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

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

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

Berean Standard Bible
For what does a man get for all the toil and striving with which he labors under the sun?

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

New King James Version
For what has man for all his labor, and for the striving of his heart with which he has toiled under the sun?

New American Standard Bible
For what does a person get in all his labor and in his striving with which he labors under the sun?

NASB 1995
For what does a man get in all his labor and in his striving with which he labors under the sun?

NASB 1977
For what does a man get in all his labor and in his striving with which he labors under the sun?

Legacy Standard Bible
For what does a man get in all his labor and in the striving of his heart with which he labors under the sun?

Amplified Bible
For what does a man get from all his labor and from the striving and sorrow of his heart with which he labors under the sun?

Christian Standard Bible
For what does a person get with all his work and all his efforts that he labors at under the sun?

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For what does a man get with all his work and all his efforts that he labors at 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?

Contemporary English Version
What do we really gain from all of our hard work?

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?

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

Good News Translation
You work and worry your way through life, and what do you have to show for it?

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

Majority Standard Bible
For what does a man get for all the toil and striving with which he labors under the sun?

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

New Heart 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?

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 does a man have of all his labor and of the striving of his heart, in which he labors under the sun?
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
For what has been to a man by all his labor, and by the thought of his heart that he labored at 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?

Smith's Literal Translation
For what was to man in all his labor, and in the striving of his heart, he labored under the sun?
Catholic Translations
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?

Catholic Public Domain Version
For how can a man benefit from all his labor and affliction of spirit, by which he has been tormented under the sun?

New American Bible
For what profit comes to mortals from all the toil and anxiety of heart with which they toil under the sun?

New Revised Standard Version
What do mortals get from all the toil and strain with which they toil under the sun?
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
For what profit shall a man have of all his labor and of the desire of his heart wherein he has labored under the sun?

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And what does a son of man have in all his labor and in the desire of his heart which he wrought under the sun?
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
For what hath a man of all his labour, and of the striving of his heart, wherein he laboureth under the sun?

Brenton Septuagint Translation
For it happens to a man in all his labour, and in the purpose of his heart wherein he labours under the sun.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Futility of Work
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? 23Indeed, all his days are filled with grief, and his task is sorrowful; even at night, his mind does not rest. This too is futile.…

Cross References
Genesis 3:17-19
And to Adam He said: “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat, cursed is the ground because of you; through toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. / Both thorns and thistles it will yield for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. / By the sweat of your brow you will eat your bread, until you return to the ground—because out of it were you taken. For dust you are, and to dust you shall return.”

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 90:10
The length of our days is seventy years—or eighty if we are strong—yet their pride is but labor and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.

Job 5:7
Yet man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward.

Job 14:1-2
“Man, who is born of woman, is short of days and full of trouble. / Like a flower, he comes forth, then withers away; like a fleeting shadow, he does not endure.

Psalm 127:1-2
A song of ascents. Of Solomon. Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain; unless the LORD protects the city, its watchmen stand guard in vain. / In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for bread to eat—for He gives sleep to His beloved.

Proverbs 23:4-5
Do not wear yourself out to get rich; be wise enough to restrain yourself. / When you glance at wealth, it disappears, for it makes wings for itself and flies like an eagle to the sky.

Isaiah 55:2
Why spend money on that which is not bread, and your labor on that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of foods.

Jeremiah 20:18
Why did I come out of the womb to see only trouble and sorrow, and to end my days in shame?

Matthew 6:19-21
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. / But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. / For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Matthew 16:26
What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

Luke 12:15-21
And He said to them, “Watch out! Guard yourselves against every form of greed, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” / Then He told them a parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced an abundance. / So he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, since I have nowhere to store my crops?’ ...

Romans 8:20-22
For the creation was subjected to futility, not by its own will, but because of the One who subjected it, in hope / that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. / We know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until the present time.

1 Corinthians 15:58
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast and immovable. Always excel in the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, yet our inner self is being renewed day by day. / For our light and momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory that is far beyond comparison. / So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.


