Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version For a person may labor with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then they must leave all they own to another who has not toiled for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. New Living Translation Some people work wisely with knowledge and skill, then must leave the fruit of their efforts to someone who hasn’t worked for it. This, too, is meaningless, a great tragedy. English Standard Version because sometimes a person who has toiled with wisdom and knowledge and skill must leave everything to be enjoyed by someone who did not toil for it. This also is vanity and a great evil. Berean Study Bible When there is a man who has labored with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, and he must give his portion to a man who has not worked for it, this too is futile and a great evil. New American Standard Bible When there is a man who has labored with wisdom, knowledge and skill, then he gives his legacy to one who has not labored with them. This too is vanity and a great evil. New King James Version For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, knowledge, and skill; yet he must leave his heritage to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil. King James Bible For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil. Christian Standard Bible When there is a person whose work was done with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, and he must give his portion to a person who has not worked for it, this too is futile and a great wrong. Contemporary English Version When we use our wisdom, knowledge, and skill to get what we own, why do we have to leave it to someone who didn't work for it? This is senseless and wrong. Good News Translation You work for something with all your wisdom, knowledge, and skill, and then you have to leave it all to someone who hasn't had to work for it. It is useless, and it isn't right! Holman Christian Standard Bible When there is a man whose work was done with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, and he must give his portion to a man who has not worked for it, this too is futile and a great wrong. International Standard Version For sometimes people who strive to obtain wisdom, knowledge, and equity leave everything as an inheritance to a person who never worked for it. This, too, is pointless and greatly troublesome. NET Bible For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge, and skill; however, he must hand over the fruit of his labor as an inheritance to someone else who did not work for it. This also is futile, and an awful injustice! New Heart English Bible For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, with knowledge, and with skillfulness; yet he shall leave it for his portion to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil. A Faithful Version For there is a man whose labor is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and with skill; yet to a man who has not labored in it, he shall leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil. GOD'S WORD® Translation Here is someone who had worked hard with wisdom, knowledge, and skill. Yet, he must turn over his estate to someone else, who didn't work for it. Even this is pointless and a terrible tragedy. JPS Tanakh 1917 For there is a man whose labour is with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skill; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil. New American Standard 1977 When there is a man who has labored with wisdom, knowledge and skill, then he gives his legacy to one who has not labored with them. This too is vanity and a great evil. King James 2000 Bible For there is a man whose labor is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that has not labored in it shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil. American King James Version For 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. American Standard Version For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skilfulness; yet to a man that hath not labored therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil. Brenton Septuagint Translation For there is such a man that his labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in fortitude; yet this man shall give his portion to one who has not laboured therein. This is also vanity and great evil. Douay-Rheims Bible 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. Darby Bible Translation For there is a man whose labour hath been with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skill, and who leaveth it to a man that hath not laboured therein, to be his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil. English Revised Version For there is a man whose labour is with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skilfulness; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil. Webster's Bible Translation For there is a man whose labor is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not labored in it, shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil. World English Bible For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, with knowledge, and with skillfulness; yet he shall leave it for his portion to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil. Young's Literal Translation For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity, and to a man who hath not laboured therein he giveth it -- his portion! Even this is vanity and a great evil. Study Bible The Futility of Work…20So my heart began to despair over all the labor that I had done under the sun. 21When there is a man who has labored with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, and he must give his portion to a man who has not worked for it, this too is futile and a great evil.22For what does a man get for all the toil and striving with which he labors under the sun?