Ecclesiastes 2:18-26

English Standard Version

The Vanity of Toil

¹⁸ I hated ^(A)all my toil in which I toil under the sun, seeing that I must ^(B)leave it to the man who will come after me, ¹⁹ and who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? Yet he will be master of all for which I toiled and used my wisdom under the sun. This also is vanity. ²⁰ So I ^(C)turned about and gave my heart up to despair ^(D)over all the toil of my labors under the sun, ²¹ because sometimes a person who has toiled with wisdom and knowledge and skill must leave everything to be enjoyed by someone who did not toil for it. This also is vanity and a great evil. ²² What has a man from ^(E)all the toil and striving of heart with which he toils beneath the sun? ²³ For ^(F)all his days are full of sorrow, and his ^(G)work is a vexation. Even in the night his heart does not rest. This also is vanity.

^24 (H)There is nothing better for a person than that he should ^(I)eat and drink and find enjoyment^[a] in his toil. This also, I saw, is ^(J)from the hand of God, ²⁵ for apart from him^[b] who can eat or who can have enjoyment? ²⁶ For to the one who pleases him ^(K)God has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he has given ^(L)the business of gathering and collecting, ^(M)only to give to one who pleases God. ^(N)This also is vanity and a striving after wind.