Ecclesiastes 2:18–26

The Emptiness of Work

¹⁸I hated all my work that I labored at under the sun ⁱbecause I must leave it to the man who comes after me. ^j19And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? ^kYet 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 ^lto despair concerning all my work that I had labored at under the sun. ²¹When there is a man whose work was done with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, ^mand he must give his portion to a man who has not worked for it, this too is futile and a great wrong. ²²For what does a man get with all his work and all his efforts ⁿthat he labors at under the sun? ²³For all his days are filled with grief, and his occupation is sorrowful; ^oeven at night, his mind does not rest. ^pThis too is futile.

²⁴There is nothing better for man than to eat, drink, and enjoy ^qrhis work. ^sI have seen that even this is from God’s hand, ^t25because who can eat and who can enjoy life ^uapart from Him? ^v26For to the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy, ^wbut 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. ^xThis too is futile and a pursuit of the wind. ^y