Ecclesiastes 2:21

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

For there is a person who labors with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, but then must leave everything to someone who has not worked for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune.

Additional Resources

Other Translations

  • King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

    For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.

  • KJV1611 – Modern English

    For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, knowledge, and skill. Yet he must leave his inheritance to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil.

  • King James Version 1611 (Original)

    For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.

  • American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

    For 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.

  • King James Version with Strong's Numbers

    For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.

  • Coverdale Bible (1535)

    for so moch as a man shulde weery him self with wy?dome, with vnderstondinge and opportunite, and yet be fayne to leaue his labours vnto another, yt neuer swett for them. This is also a vayne thinge and a greate misery.

  • Geneva Bible (1560)

    For there is a man whose trauaile is in wisdome, and in knowledge and in equitie: yet to a man that hath not trauailed herein, shal he giue his portion: this also is vanitie and a great griefe.

  • Bishops' Bible (1568)

    Forsomuch as a man shoulde weery hym selfe with wisdome, with vnderstandyng and oportunitie, and yet be fayne to leaue his labours vnto another that neuer sweat for them: This is also a vayne thyng, and great miserie.

  • Authorized King James Version (1611)

    For there is a man whose labour [is] in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it [for] his portion. This also [is] vanity and a great evil.

  • Webster's Bible (1833)

    For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, with knowledge, and with skillfulness; yet he shall leave it for his portion to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil.

  • Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

    For there is a man whose labour `is' in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity, and to a man who hath not laboured therein he giveth it -- his portion! Even this `is' vanity and a great evil.

  • American Standard Version (1901)

    For 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.

  • American Standard Version (1901)

    For 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.

  • Bible in Basic English (1941)

    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.

  • World English Bible (2000)

    For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, with knowledge, and with skillfulness; yet he shall leave it for his portion to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil.

  • NET Bible® (New English Translation)

    For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge, and skill; however, he must hand over the fruit of his labor as an inheritance to someone else who did not work for it. This also is futile, and an awful injustice!

Referenced Verses

  • Eccl 2:17-18 : 17 So I hated life, because the work done under the sun was grievous to me. For everything is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. 18 I hated all my toil under the sun because I must leave it to the one who comes after me.
  • Eccl 9:18 : 18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.
  • Jer 22:15 : 15 Do you think you are a king because you compete in cedar? Your father ate and drank, but he practiced justice and righteousness, and it went well with him.
  • Jer 22:17 : 17 But your eyes and heart are set only on your dishonest gain, on shedding innocent blood, and on oppression and violence.
  • 2 Chr 31:20-21 : 20 This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah. He did what was good, upright, and true before the Lord his God. 21 In everything he undertook in the service of the house of God, in observing the law and the commandments, and in seeking his God, he worked wholeheartedly and prospered.
  • 2 Chr 33:2-9 : 2 He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, following the detestable practices of the nations the LORD had driven out before the Israelites. 3 He rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had torn down, set up altars to the Baals, made Asherah poles, and worshipped all the stars of the sky and served them. 4 He built altars in the temple of the LORD, about which the LORD had said, 'My name will remain in Jerusalem forever.' 5 He built altars to all the stars of the sky in both courtyards of the temple of the LORD. 6 He sacrificed his sons in the fire in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, practiced divination, sought omens, practiced witchcraft, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking him to anger. 7 Manasseh took a carved idol that he had made and placed it in the temple of God, of which God had said to David and to his son Solomon, 'In this temple and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my Name forever.' 8 I will not again make the feet of the Israelites wander from the land I gave to their ancestors, if they are careful to do everything I commanded them concerning the whole Law, the statutes, and the judgments given through Moses. 9 But Manasseh led Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem astray, so that they did more evil than the nations the LORD had destroyed before the Israelites.
  • 2 Chr 34:2 : 2 He did what was right in the sight of the LORD, walking in the ways of his forefather David. He did not turn aside to the right or to the left.
  • 2 Chr 35:18 : 18 There had not been a Passover celebrated like this in Israel since the days of Samuel the prophet. None of the kings of Israel had celebrated a Passover such as Josiah did with the priests, the Levites, all Judah and Israel who were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
  • 2 Chr 36:5-9 : 5 Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD his God. 6 Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came up against him, bound him in bronze chains, and took him to Babylon. 7 Nebuchadnezzar also brought some of the vessels of the house of the LORD to Babylon and placed them in his temple in Babylon. 8 The rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, the abominations he committed, and what was found against him, are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah. And Jehoiachin, his son, became king in his place. 9 Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem. He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. 10 At the turn of the year, King Nebuchadnezzar sent for him and brought him to Babylon, along with the precious articles of the house of the LORD. He made Zedekiah, his brother, king over Judah and Jerusalem.

Similar Verses (AI)

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

  • Eccl 2:22-26
    5 verses
    86%

    22What does a person gain from all their labor and from the striving of their heart under the sun?

    23All their days are full of sorrow, and their work is filled with grief; even at night their mind does not rest. This too is meaningless.

    24There is nothing better for a person than to eat and drink and find enjoyment in their work. This too, I realized, is from the hand of God.

    25For who can eat or who can enjoy life apart from Him?

