Ecclesiastes 2 ISV BSB Parallel

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◄ Ecclesiastes 2 ►

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Berean Study Bible

1I told myself, "I will test you with pleasure, so enjoy yourself." But this was pointless.

1I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy what is good!” But it proved to be futile.

2"Senseless," said I concerning laughter and pleasure, "How practical is this?"

2I said of laughter, “It is folly,” and of pleasure, “What does it accomplish?”

3I decided to indulge in wine, while still remaining committed to wisdom. I also tried to indulge in foolishness, just enough to determine whether it was good for human beings under heaven given the short time of their lives.

3I sought to cheer my body with wine and to embrace folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom—until I could see what was worthwhile for men to do under heaven during the few days of their lives.

4With respect to my extravagant works, I built houses for myself; I planted vineyards for myself.

4I expanded my pursuits. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself.

5I constructed gardens and orchards for myself, and within them I planted all kinds of fruit trees.

5I made gardens and parks for myself, where I planted all kinds of fruit trees.

6I built for myself water reservoirs to irrigate forests that produce trees.

6I built reservoirs to water my groves of flourishing trees.

7I acquired male and female slaves, and had other slaves born in my house. I also acquired for myself increasing numbers of herds and flocks—more than anyone who had lived before me in Jerusalem.

7I acquired menservants and maidservants, and servants were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me,

8I also accumulated silver, gold, and the wealth of kings and their kingdoms. I gathered around me both male and female singers, along with what delights a man—all sorts of mistresses.

8and I accumulated for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I gathered to myself male and female singers, and the delights of the sons of men—many concubines.

9So I became great, greater than anyone who had lived before me in Jerusalem. Throughout all of this, I remained wise.

9So I became great and surpassed all in Jerusalem who had preceded me; and my wisdom remained with me.

10Whenever I wanted something I had seen, I never refused that desire. Instead, I enjoyed everything I did, and this became the reward in what I had undertaken.

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.

11Then 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.

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.

12Next I turned to examine wisdom, insanity, and foolishness, because what can a person do who succeeds the king except what has already been accomplished?

12Then I turned to consider wisdom and madness and folly; for what more can the king’s successor do than what has already been accomplished?

13I concluded that wisdom is more useful than foolishness, just as light is more useful than darkness.

13And I saw that wisdom exceeds folly, just as light exceeds darkness:

14The wise use their eyes, but the fool walks in darkness. I also perceived that the same outcome affects them all.

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.

15Then 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.

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 neither the wise nor the fool will be long remembered, since in days to come everything will be forgotten. The wise man dies the same way as the fool, does he not?

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!

17So I hated life, because whatever is done on earth causes me trouble—it's all pointless, like chasing after the wind.

17So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. For everything is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

18Then I despised everything I had worked for on earth, that is, the things that I will leave to the person who will succeed me.

18I hated all for which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes after me.

19And who knows whether he will be wise or foolish? Either way, he will take possession of everything that I have done on earth, especially where I have excelled. This also is pointless.

19And who knows whether that man will be wise or foolish? Yet he will take over all the labor at which I have worked skillfully under the sun. This too is futile.

20So I came to be in despair about everything I had accomplished on earth.

20So my heart began to despair over all the labor that I had done under the sun.

21For 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.

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 person gain from everything that he accomplishes and from his inner life struggles that he undergoes while working on earth?

22For what does a man get for all the toil and striving with which he labors under the sun?

23Indeed, all of his days are filled with sorrow, and his struggles bring grief. In fact, his mind remains restless throughout the night. This is pointless, too!

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.

24The only worthwhile thing for a human being is to eat, drink, and enjoy life's goodness that he finds in what he accomplishes. This, I observed, is also from the hand of God himself,

24Nothing is better for a man than to eat and drink and enjoy his work. I have also seen that this is from the hand of God.

25for who can eat or enjoy life apart from him?

25For apart from Him, who can eat and who can find enjoyment?

26After all, to the person who is good in God's sight, he gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy, but to the sinner he gives the troublesome task of acquiring and accumulating in order to leave it to someone who is good in the sight of God. This also is pointless and chasing after the wind.

26To the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner He assigns the task of gathering and accumulating that which he will hand over to one who pleases God. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

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