Ecclesiastes 2:12
Strong's Lexicon
Then I
אֲנִי֙ (’ă·nî)
Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's Hebrew 589: 1) I (first pers. sing. -usually used for emphasis)

turned
וּפָנִ֤יתִֽי (ū·p̄ā·nî·ṯî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular
Strong's Hebrew 6437: 1) to turn 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to turn toward or from or away 1a2) to turn and do 1a3) to turn, decline (of day) 1a4) to turn toward, approach (of evening) 1a5) to turn and look, look, look back or at or after or for 1b) (Piel) to turn away, put out of the way, make clear, clear away 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to turn 1c2) to make a turn, show signs of turning, turn back 1d) (Hophal) to be turned back

to consider
לִרְא֣וֹת (lir·’ō·wṯ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's Hebrew 7200: 1) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to see 1a2) to see, perceive 1a3) to see, have vision 1a4) to look at, see, regard, look after, see after, learn about, observe, watch, look upon, look out, find out 1a5) to see, observe, consider, look at, give attention to, discern, distinguish 1a6) to look at, gaze at 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to appear, present oneself 1b2) to be seen 1b3) to be visible 1c) (Pual) to be seen 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to cause to see, show 1d2) to cause to look intently at, behold, cause to gaze at 1e) (Hophal) 1e1) to be caused to see, be shown 1e2) to be exhibited to 1f) (Hithpael) to look at each other, face

wisdom
חָכְמָ֔ה (ḥāḵ·māh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's Hebrew 2451: 1) wisdom 1a) skill (in war) 1b) wisdom (in administration) 1c) shrewdness, wisdom 1d) wisdom, prudence (in religious affairs) 1e) wisdom (ethical and religious)

and madness
וְהוֹלֵל֖וֹת (wə·hō·w·lê·lō·wṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's Hebrew 1947: 1) madness

and folly;
וְסִכְל֑וּת (wə·siḵ·lūṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's Hebrew 5531: 1) folly, foolishness

for
כִּ֣י ׀ ()
Conjunction
Strong's Hebrew 3588: 1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since 1a) that 1a1) yea, indeed 1b) when (of time) 1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force) 1c) because, since (causal connection) 1d) but (after negative) 1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if 1f) but rather, but 1g) except that 1h) only, nevertheless 1i) surely 1j) that is 1k) but if 1l) for though 1m) forasmuch as, for therefore

what [more]
מֶ֣ה (meh)
Interrogative
Strong's Hebrew 4100: interr pron 1) what, how, of what kind 1a) (interrogative) 1a1) what? 1a2) of what kind 1a3) what? (rhetorical) 1a4) whatsoever, whatever, what 1b) (adverb) 1b1) how, how now 1b2) why 1b3) how! (exclamation) 1c) (with prep) 1c1) wherein?, whereby?, wherewith?, by what means? 1c2) because of what? 1c3) the like of what? 1c3a) how much?, how many?, how often? 1c3b) for how long? 1c4) for what reason?, why?, to what purpose? 1c5) until when?, how long?, upon what?, wherefore? indef pron 2) anything, aught, what may

can the king’s
הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ (ham·me·leḵ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew 4428: 1) king

successor
שֶׁיָּבוֹא֙ (še·yā·ḇō·w)
Pronoun - relative | Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew 935: 1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to enter, come in 1a2) to come 1a2a) to come with 1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy) 1a2c) to come to pass 1a3) to attain to 1a4) to be enumerated 1a5) to go 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to lead in 1b2) to carry in 1b3) to bring in, cause to come in, gather, cause to come, bring near, bring against, bring upon 1b4) to bring to pass 1c) (Hophal) 1c1) to be brought, brought in 1c2) to be introduced, be put

אַחֲרֵ֣י (’a·ḥă·rê)
Preposition
Strong's Hebrew 310: 1) after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time) 1a) as an adverb 1a1) behind (of place) 1a2) afterwards (of time) 1b) as a preposition 1b1) behind, after (of place) 1b2) after (of time) 1b3) besides 1c) as a conjunction 1c) after that 1d) as a substantive 1d1) hinder part 1e) with other prepositions 1e1) from behind 1e2) from following after

אֵ֥ת (’êṯ)
Direct object marker
Strong's Hebrew 853: 1) sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative

do
אֲשֶׁר־ (’ă·šer-)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's Hebrew 834: 1) (relative part.) 1a) which, who 1b) that which 2) (conj) 2a) that (in obj clause) 2b) when 2c) since 2d) as 2e) conditional if

than what has already
כְּבָ֖ר (kə·ḇār)
Adverb
Strong's Hebrew 3528: 1) already, long ago, a great while

been accomplished ?
עָשֽׂוּהוּ׃ (‘ā·śū·hū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural | third person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew 6213: 1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to do, work, make, produce 1a1a) to do 1a1b) to work 1a1c) to deal (with) 1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect 1a2) to make 1a2a) to make 1a2b) to produce 1a2c) to prepare 1a2d) to make (an offering) 1a2e) to attend to, put in order 1a2f) to observe, celebrate 1a2g) to acquire (property) 1a2h) to appoint, ordain, institute 1a2i) to bring about 1a2j) to use 1a2k) to spend, pass 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be done 1b2) to be made 1b3) to be produced 1b4) to be offered 1b5) to be observed 1b6) to be used 1c) (Pual) to be made 2) (Piel) to press, squeeze

Parallel Strong's
Berean Study Bible
Then I turned to consider wisdom and madness and folly; for what more can the king’s successor do than what has already been accomplished?

Young's Literal Translation
And I turned to see wisdom, and madness, and folly, but what [is] the man{.htm" title="{"> who cometh after the king? that which [is] already—they have done it!

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then I turned to consider wisdom, madness, and folly, for what will the man be like who comes after the king? He will do what has already been done.

New American Standard Bible
So I turned to consider wisdom, madness and folly; for what [will] the man [do] who will come after the king [except] what has already been done?

King James Bible
And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what [can] the man [do] that cometh after the king? [even] that which hath been already done.
Parallel Verses
New International Version
Then I turned my thoughts to consider wisdom, and also madness and folly. What more can the king's successor do than what has already been done?

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

English Standard Version
So I turned to consider wisdom and madness and folly. For what can the man do who comes after the king? Only what has already been done.

New American Standard Bible
So I turned to consider wisdom, madness and folly; for what will the man do who will come after the king except what has already been done?

King James Bible
And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then I turned to consider wisdom, madness, and folly, for what will the man be like who comes after the king? He will do what has already been done.

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

NET Bible
Next, I decided to consider wisdom, as well as foolish behavior and ideas. For what more can the king's successor do than what the king has already done?

American Standard Version
And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been done long ago.

English Revised Version
And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness and folly; for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.

Young's Literal Translation
And I turned to see wisdom, and madness, and folly, but what is the man who cometh after the king? that which is already -- they have done it!
















Cross References
Ecclesiastes 1:9
The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 1:10
Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.

Ecclesiastes 1:17
And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.

Ecclesiastes 3:15
That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.

Ecclesiastes 1:1
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

Ecclesiastes 2:11
Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 2:10
And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.

Ecclesiastes 2:9
So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.

Ecclesiastes 2:13
Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.

Ecclesiastes 2:14
The wise man's eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all.

Ecclesiastes 2:15
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.
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