Ecclesiastes 2:11 “Yet when I considered all the works that my hands had accomplished and…”

Ecclesiastes 2:11

Yet 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.

Berean Standard Bible

Other translations

King James Version

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.

World English Bible

Then I looked at all the works that my hands had worked, and at the labor that I had labored to do; and behold, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

American Standard Version

Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labor that I had labored to do; and, behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

Geneva Bible 1599

Then I looked on all my workes that mine hands had wrought, and on the trauaile that I had laboured to doe: and beholde, all is vanitie and vexation of the spirit: and there is no profite vnder the sunne.

Darby Translation

Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that it had cost me to do [them]; and behold, all was vanity and pursuit of the wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

Young's Literal Translation

and I have looked on all my works that my hands have done, and on the labour that I have laboured to do, and lo, the whole [is] vanity and vexation of spirit, and there is no advantage under the sun!

Bible in Basic English

Then I saw all the works which my hands had made, and everything I had been working to do; and I saw that all was to no purpose and desire for wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

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Cross references

“I looked”

Ecclesiastes 1:14 Genesis 1:31 Exodus 39:43 1 John 2:16 1 John 2:17

Ecclesiastes 1:14 · BSB

I have seen all the things that are done under the sun, and have found them all to be futile, a pursuit of the wind.

Genesis 1:31 · BSB

And God looked upon all that He had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.

Exodus 39:43 · BSB

And Moses inspected all the work and saw that they had accomplished it just as the LORD had commanded. So Moses blessed them.

1 John 2:16 · BSB

For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world.

1 John 2:17 · BSB

The world is passing away, along with its desires; but whoever does the will of God remains forever.

“behold”

Ecclesiastes 1:3 1 Timothy 6:6 Ecclesiastes 2:17–23 Habakkuk 2:13

Ecclesiastes 1:3 · BSB

What does a man gain from all his labor, at which he toils under the sun?

1 Timothy 6:6 · BSB

Of course, godliness with contentment is great gain.

Ecclesiastes 2:17–23 · BSB

So 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.

Habakkuk 2:13 · BSB

Is it not indeed from the LORD of Hosts that the labor of the people only feeds the fire, and the nations weary themselves in vain?

Cross references adapted from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0) and the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

In context

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.

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?

Read Ecclesiastes 2