain by being wise?” I said to myself, “This too is meaningless.” New Living Translation Both will die. So I said to myself, “Since I will end up the same as the fool, what’s the value of all my wisdom? This is all so meaningless!” English Standard Version Then I said in my heart, “What happens to the fool will happen to me also. Why then have I been so very wise?” And I said in my heart that this also is vanity. Berean Standard Bible So I said to myself, “The fate of the fool will also befall me. What then have I gained by being wise?” And I said to myself that this too is futile. King James Bible Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity. New King James Version So I said in my heart, “As it happens to the fool, It also happens to me, And why was I then more wise?” Then I said in my heart, “This also is vanity.” New American Standard Bible Then I said to myself, “As is the fate of the fool, it will also happen to me. Why then have I been extremely wise?” So I said to myself, “This too is futility.” NASB 1995 Then I said to myself, “As is the fate of the fool, it will also befall me. Why then have I been extremely wise?” So I said to myself, “This too is vanity.” NASB 1977 Then I said to myself, “As is the fate of the fool, it will also befall me. Why then have I been extremely wise?” So I said to myself, “This too is vanity.” Legacy Standard Bible Then I said in my heart, “As is the fate of the fool, so will my fate be also. Why then have I been extremely wise?” So I said in my heart, “This too is vanity.” Amplified Bible Then I said to myself, “As it happens to the fool, so death will also happen to me. What use is it then for me to be extremely wise?” Then I said in my heart, “This too is vanity (meaningless).” Christian Standard Bible So I said to myself, “What happens to the fool will also happen to me. Why then have I been overly wise? ” And I said to myself that this is also futile. Holman Christian Standard Bible So I said to myself, “What happens to the fool will also happen to me. Why then have I been overly wise?” And I said to myself that this is also futile. American Standard Version Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then said I in my heart, that this also is vanity. Contemporary English Version Finally, I said to myself, "Being wise got me nowhere! The same thing will happen to me that happens to fools. Nothing makes sense. English Revised Version Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also was vanity. GOD'S WORD® Translation I thought to myself, "[If] the destiny that waits for the fool waits for me as well, then what is the advantage in being wise?" So I thought that even this is pointless. Good News Translation I thought to myself, "What happens to fools is going to happen to me, too. So what have I gained from being so wise?" "Nothing," I answered, "not a thing." International Standard Version Then I told myself, "Whatever happens to the fool will happen also to me. Therefore what's the point in being so wise?" And I told myself that this also is pointless. Majority Standard Bible So I said to myself, “The fate of the fool will also befall me. What then have I gained by being wise?” And I said to myself that this too is futile. NET Bible So I thought to myself, "The fate of the fool will happen even to me! Then what did I gain by becoming so excessively wise?" So I lamented to myself, "The benefits of wisdom are ultimately meaningless!" New Heart English Bible Then said I in my heart, "As it happens to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise?" Then said I in my heart that this also is vanity. Webster's Bible Translation Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity. World English Bible Then I said in my heart, “As it happens to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise?” Then I said in my heart that this also is vanity. Literal Translations Literal Standard Versionand I said in my heart, “As it happens with the fool, it happens also with me, and why am I then more wise?” And I spoke in my heart, that also this [is] vanity: Young's Literal Translation and I said in my heart, 'As it happeneth with the fool, it happeneth also with me, and why am I then more wise?' And I spake in my heart, that also this is vanity: Smith's Literal Translation And I said in my heart, As the event of the foolish one, also I, it will meet me; and wherefore then was I more wise? And I spake in my heart, This is also vanity. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd 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. Catholic Public Domain Version And I said in my heart: “If the death of both the foolish and myself will be one, how does it benefit me, if I have given myself more thoroughly to the work of wisdom?” And as I was speaking within my own mind, I perceived that this, too, is emptiness. New American Bible So I said in my heart, if the fool’s lot is to befall me also, why should I be wise? Where is the profit? And in my heart I decided that this too is vanity. New Revised Standard Version Then I said to myself, “What happens to the fool will happen to me also; why then have I been so very wise?” And I said to myself that this also is vanity. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleThen I said in my heart, The misfortune of the fool will happen to me also; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, This also is vanity. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated I said in my heart: "surely, according to the misfortune of a fool, it will happen also to me, and why am I more wise? And I said in my heart: "this also is futility!" OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Then said I in my heart: 'As it happeneth to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise?' Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity. Brenton Septuagint Translation And I said in my heart, As the event of the fool is, so shall it be to me, even to me: and to what purpose have I gained wisdom? I said moreover in my heart, This is also vanity, because the fool speaks of his abundance. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Wise and the Foolish…14The wise man has eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also came to realize that one fate overcomes them both. 15So I said to myself, “The fate of the fool will also befall me. What then have I gained by being wise?” And I said to myself that this too is futile. 