Ecclesiastes 2:11–12

11 Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done

and what I had toiled to achieve,

everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind;

nothing was gained under the sun.

12 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?

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.

12 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.

11 But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless—like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere.

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

11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done

And on the labor in which I had toiled;

And indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind.

There was no profit under the sun.

12 Then I turned myself to consider wisdom and madness and folly;

For what can the man do who succeeds the king?—

Only what he has already done.

11 But then I looked at what I had done,

and I thought about all the hard work.

Suddenly I realized it was useless, like chasing the wind.

There is nothing to gain from anything we do here on earth.

12 Then I began to think again about being wise,

and also about being foolish and doing crazy things.

But after all, what more can anyone do?

He can’t do more than what the other king has already done.

11 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.

12 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.

11 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.

12 And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly; for what shall the man do that cometh after the king? —that which hath already been done.

11 But when I turned to look at all that I had accomplished and all the hard work I had put into it, I saw that it was all pointless. ⸤It was like⸥ trying to catch the wind. I gained nothing ⸤from any of my accomplishments⸥ under the sun. 

12 Then I turned ⸤my attention⸥ to experience wisdom, madness, and foolishness. For instance, what can the man who replaces the king do? Only what has already been done.

11 When I considered all that I had accomplished and what I had labored to achieve, I found everything to be futile and a pursuit of the wind. There was nothing to be gained under the sun.

12 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.

11 Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had spent in doing it, and again, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.

12 So I turned to consider wisdom and madness and folly, for what can the king’s successor do? Only what has already been done.

11 Yet when I considered all the effort which I expended and the toil with which I toiled to do, then behold, “Everything is vanity and chasing wind! There is nothing profitable under the sun!”

12 Next, I considered wisdom, as well as delusion and folly. What can anyone do who will come after the king that has not already been done?

11 But then I looked over everything my hands had done.

I saw what I had worked so hard to get.

And nothing had any meaning.

It was like chasing the wind.

Nothing was gained on this earth.

12 I decided to think about wisdom.

I also thought about foolish pleasure.

What more can a new king do?

Can he do anything more than others have already done?

11 Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun.

12 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?