    26To the person who pleases Him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy, but to the sinner, He gives the task of gathering and storing wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

  • Eccl 2:15-20
    6 verses
    84%

    15Then I said in my heart, 'What happens to the fool will also happen to me. So why have I been so very wise?' And I concluded in my heart, 'This too is meaningless.'

    16For the wise, like the fool, will not be remembered forever; in the days to come, everything will be forgotten. How does the wise person die? Just like the fool!

    17So I hated life, because the work done under the sun was grievous to me. For everything is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

    18I hated all my toil under the sun because I must leave it to the one who comes after me.

    19And who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish? Yet they will rule over all the fruit of my labor that I have worked for under the sun. This too is meaningless.

    20So I turned my heart to despair over all the hard work with which I had labored under the sun.

  • Eccl 2:10-12
    3 verses
    82%

    10Anything my eyes desired, I did not withhold from them; I did not keep my heart from any pleasure. My heart took delight in all my labor, for this was my reward for all my efforts.

    11Yet when I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, behold, everything was meaningless—a chasing after the wind. There was nothing to be gained under the sun.

    12So I turned my attention to consider wisdom, madness, and folly. For what can anyone do who comes after the king? Only what has already been done.

  • Eccl 8:16-17
    2 verses
    80%

    16When I applied my heart to know wisdom and to observe the work that is done on earth, even though people do not see sleep with their eyes day or night,

    17then I saw all the work of God, that no one can understand the work that is done under the sun. Despite all their efforts to search it out, no one can comprehend it. Even if the wise claim to know, they cannot truly understand it.

  • Eccl 1:2-3
    2 verses
    80%

    2“Utterly meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.”

    3What does man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun?

  • Eccl 5:16
    80%

    16Throughout his days, he eats in darkness, with great frustration, sickness, and anger.

  • Eccl 4:3-4
    2 verses
    79%

    3But better than both is the one who has not yet been born, who has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.

    4And I saw that all toil and all skill in work are driven by one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

  • Eccl 3:22
    79%

    22So I saw that there is nothing better than for a person to rejoice in their work, for that is their lot. Who can bring them to see what will happen after them?

  • Eccl 4:7-8
    2 verses
    79%

    7Again, I turned and saw meaninglessness under the sun.

    8There was a man all alone. He had no son or brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. 'For whom am I toiling,' he asked, 'and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?' This too is meaningless—a miserable business!

  • Eccl 8:14
    79%

    14There is a futility that takes place on the earth: righteous people receive what the wicked deserve, and wicked people receive what the righteous deserve. I said, 'This too is vanity.'

  • Eccl 6:11-12
    2 verses
    78%

    11The more words, the more meaningless—and what advantage does that bring to anyone?

    12For who knows what is good for a person in life, during the few days of their fleeting life? They pass like a shadow. Who can tell them what will happen under the sun after they are gone?

  • Eccl 1:13-14
    2 verses
    78%

    13I set my heart to seek and explore by wisdom all that is done under the heavens. What a burdensome task God has given to the human race to occupy themselves with!

    14I have seen all the deeds that are done under the sun; they are all meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

  • Eccl 3:9-10
    2 verses
    78%

    9What does the worker gain from all their toil?

    10I have seen the burden that God has laid on the human race.

  • Eccl 6:1-2
    2 verses
    77%

    1There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it is great upon humanity.

    2God gives a man wealth, possessions, and honor, so that he lacks nothing his heart desires. Yet God does not enable him to enjoy them, but instead a foreigner eats them. This is meaningless and a grievous misfortune.

  • Eccl 1:17-18
    2 verses
    77%

    17Then I set my heart to understand wisdom, as well as madness and folly, but I learned that this too is a chasing after the wind.

    18For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief.

  • Eccl 6:7-9
    3 verses
    77%

    7All human toil is for their mouth, yet their appetite is never satisfied.

    8What advantage has the wise person over the fool? What does the poor person gain by knowing how to conduct themselves before the living?

    9Better is what the eyes see than the wandering of desire. This too is meaningless and a chasing after the wind.

  • Eccl 9:10
    77%

    10Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.

  • Eccl 4:16
    76%

    16There is no end to all the people who were before them, yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

  • Eccl 3:12
    76%

    12I know that there is nothing better for people than to rejoice and to do good while they live.

  • Eccl 5:18-19
    2 verses
    75%

    18Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and enables them to enjoy it, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God.

    19For they seldom reflect on the days of their life because God keeps them occupied with joy in their hearts.

  • Eccl 12:8
    75%

    8'Utter futility,' says the Teacher. 'Everything is futile!'

  • Ps 39:6
    75%

    6Behold, You have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before You. Surely, every man is but a breath. Selah.

  • Eccl 7:15
    75%

    15In my fleeting life, I have seen it all: The righteous perishing in their righteousness, and the wicked living long in their wickedness.

  • Eccl 8:9-10
    2 verses
    75%

    9I observed all this as I considered all the work done under the sun: a time when one man has power over another to hurt them.

    10Then I saw the wicked buried, who used to go in and out of the holy place, but now they are forgotten in the city where they acted this way. This too is meaningless.

  • Prov 13:11
    74%

    11Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.

  • Eccl 9:1
    74%

    1So I reflected on all this and set my heart to examine it: that the righteous, the wise, and their deeds are in the hand of God. People do not know whether love or hatred awaits them; everything lies before them.