Treasury of Scripture

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

hath man

Ecclesiastes 1:3
What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?

Ecclesiastes 3:9
What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?

Ecclesiastes 5:10,11,17
He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity…

and of the

Ecclesiastes 4:6,8
Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit…

Psalm 127:2
It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.

Matthew 6:11,25,34
Give us this day our daily bread…

Jump to Previous
Anxious Beneath Care Heart Labor Laboreth Laboured Strain Striving Sun Thought Toil Toils Vexation Wearied Weight Wherein Wherewith Work
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Anxious Beneath Care Heart Labor Laboreth Laboured Strain Striving Sun Thought Toil Toils Vexation Wearied Weight Wherein Wherewith Work
Ecclesiastes 2
1. the vanity of human courses is the work of pleasure
12. 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














For what does a man get
This phrase introduces a rhetorical question that challenges the reader to consider the ultimate outcome or reward of human effort. The Hebrew word for "get" here is "ḥēleq," which can also mean "portion" or "share." It suggests a deeper inquiry into the tangible and intangible returns of one's life work. In the context of Ecclesiastes, this question reflects the Preacher's (traditionally understood as Solomon) exploration of life's meaning and the apparent futility of human endeavors when viewed from a purely earthly perspective.

for all the labor
The term "labor" is translated from the Hebrew word "ʿāmāl," which conveys not just work, but toil and hardship. This word emphasizes the strenuous and often burdensome nature of human effort. Historically, labor has been a central aspect of human existence since the fall of man in Genesis, where work became toilsome as part of the curse. This reflects the broader biblical theme that while work is a part of God's design, it is also marred by the fall, leading to frustration and weariness.

and endeavors
"Endeavors" is derived from the Hebrew "ḥishbôn," which can mean "thoughts" or "plans." This word suggests the mental and strategic efforts that accompany physical labor. It encompasses the planning, scheming, and intellectual exertion that humans invest in their pursuits. In the biblical context, this highlights the comprehensive nature of human striving, not just physical but also mental, and raises questions about the ultimate value of such efforts.

at which he toils
The word "toils" is again rooted in "ʿāmāl," reinforcing the idea of laborious effort. This repetition underscores the exhaustive nature of human work. The Preacher's use of this term twice in the verse emphasizes the relentless and often unrewarding cycle of human activity. It serves as a reminder of the curse of labor post-Eden and the existential weariness that can accompany a life focused solely on earthly achievements.

under the sun
This phrase is a key motif in Ecclesiastes, appearing numerous times throughout the book. It signifies life from a purely earthly perspective, devoid of divine insight or eternal consideration. "Under the sun" frames the Preacher's exploration of life's meaning as one that is limited to the temporal and material world. In the broader scriptural context, it challenges readers to lift their eyes beyond the immediate and transient to the eternal and divine, suggesting that true fulfillment and purpose are found not in earthly toil but in a relationship with God.

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.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
For
כִּ֠י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

what
מֶֽה־ (meh-)
Interrogative
Strong's 4100: What?, what!, indefinitely what

does a man
לָֽאָדָם֙ (lā·’ā·ḏām)
Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 120: Ruddy, a human being

get
הֹוֶ֤ה (hō·weh)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 1933: To fall

for all
בְּכָל־ (bə·ḵāl)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the labor
עֲמָל֔וֹ (‘ă·mā·lōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5999: Toil, wearing effort, worry, wheth, of body, mind

and endeavors
וּבְרַעְי֖וֹן (ū·ḇə·ra‘·yō·wn)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7475: Longing, striving

at which
שֶׁה֥וּא (še·hū)
Pronoun - relative | Pronoun - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

he toils
עָמֵ֖ל (‘ā·mêl)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6001: Toiling, a laborer, sorrowful

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


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OT Poetry: Ecclesiastes 2:22 For what has a man of all (Ecclesiast. Ec Ecc Eccles.)
Ecclesiastes 2:21
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