… 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. 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 2:20 So my heart began to despair over all the labor that I had done under the sun. Ecclesiastes 4:4 I saw that all labor and success spring from a man's envy of his neighbor. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind. Ecclesiastes 4:8 There is a man all alone, without even a son or brother. And though there is no end to his labor, his eyes are still not content with his wealth: "For whom do I toil and bereave my soul of enjoyment?" This too is futile--a miserable task. Treasury of Scripture For 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. whose Ecclesiastes 2:17,18 Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit… Ecclesiastes 9:18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good. 2 Chronicles 31:20,21 And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good and right and truth before the LORD his God… leave Lexicon Whenכִּי־ (kî-) Conjunction Strong's Hebrew 3588: A relative conjunction there is יֵ֣שׁ (yêš) Adverb Strong's Hebrew 3426: Being, substance, existence, is a man אָדָ֗ם (’ā·ḏām) Noun - masculine singular Strong's Hebrew 120: Ruddy, a human being who has labored שֶׁעֲמָל֛וֹ (še·‘ă·mā·lōw) Pronoun - relative | Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular Strong's Hebrew 5999: Toil, wearing effort, worry, wheth, of body, mind with wisdom, בְּחָכְמָ֥ה (bə·ḥā·ḵə·māh) Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular Strong's Hebrew 2451: Wisdom knowledge, וּבְדַ֖עַת (ū·ḇə·ḏa·‘aṯ) Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular Strong's Hebrew 1847: Knowledge and skill, וּבְכִשְׁר֑וֹן (ū·ḇə·ḵiš·rō·wn) Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular Strong's Hebrew 3788: Success, advantage and he must give יִתְּנֶ֣נּוּ (yit·tə·nen·nū) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular Strong's Hebrew 5414: To give, put, set his portion חֶלְק֔וֹ (ḥel·qōw) Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular Strong's Hebrew 2506: Portion, tract, territory to a man וּלְאָדָ֞ם (ū·lə·’ā·ḏām) Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular Strong's Hebrew 120: Ruddy, a human being who has not שֶׁלֹּ֤א (šel·lō) Pronoun - relative | Adverb - Negative particle Strong's Hebrew 3808: Not, no worked for it, עָֽמַל־ (‘ā·mal-) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Strong's Hebrew 5998: To toil, work severely and with irksomeness this זֶ֥ה (zeh) Pronoun - masculine singular Strong's Hebrew 2088: This, that too גַּם־ (gam-) Conjunction Strong's Hebrew 1571: Assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, and is futile הֶ֖בֶל (he·ḇel) Noun - masculine singular Strong's Hebrew 1892: Emptiness, vanity, transitory, unsatisfactory and a great רַבָּֽה׃ (rab·bāh) Adjective - feminine singular Strong's Hebrew 7227: Much, many, great evil. וְרָעָ֥ה (wə·rā·‘āh) Conjunctive waw | Adjective - feminine singular Strong's Hebrew 7451: Bad, evil (21) Equity.--Rather, skill, success (Ecclesiastes 4:4; Ecclesiastes 5:7). The noun is peculiar to this book. The corresponding verb occurs in Ecclesiastes 10:10; Ecclesiastes 11:6; Esther 8:5.Verse 21. - For there is a man whose labor is in wisdom. "In," בְּ, "with," directed and performed with wisdom. The author speaks of himself objectively, as St. Paul (2 Corinthians 12:2) says, "I know a man in Christ," etc. His complaint now is, not that his successor may misuse his inheritance (ver. 19), but that this person shall have that on which he has bestowed no skill or toil, shall enjoy what modern phraseology terms "unearned increment." This, which was set forth as One of the blessings of the promised land (Deuteronomy 6:10, 11), Koheleth cannot bear to contemplate where it touches himself - not from envy or grudging, but from the feeling of dissatisfaction and want of energy which it generates. In (with) knowledge and in (with) equity. Kishron, translated "equity" in the Authorized Version; ἀνδρεία "manliness," in the Septuagint: and sollicitudine in the Vulgate, seems rather here to signify "skill" or "success." It occurs also in Ecclesiastes 4:4 and Ecclesiastes 5:10, and there only in the Old Testament. Jump to Previous Enjoyed Equity Evil Expert Gives Great Heritage Labor Labour Meaningless Misfortune Owns Portion Skill Skillfulness Someone Sometimes Therein Toiled Vanity Wisdom Work WorkedJump to Next Enjoyed Equity Evil Expert Gives Great Heritage Labor Labour Meaningless Misfortune Owns Portion Skill Skillfulness Someone Sometimes Therein Toiled Vanity Wisdom Work WorkedLinks Ecclesiastes 2:21 NIVEcclesiastes 2:21 NLT Ecclesiastes 2:21 ESV Ecclesiastes 2:21 NASB Ecclesiastes 2:21 KJV Ecclesiastes 2:21 Bible Apps Ecclesiastes 2:21 Biblia Paralela Ecclesiastes 2:21 Chinese Bible Ecclesiastes 2:21 French Bible Ecclesiastes 2:21 German Bible Alphabetical: a all and do evil For gives great has he his is it knowledge labored leave legacy man may meaningless misfortune must not one owns skill someone them then there This to too vanity When who wisdom with work worked OT Poetry: Ecclesiastes 2:21 For there is a man whose labor (Ecclesiast. Ec Ecc Eccles.) 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