16For there is no lasting remembrance of the wise, just as with the fool, seeing that both will be forgotten in the days to come. Alas, the wise man will die just like the fool!… Cross References Psalm 49:10 For it is clear that wise men die, and the foolish and the senseless both perish and leave their wealth to others. Psalm 73:3-5 For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. / They have no struggle in their death; their bodies are well-fed. / They are free of the burdens others carry; they are not afflicted like other men. Job 21:7-13 Why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power? / Their descendants are established around them, and their offspring before their eyes. / Their homes are safe from fear; no rod of punishment from God is upon them. ... Proverbs 14:12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. Proverbs 16:25 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. Psalm 39:5-6 You, indeed, have made my days as handbreadths, and my lifetime as nothing before You. Truly each man at his best exists as but a breath. Selah / Surely every man goes about like a phantom; surely he bustles in vain; he heaps up riches not knowing who will haul them away. Psalm 92:6-7 A senseless man does not know, and a fool does not understand, / that though the wicked sprout like grass, and all evildoers flourish, they will be forever destroyed. Isaiah 5:21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight. Jeremiah 9:23 This is what the LORD says: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, nor the strong man in his strength, nor the wealthy man in his riches. 1 Corinthians 1:19-20 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” / Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 1 Corinthians 3:18-20 Let no one deceive himself. If any of you thinks he is wise in this age, he should become a fool, so that he may become wise. / For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness.” / And again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.” Romans 1:21-22 For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts. / Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools, James 1:5 Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. James 3:13-17 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good conduct, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. / But if you harbor bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast in it or deny the truth. / Such wisdom does not come from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. ... Matthew 11:25 At that time Jesus declared, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Treasury of Scripture Then said I 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. even to me Ecclesiastes 1:16,18 I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge… 1 Kings 3:12 Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. then Ecclesiastes 1:2,14 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity… Jump to Previous Befall Befalls Extremely Fate Fool Foolish Gain Happeneth Happens Heart Meaningless Overmuch Overtake Thought Vanity WiseJump to Next Befall Befalls Extremely Fate Fool Foolish Gain Happeneth Happens Heart Meaningless Overmuch Overtake Thought Vanity WiseEcclesiastes 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 So I said to myself This phrase indicates a moment of introspection and self-dialogue. The Hebrew root here is "אָמַר" (amar), which means to say or speak. It reflects a deep, personal reflection, suggesting that the author, traditionally believed to be Solomon, is engaging in a profound internal conversation. This introspection is crucial in the wisdom literature of the Bible, where self-examination leads to greater understanding and humility before God. What happens to the fool will also happen to me What then have I gained by being wise? And I said to myself that this too is futile Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew So Iאֲנִ֜י (’ă·nî) Pronoun - first person common singular Strong's 589: I said וְאָמַ֨רְתִּֽי (wə·’ā·mar·tî) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular Strong's 559: To utter, say to myself, בְּלִבִּ֗י (bə·lib·bî) Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular Strong's 3820: The heart, the feelings, the will, the intellect, centre “The fate כְּמִקְרֵ֤ה (kə·miq·rêh) Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 4745: Something met with, an accident, fortune of the fool הַכְּסִיל֙ (hak·kə·sîl) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 3684: Stupid fellow, dullard, fool will also גַּם־ (gam-) Conjunction Strong's 1571: Assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, and befall me. יִקְרֵ֔נִי (yiq·rê·nî) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | first person common singular Strong's 7136: To light upon, to bring about, to impose timbers What וְלָ֧מָּה (wə·lām·māh) Conjunctive waw | Interrogative Strong's 4100: What?, what!, indefinitely what then אָ֣ז (’āz) Adverb Strong's 227: At that time, place, therefore have I אֲנִ֣י (’ă·nî) Pronoun - first person common singular Strong's 589: I gained יוֹתֵ֑ר (yō·w·ṯêr) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 3148: Superiority, advantage, excess by being wise?” חָכַ֛מְתִּי (ḥā·ḵam·tî) Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular Strong's 2449: To be wise And I said וְדִבַּ֣רְתִּי (wə·ḏib·bar·tî) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue to myself בְלִבִּ֔י (ḇə·lib·bî) Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular Strong's 3820: The heart, the feelings, the will, the intellect, centre that this זֶ֖ה (zeh) Pronoun - masculine singular Strong's 2088: This, that too שֶׁגַּם־ (šeg·gam-) Pronoun - relative | Conjunction Strong's 1571: Assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, and is futile. הָֽבֶל׃ (hā·ḇel) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 1892: Emptiness, vanity, transitory, unsatisfactory Links Ecclesiastes 2:15 NIVEcclesiastes 2:15 NLT Ecclesiastes 2:15 ESV Ecclesiastes 2:15 NASB Ecclesiastes 2:15 KJV Ecclesiastes 2:15 BibleApps.com Ecclesiastes 2:15 Biblia Paralela Ecclesiastes 2:15 Chinese Bible Ecclesiastes 2:15 French Bible Ecclesiastes 2:15 Catholic Bible OT Poetry: Ecclesiastes 2:15 Then said I in my heart As (Ecclesiast. 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