Ecclesiastes 2 NLT ISV Parallel

◄ Ecclesiastes 2 ►

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International Standard Version

1I said to myself, “Come on, let’s try pleasure. Let’s look for the ‘good things’ in life.” But I found that this, too, was meaningless.

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

2So I said, “Laughter is silly. What good does it do to seek pleasure?”

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

3After much thought, I decided to cheer myself with wine. And while still seeking wisdom, I clutched at foolishness. In this way, I tried to experience the only happiness most people find during their brief life in this world.

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.

4I also tried to find meaning by building huge homes for myself and by planting beautiful vineyards.

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

5I made gardens and parks, filling them with all kinds of fruit trees.

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

6I built reservoirs to collect the water to irrigate my many flourishing groves.

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

7I bought slaves, both men and women, and others were born into my household. I also owned large herds and flocks, more than any of the kings who had lived in Jerusalem before me.

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.

8I collected great sums of silver and gold, the treasure of many kings and provinces. I hired wonderful singers, both men and women, and had many beautiful concubines. I had everything a man could desire!

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.

9So I became greater than all who had lived in Jerusalem before me, and my wisdom never failed me.

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

10Anything I wanted, I would take. I denied myself no pleasure. I even found great pleasure in hard work, a reward for all my labors.

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.

11But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless—like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere. The Wise and the Foolish

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.

12So I decided to compare wisdom with foolishness and madness (for who can do this better than I, the king? ).

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?

13I thought, “Wisdom is better than foolishness, just as light is better than darkness.

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

14For the wise can see where they are going, but fools walk in the dark.” Yet I saw that the wise and the foolish share the same fate.

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

15Both 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!”

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.

16For the wise and the foolish both die. The wise will not be remembered any longer than the fool. In the days to come, both will be forgotten.

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?

17So I came to hate life because everything done here under the sun is so troubling. Everything is meaningless—like chasing the wind. The Futility of Work

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

18I came to hate all my hard work here on earth, for I must leave to others everything I have earned.

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.

19And who can tell whether my successors will be wise or foolish? Yet they will control everything I have gained by my skill and hard work under the sun. How meaningless!

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.

20So I gave up in despair, questioning the value of all my hard work in this world.

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

21Some 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.

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.

22So what do people get in this life for all their hard work and anxiety?

22For what does a person gain from everything that he accomplishes and from his inner life struggles that he undergoes while working on earth?

23Their days of labor are filled with pain and grief; even at night their minds cannot rest. It is all meaningless.

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!

24So I decided there is nothing better than to enjoy food and drink and to find satisfaction in work. Then I realized that these pleasures are from the hand of God.

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,

25For who can eat or enjoy anything apart from him?

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

26God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to those who please him. But if a sinner becomes wealthy, God takes the wealth away and gives it to those who please him. This, too, is meaningless—like chasing the wind.

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.

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