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Ecclesiastes 2 :: New American Standard Bible 2020 (NASB20)

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The Futility of Pleasure and Possessions

(cf. 1Ki 4:20–28 )

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Unchecked Copy Box Ecc 2:1

Ecc 2:1 -

I said^H559 [fn]to myself^H3820, “Come^H1980 now^H4994, I will test^H5254 you with pleasure^H8057. So [fn]enjoy^H7200^H2896 yourself.” And behold^H2009, it too^H1571 was futility^H1892.

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Unchecked Copy Box Ecc 2:2

Ecc 2:2 - I said^H559 of laughter^H7814, “It is senseless^H1984,” and of pleasure^H8057, “What^H4100 does this^H2088 accomplish^H6213?”

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Unchecked Copy Box Ecc 2:3

Ecc 2:3 - I explored^H8446 with my [fn]mind^H3820 how to refresh^H4900 my body^H1320 with wine^H3196 while my [fn]mind^H3820 was guiding^H5090 me wisely^H2451; and how to seize^H270 foolishness^H5531, until^H5704^H834 I could see^H7200 what^H335^H2088 good^H2896 there is for the sons^H1121 of mankind^H120 [fn]to do^H6213 under^H8478 heaven^H8064 for the few^H4557 [fn]years^H3117 of their lives^H2416.

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Unchecked Copy Box Ecc 2:4

Ecc 2:4 - I enlarged^H1431 my works^H4639: I built^H1129 houses^H1004 for myself, I planted^H5193 vineyards^H3754 for myself;

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Unchecked Copy Box Ecc 2:5

Ecc 2:5 - I made^H6213 gardens^H1593 and parks^H6508 for myself, and I planted^H5193 in them all^H3605 kinds of fruit^H6529 trees^H6086;

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Unchecked Copy Box Ecc 2:6

Ecc 2:6 - I made^H6213 ponds^H1295 of water^H4325 for myself from which to irrigate^H8248 a forest^H3293 of growing^H6779 trees^H6086.

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Unchecked Copy Box Ecc 2:7

Ecc 2:7 - I bought^H7069 male^H5650 and female^H8198 slaves^H8198^H5650, and I had^H1961 [fn]slaves^H1121 born at home^H1004. I also^H1571 possessed flocks^H6629 and herds^H1241 larger^H7235 than^H4480 all^H3605 who^H7945 preceded^H6440 me in Jerusalem^H3389.

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Unchecked Copy Box Ecc 2:8

Ecc 2:8 - I also^H1571 amassed^H3664 for myself silver^H3701 and gold^H2091, and the treasure^H5459 of kings^H4428 and provinces^H4082. I provided^H6213 for myself male and female singers^H7891, and the pleasures^H8588 of the sons^H1121 of mankind^H120: many^H7705 concubines^H7705.

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Unchecked Copy Box Ecc 2:9

Ecc 2:9 -

Then I became^H1431 great^H1431 and increased^H3254 more^H4480 than^H4480 all^H3605 who^H7945 preceded^H6440 me in Jerusalem^H3389. My wisdom^H2451 also^H637 stood^H5975 by me.

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Unchecked Copy Box Ecc 2:10

Ecc 2:10 - All^H3605 that my eyes^H5869 desired^H7592, I did not refuse^H680 them. I did not restrain^H4513 my heart^H3820 from any^H3605 pleasure^H8057, for my heart^H3820 was pleased^H8056 because^H4480 of all^H3605 my labor^H5999; and this^H2088 was my reward^H2506 for all^H3605 my labor^H5999.

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Unchecked Copy Box Ecc 2:11

Ecc 2:11 - So I considered^H6437 all^H3605 my activities^H4639 which^H7945 my hands^H3027 had done^H6213 and the labor^H5999 which^H7945 I had [fn]exerted^H6213, and behold^H2009, all^H3605 was futility^H1892 and striving^H7469 after wind^H7307, and there^H369 was^H369 no^H369 benefit^H3504 under^H8478 the sun^H8121.

Wisdom Surpasses Foolishness

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Unchecked Copy Box Ecc 2:12

Ecc 2:12 -

So I turned^H6437 to consider^H7200 wisdom^H2451, insanity^H1947, and foolishness^H5531; for what^H4100 will the man^H120 do who^H7945 will come^H935 after^H310 the king^H4428, except what^H834 has already^H3528 been done^H6213?

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Unchecked Copy Box Ecc 2:13

Ecc 2:13 - Then I saw^H7200 that wisdom^H2451 surpasses^H3426^H3504^H4480 foolishness^H5531 as light^H216 surpasses^H3504^H4480 darkness^H2822.

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Unchecked Copy Box Ecc 2:14

Ecc 2:14 - The wise^H2450 person’s^H2450 eyes^H5869 are in his head^H7218, but the fool^H3684 walks^H1980 in darkness^H2822. And yet^H1571 I know^H3045 that one^H259 and the same fate^H4745 happens^H7136 to [fn]both^H3605 of them.

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Unchecked Copy Box Ecc 2:15

Ecc 2:15 - Then I said^H559 [fn]to myself^H3820, “As is the fate^H4745 of the fool^H3684, it will also^H1571 happen^H7136 to me. Why^H4100 then^H227 have I been^H2449 extremely^H3148 wise^H2449?” So [fn]I said^H1696 to myself^H3820, “This^H2088 too^H1571 is futility^H1892.”

