Ecclesiastes 2:20

American Standard Version (1901)

Therefore I turned about to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor wherein I had labored under the sun.

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Referenced Verses

  • Gen 43:14 : 14 and God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release unto you your other brother and Benjamin. And if I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.
  • Job 17:11-15 : 11 My days are past, my purposes are broken off, Even the thoughts of my heart. 12 They change the night into day: The light, [say they], is near unto the darkness. 13 If I look for Sheol as my house; If I have spread my couch in the darkness; 14 If I have said to corruption, Thou art my father; To the worm, [Thou art] my mother, and my sister; 15 Where then is my hope? And as for my hope, who shall see it?
  • Ps 39:6-7 : 6 Surely every man walketh in a vain show; Surely they are disquieted in vain: He heapeth up [riches], and knoweth not who shall gather them. 7 And now, Lord, what wait I for? My hope is in thee.
  • 1 Cor 15:19 : 19 If we have only hoped in Christ in this life, we are of all men most pitiable.
  • 2 Cor 1:8-9 : 8 For we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning our affliction which befell [us] in Asia, that we were weighed down exceedingly, beyond our power, insomuch that we despaired even of life: 9 yea, we ourselves have had the sentence of death within ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raiseth the dead: 10 who delivered us out of so great a death, and will deliver: on whom we have set our hope that he will also still deliver us;
  • 1 Thess 3:3-4 : 3 that no man be moved by these afflictions; for yourselves know that hereunto we are appointed. 4 For verily, when we were with you, we told you beforehand that we are to suffer affliction; even as it came to pass, and ye know.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

  • Eccl 2:10-13
    4 verses
    89%

    10And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them; I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced because of all my labor; and this was my portion from all my labor.

    11Then 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.

    12And 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.

    13Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.

  • Eccl 2:17-19
    3 verses
    88%

    17So I hated life, because the work that is wrought under the sun was grievous unto me; for all is vanity and a striving after wind.

    18And I hated all my labor wherein I labored under the sun, seeing that I must leave it unto the man that shall be after me.

    19And who knoweth whether he will be a wise man or a fool? yet will he have rule over all my labor wherein I have labored, and wherein I have showed myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.

  • Eccl 2:21-26
    6 verses
    87%

    21For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skilfulness; yet to a man that hath not labored therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.

    22For what hath a man of all his labor, and of the striving of his heart, wherein he laboreth under the sun?

    23For all his days are [but] sorrows, and his travail is grief; yea, even in the night his heart taketh no rest. This also is vanity.

    24There is nothing better for a man [than] that he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God.

    25For who can eat, or who can have enjoyment, more than I?

    26For to the man that pleaseth him [God] giveth wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that pleaseth God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

  • Eccl 1:13-14
    2 verses
    84%

    13And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven: it is a sore travail that God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith.

    14I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.

  • Eccl 1:16-17
    2 verses
    82%

    16I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I have gotten me great wisdom above all that were before me in Jerusalem; yea, my heart hath had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.

    17And I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also was a striving after wind.

  • Eccl 4:7-8
    2 verses
    82%

    7Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.

    8There is one that is alone, and he hath not a second; yea, he hath neither son nor brother; yet is there no end of all his labor, neither are his eyes satisfied with riches. For whom then, [saith he], do I labor, and deprive my soul of good? This also is vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.

  • Eccl 1:2-3
    2 verses
    82%

    2Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; vanity of vanities, all is vanity.

    3What profit hath man of all his labor wherein he laboreth under the sun?

  • Eccl 2:15
    81%

    15Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then said I in my heart, that this also is vanity.

  • Eccl 4:4
    80%

    4Then I saw all labor and every skilful work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

  • Eccl 8:15-17
    3 verses
    79%

    15Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be joyful: for that shall abide with him in his labor [all] the days of his life which God hath given him under the sun.

    16When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth (for also there is that neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes), [

    17then I beheld all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because however much a man labor to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea moreover, though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.

  • Eccl 2:1-4
    4 verses
    79%

    1I said in my heart, Come now, I will prove thee with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also was vanity.

    2I said of laughter, It is mad; and of mirth, What doeth it?

    3I searched in my heart how to cheer my flesh with wine, my heart yet guiding [me] with wisdom, and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what it was good for the sons of men that they should do under heaven all the days of their life.

    4I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards;

  • Eccl 7:25
    78%

    25I turned about, and my heart [was set] to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason [of things], and to know that wickedness is folly, and that foolishness is madness.

  • Eccl 3:9-10
    2 verses
    78%

    9What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboreth?

    10I have seen the travail which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith.

  • Eccl 3:22
    77%

    22Wherefore I saw that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him [back] to see what shall be after him?

  • Eccl 12:8
    77%

    8Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; all is vanity.

  • Eccl 8:9-10
    2 verses
    76%

    9All this have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is done under the sun: [there is] a time wherein one man hath power over another to his hurt.

    10So I saw the wicked buried, and they came [to the grave] ; and they that had done right went away from the holy place, and were forgotten in the city: this also is vanity.

  • Eccl 6:11-12
    2 verses
    76%

    11Seeing there are many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?

    12For who knoweth what is good for man in [his] life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?

  • Eccl 5:16
    76%

    16And this also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that he laboreth for the wind?

  • Eccl 4:15-16
    2 verses
    76%

    15I saw all the living that walk under the sun, that they were with the youth, the second, that stood up in his stead.

    16There was no end of all the people, even of all them over whom he was: yet they that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind.

  • Eccl 9:1
    75%

    1For all this I laid to my heart, even to explore all this: that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God; whether it be love or hatred, man knoweth it not; all is before them.

  • Eccl 6:1
    75%

    1There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is heavy upon men:

  • Eccl 3:12
    75%

    12I know that there is nothing better for them, than to rejoice, and to do good so long as they live.

  • Eccl 9:10
    75%

    10Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do [it] with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, whither thou goest.

  • Eccl 9:13
    74%

    13I have also seen wisdom under the sun on this wise, and it seemed great unto me:

  • Eccl 9:3
    74%

    3This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea also, the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that [they go] to the dead.

  • Eccl 3:18
    74%

    18I said in my heart, [It is] because of the sons of men, that God may prove them, and that they may see that they themselves are [but as] beasts.

  • Eccl 4:1
    73%

    1Then I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and, behold, the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.