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Ecclesiastes 2:1

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Qohelet’s Investigation of Self-Indulgence

2I said to myself,a “Come! I will testb pleasure to see whether it is worthwhile.”c But look, “This also is vanity!”

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Footnotes

  1. aLiterally “to my heart”
  2. bThe MT reads “I will test you,” but the BHS editors propose “I will test …” Whether or not one adopts MT, Qohelet is speaking to himself
  3. cLiterally “and look at goodness”; this idiom refers to the enjoyment of life

Copyright 2012 Lexham Press

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy yourself.” But behold, this also was vanity.

Copyright 2001 Crossway Bibles

NIVNew International Version (2011)

I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good.” But that also proved to be meaningless.

Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica, Inc.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

I said to myself, “Go ahead, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy what is good.” But it turned out to be futile.

Copyright 2017 Holman Bible Publishers

NLTNew Living Translation

I said to myself, “Come on, let’s try pleasure. Let’s look for the ‘good things’ in life.” But I found that this, too, was meaningless.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

KJV 1900King James Version

I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.

Public Domain