¹⁸I hated all my work that I labored at under the sun^m because I must leave it to the one who comes after me.ⁿ ¹⁹And who knows whether he will be wise or a fool?^o Yet he will take over all my work that I labored at skillfully under the sun. This too is futile. ²⁰So I began to give myself over^A to despair concerning all my work that I had labored at under the sun. ²¹When there is a person whose work was done with wisdom, knowledge, and skill,^p and he must give his portion to a person who has not worked for it, this too is futile and a great wrong. ²²For what does a person get with all his work and all his efforts^q that he labors at under the sun? ²³For all his days are filled with grief, and his occupation is sorrowful;^r even at night, his mind does not rest.^s This too is futile.

²⁴There is nothing better for a person than to eat, drink, and enjoy^B^C his work.^t I have seen that even this is from God’s hand,^u ²⁵because who can eat and who can enjoy life^D apart from him?^E ²⁶For to the person who is pleasing in his sight, he gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy;^v but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and accumulating in order to give to the one who is pleasing in God’s sight.^w This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.^x

Read in Logos

Footnotes

A And I turned to cause my heart
B, ; reads There is no good in a person who eats and drinks and enjoys
C and his soul sees good
D, , read can drink
ESome , , read me

Cross references

m Ec 1:3; 2:11
n Ps 39:6; 49:10; Pr 13:22
o Ezk 18:9–10
p Ec 4:4
q Ec 1:3; 2:11
r Jb 5:7; 14:1
s Ps 127:2
t Ec 2:3; 3:12–13,22; 5:18; 6:12; 8:15; 9:7; Is 56:12; Lk 12:19; 1Co 15:32; 1Tm 6:17
u Ec 3:13
v Jb 32:8; Pr 2:6
w Jb 27:16–17; Pr 13:22; 28:8
x Ec 1:14