Ecclesiastes 2:26 “To the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom and knowledge…”

Ecclesiastes 2:26

To 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.

Berean Standard Bible

Other translations

King James Version

For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

World English Bible

For to the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who pleases God. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

American Standard Version

For to the man that pleaseth him God giveth wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that pleaseth God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

Geneva Bible 1599

Surely to a man that is good in his sight, God giueth wisdome, and knowledge, and ioy: but to the sinner he giueth paine, to gather, and to heape to giue to him that is good before God: this is also vanitie, and vexation of the spirit.

Darby Translation

For he giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he giveth travail to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good in God's sight. This also is vanity and pursuit of the wind.

Young's Literal Translation

For to a man who [is] good before Him, He hath given wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; and to a sinner He hath given travail, to gather and to heap up, to give to the good before God. Even this [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.

Bible in Basic English

To the man with whom he is pleased, God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy; but to the sinner he gives the work of getting goods together and storing up wealth, to give to him in whom God has pleasure. This again is to no purpose and desire for wind.

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Cross references

“in his sight”

Luke 1:6 Genesis 7:1

Luke 1:6 · BSB

Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and decrees of the Lord.

Genesis 7:1 · BSB

Then the LORD said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and all your family, because I have found you righteous in this generation.

“wisdom”

John 16:24 Proverbs 3:13–18 Colossians 1:9–12 James 3:17 2 Chronicles 31:20 2 Chronicles 31:21

John 16:24 · BSB

Until now you have not asked for anything in My name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.

Proverbs 3:13–18 · BSB

Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who acquires understanding,

Colossians 1:9–12 · BSB

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,

James 3:17 · BSB

But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere.

2 Chronicles 31:20 · BSB

So this is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah. He did what was good and upright and true before the LORD his God.

2 Chronicles 31:21 · BSB

He acted with all his heart in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law and the commandments, in order to seek his God. And so he prospered.

“to the sinner”

Proverbs 13:22 Proverbs 28:8 Job 27:16 Job 27:17

Proverbs 13:22 · BSB

A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the sinner’s wealth is passed to the righteous.

Proverbs 28:8 · BSB

He who increases his wealth by interest and usury lays it up for one who is kind to the poor.

Job 27:16 · BSB

Though he heaps up silver like dust and piles up a wardrobe like clay,

Job 27:17 · BSB

what he lays up, the righteous will wear, and his silver will be divided by the innocent.

Also

Job 32:8 Ecclesiastes 1:14

Job 32:8 · BSB

But there is a spirit in a man, the breath of the Almighty, that gives him understanding.

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.

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

In context

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

Read Ecclesiastes 2