Ecclesiastes 2:11

Bible in Basic English (1941)

Then I saw all the works which my hands had made, and everything I had been working to do; and I saw that all was to no purpose and desire for wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

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Referenced Verses

  • Eccl 1:14 : 14 I have seen all the works which are done under the sun; all is to no purpose, and desire for wind.
  • Eccl 1:3 : 3 What is a man profited by all his work which he does under the sun?
  • 1 John 2:16-17 : 16 Because everything in the world, the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father but of the world. 17 And the world and its desires is coming to an end: but he who does God's pleasure is living for ever.
  • Gen 1:31 : 31 And God saw everything which he had made and it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
  • Exod 39:43 : 43 Then Moses, when he saw all their work and saw that they had done everything as the Lord had said, gave them his blessing.
  • Eccl 2:17-23 : 17 So I was hating life, because everything under the sun was evil to me: all is to no purpose and desire for wind. 18 Hate had I for all my work which I had done, because the man who comes after me will have its fruits. 19 And who is to say if that man will be wise or foolish? But he will have power over all my work which I have done and in which I have been wise under the sun. This again is to no purpose. 20 So my mind was turned to grief for all the trouble I had taken and all my wisdom under the sun. 21 Because there is a man whose work has been done with wisdom, with knowledge, and with an expert hand; but one who has done nothing for it will have it for his heritage. This again is to no purpose and a great evil. 22 What does a man get for all his work, and for the weight of care with which he has done his work under the sun? 23 All his days are sorrow, and his work is full of grief. Even in the night his heart has no rest. This again is to no purpose.
  • Hab 2:13 : 13 See, is it not the pleasure of the Lord of armies that the peoples are working for the fire and using themselves up for nothing?
  • 1 Tim 6:6 : 6 But true faith, with peace of mind, is of great profit:

Similar Verses (AI)

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

  • Eccl 1:13-15
    3 verses
    91%

    13And I gave my heart to searching out in wisdom all things which are done under heaven: it is a hard thing which God has put on the sons of men to do.

    14I have seen all the works which are done under the sun; all is to no purpose, and desire for wind.

    15That which is bent may not be made straight, and that which is not there may not be numbered.

  • Eccl 2:17-26
    10 verses
    89%

    17So I was hating life, because everything under the sun was evil to me: all is to no purpose and desire for wind.

    18Hate had I for all my work which I had done, because the man who comes after me will have its fruits.

    19And who is to say if that man will be wise or foolish? But he will have power over all my work which I have done and in which I have been wise under the sun. This again is to no purpose.

    20So my mind was turned to grief for all the trouble I had taken and all my wisdom under the sun.

    21Because there is a man whose work has been done with wisdom, with knowledge, and with an expert hand; but one who has done nothing for it will have it for his heritage. This again is to no purpose and a great evil.

    22What does a man get for all his work, and for the weight of care with which he has done his work under the sun?

    23All his days are sorrow, and his work is full of grief. Even in the night his heart has no rest. This again is to no purpose.

    24There is nothing better for a man than taking meat and drink, and having delight in his work. This again I saw was from the hand of God.

    25Who may take food or have pleasure without him?

    26To the man with whom he is pleased, God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy; but to the sinner he gives the work of getting goods together and storing up wealth, to give to him in whom God has pleasure. This again is to no purpose and desire for wind.

  • Eccl 1:2-3
    2 verses
    87%

    2All is to no purpose, said the Preacher, all the ways of man are to no purpose.

    3What is a man profited by all his work which he does under the sun?

  • Eccl 4:7-8
    2 verses
    86%

    7Then I came back, and I saw an example of what is to no purpose under the sun.

    8It is one who is by himself, without a second, and without son or brother; but there is no end to all his work, and he has never enough of wealth. For whom, then, am I working and keeping myself from pleasure? This again is to no purpose, and a bitter work.

  • Eccl 4:3-4
    2 verses
    86%

    3Yes, happier than the dead or the living seemed he who has not ever been, who has not seen the evil which is done under the sun.

    4And I saw that the cause of all the work and of everything which is done well was man's envy of his neighbour. This again is to no purpose and a desire for wind.