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Unchecked Copy Box Ecc 2:16

Ecc 2:16 - For there^H369 is^H369 no^H369 [fn]lasting^H5769 remembrance^H2146 of the wise^H2450, along^H5973 with^H5973 the fool^H3684, since^H7945 in the coming^H935 days^H3117 everything^H3605 will [fn]soon^H3528 be forgotten^H7911. And how^H349 the wise^H2450 and the fool^H3684 alike^H5973 die^H4191!

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Unchecked Copy Box Ecc 2:17

Ecc 2:17 - So I hated^H8130 life^H2416, for the work^H4639 which^H7945 had been done^H6213 under^H8478 the sun^H8121 was [fn]unhappy^H7451 to me; because^H3588 everything^H3605 is futility^H1892 and striving^H7469 after wind^H7307.

The Futility of Labor

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Unchecked Copy Box Ecc 2:18

Ecc 2:18 -

So I hated^H8130 all^H3605 the fruit^H5999 of^H5999 my labor^H5999 for which^H7945 I had labored^H6001 under^H8478 the sun^H8121, because I must leave^H5117 it to the man^H120 who^H7945 will come^H1961 after^H310 me.

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Unchecked Copy Box Ecc 2:19

Ecc 2:19 - And who^H4310 knows^H3045 whether he will be wise^H2450 or^H176 a fool^H5530? Yet he will have^H7980 control^H7980 over^H7980 all^H3605 the fruit^H5999 of^H5999 my labor^H5999 for which^H7945 I have labored^H5998 by acting^H2449 wisely^H2449 under^H8478 the sun^H8121. This^H2088 too^H1571 is futility^H1892.

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Unchecked Copy Box Ecc 2:20

Ecc 2:20 - Therefore I [fn]completely^H5437^H3820 despaired^H2976 over^H5921 all^H3605 the fruit^H5999 of^H5999 my labor^H5999 for which^H7945 I had labored^H5998 under^H8478 the sun^H8121.

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Unchecked Copy Box Ecc 2:21

Ecc 2:21 - When^H3588 there^H3426 is^H3426 a person^H120 who^H7945 has labored^H5998 with wisdom^H2451, knowledge^H1847, and skill^H3788, and then gives^H5414 his [fn]legacy^H2506 to one^H120 who^H7945 has not labored^H5998 for it; this^H2088 too^H1571 is futility^H1892 and a great^H7227 evil^H7451.

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Unchecked Copy Box Ecc 2:22

Ecc 2:22 - For what^H4100 does a person^H120 get^H1933 in all^H3605 his labor^H5999 and in [fn]his striving^H7475 with which^H7945 he labors^H6001 under^H8478 the sun^H8121?

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Unchecked Copy Box Ecc 2:23

Ecc 2:23 - Because^H3588 all^H3605 his days^H3117 his activity^H6045 is painful^H4341 and irritating^H3708; even^H1571 at night^H3915 his [fn]mind^H3820 does not rest^H7901. This^H2088 too^H1571 is futility^H1892.

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Unchecked Copy Box Ecc 2:24

Ecc 2:24 -

There^H369 is^H369 nothing^H369 better^H2896 for a person^H120 than to eat^H398 and drink^H8354, and show^H7200 [fn]himself^H5315 some good^H2896 in his trouble^H5999. This^H2090 too^H1571 I have seen^H7200, that it is from the hand^H3027 of God^H430.

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Unchecked Copy Box Ecc 2:25

Ecc 2:25 - For who^H4310 can eat^H398 and who^H4310 can have^H2363 enjoyment^H2363 without^H2351^H4480 [fn]Him?

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Unchecked Copy Box Ecc 2:26

Ecc 2:26 - For to a person^H120 who^H7945 is good^H2896 in His sight^H6440, He has given^H5414 wisdom^H2451 and knowledge^H1847 and joy^H8057, while to the sinner^H2398 He has given^H5414 the task^H6045 of gathering^H622 and collecting^H3664 so that he may give^H5414 to one^H2896 who is good^H2896 in God’s^H430 sight^H6440. This^H2088 too^H1571 is futility^H1892 and striving^H7469 after wind^H7307.

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See the NASB20 Preface (Especially for Parenthesis, Brackets, & Asterisks).

NASB20 Footnotes

(2:1)

Lit in my heart

(2:1)

Lit consider with goodness

Lit heart

Lit heart

Lit which they do

Lit days

Lit sons

Lit labored to do

Lit all of

Lit in my heart

Lit I spoke in my heart

Lit forever

Lit already

Lit evil

Lit turned aside my heart to despair

(2:21)

Lit share

(2:22)

Lit the striving of his heart

(2:23)

Lit heart

(2:24)

Lit his soul

(2:25)

As in LXX; Heb me

New American Standard Bible 2020
Copyright (c) 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995, 2020
by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif.
All rights reserved
https://www.lockman.org/new-american-standard-bible-nasb/

The "NASB," "NAS," "New American Standard Bible," and "New American Standard" trademarks are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by The Lockman Foundation. Use of these trademarks requires the permission of The Lockman Foundation.

For Permission To Quote visit http://www.lockman.org

For more information on this translation, see the NASB20 Preface.

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Ecclesiastes 2 :: New American Standard Bible 2020 (NASB20)

The Futility of Pleasure and Possessions

Wisdom Surpasses Foolishness

The Futility of Labor

NASB20 Footnotes

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