  • Eccl 2:10
    85%

    10And nothing which was desired by my eyes did I keep from them; I did not keep any joy from my heart, because my heart took pleasure in all my work, and this was my reward.

  • Eccl 2:12
    84%

    12And I went again in search of wisdom and of foolish ways. What may the man do who comes after the king? The thing which he has done before.

  • Eccl 12:8
    82%

    8All things are to no purpose, says the Preacher, all is to no purpose.

  • Eccl 1:17
    82%

    17And I gave my heart to getting knowledge of wisdom, and of the ways of the foolish. And I saw that this again was desire for wind.

  • Eccl 4:15-16
    2 verses
    82%

    15I saw all the living under the sun round the young man who was to be ruler in place of the king.

    16There was no end of all the people, of all those whose head he was, but they who come later will have no delight in him. This again is to no purpose and desire for wind.

  • Eccl 3:9-10
    2 verses
    81%

    9What profit has the worker in the work which he does?

    10I saw the work which God has put on the sons of man.

  • Eccl 2:1-4
    4 verses
    81%

    1I said in my heart, I will give you joy for a test; so take your pleasure--but it was to no purpose.

    2Of laughing I said, It is foolish; and of joy--What use is it?

    3I made a search with my heart to give pleasure to my flesh with wine, still guiding my heart with wisdom, and to go after foolish things, so that I might see what was good for the sons of men to do under the heavens all the days of their life.

    4I undertook great works, building myself houses and planting vine-gardens.

  • Eccl 8:14-17
    4 verses
    81%

    14There is a thing which is to no purpose done on the earth: that there are good men to whom is given the same punishment as those who are evil, and there are evil men who get the reward of the good. I say that this again is to no purpose.

    15So I gave praise to joy, because there is nothing better for a man to do under the sun than to take meat and drink and be happy; for that will be with him in his work all the days of his life which God gives him under the sun.

    16When I gave my mind to the knowledge of wisdom and to seeing the business which is done on the earth (and there are those whose eyes see not sleep by day or by night),

    17Then I saw all the work of God, and that man may not get knowledge of the work which is done under the sun; because, if a man gives hard work to the search he will not get knowledge, and even if the wise man seems to be coming to the end of his search, still he will be without knowledge.

  • Eccl 3:22
    80%

    22So I saw that there is nothing better than for a man to have joy in his work--because that is his reward. Who will make him see what will come after him?

  • Eccl 6:11-12
    2 verses
    80%

    11There are words without number for increasing what is to no purpose, but what is man profited by them?

    12Who is able to say what is good for man in life all the days of his foolish life which he goes through like a shade? who will say what is to be after him under the sun?

  • Eccl 2:15
    80%

    15Then said I in my heart: As it comes to the foolish man, so will it come to me; so why have I been wise overmuch? Then I said in my heart: This again is to no purpose.

  • Eccl 6:9
    79%

    9What the eyes see is better than the wandering of desire. This is to no purpose and a desire for wind.

  • Eccl 5:16
    79%

    16All his days are in the dark, and he has much sorrow, pain, disease, and trouble.

  • Eccl 9:10
    78%

    10Whatever comes to your hand to do with all your power, do it because there is no work, or thought, or knowledge, or wisdom in the place of the dead to which you are going.

  • Eccl 1:8-9
    2 verses
    78%

    8All things are full of weariness; man may not give their story: the eye has never enough of its seeing, or the ear of its hearing.

    9That which has been, is that which is to be, and that which has been done, is that which will be done, and there is no new thing under the sun.

  • Eccl 8:9-10
    2 verses
    78%

    9All this have I seen, and have given my heart to all the work which is done under the sun: there is a time when man has power over man for his destruction.

    10And then I saw evil men put to rest, taken even from the holy place; and they went about and were praised in the town because of what they had done. This again is to no purpose.

  • Eccl 3:12
    77%

    12I am certain that there is nothing better for a man than to be glad, and to do good while life is in him.

  • Eccl 9:1
    76%

    1All this I took to heart, and my heart saw it all: that the upright and the wise and their works are in the hand of God; and men may not be certain if it will be love or hate; all is to no purpose before them.

  • Eccl 6:1
    76%

    1There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is hard on men;

  • Eccl 6:7
    76%

    7All the work of man is for his mouth, and still he has a desire for food.