Ecclesiastes 2:25

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

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

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Other Translations

Referenced Verses

  • Eccl 2:1-9 : 1 I said to myself, 'Come now, I will test you with pleasure to see what is good.' But behold, this too was meaningless. 2 I said of laughter, 'It is madness,' and of joy, 'What does it accomplish?' 3 I explored with my heart how to cheer my body with wine, while my mind guided me with wisdom, and how to embrace folly until I could see what is good for people to do under the heavens during the few days of their lives. 4 I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. 5 I made gardens and parks for myself and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees. 6 I made reservoirs of water to irrigate groves of flourishing trees. 7 I acquired male and female servants and had other servants born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem who had come before me. 8 I amassed silver and gold for myself, the treasure of kings and provinces. I gathered male and female singers for myself, and the delights of men—many concubines. 9 I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem, and my wisdom stayed with me. 10 Anything 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. 11 Yet 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. 12 So 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.

Similar Verses (AI)

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

  • Eccl 2:17-24
    8 verses
    87%

    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.

    19 And 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.

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

    21 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.

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

    23 All 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.

    24 There 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.

  • Eccl 8:15-17
    3 verses
    83%

    15 So I praised enjoyment, because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat, drink, and be glad. This will accompany them in their toil through the days of life that God has given them under the sun.

    16 When 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,

    17 then 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.

  • 22 So 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 5:17-19
    3 verses
    81%

    17 Behold, what I have seen is good and fitting: to eat and drink and to enjoy the good of all one's labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given him, for this is his reward.

    18 Moreover, 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.

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

  • Eccl 2:9-12
    4 verses
    81%

    9 I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem, and my wisdom stayed with me.

    10 Anything 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.

    11 Yet 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.

    12 So 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 3:12-13
    2 verses
    81%

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

    13 And also that every person should eat, drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God.

  • 26 To 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 2:1-4
    4 verses
    79%

    1 I said to myself, 'Come now, I will test you with pleasure to see what is good.' But behold, this too was meaningless.

    2 I said of laughter, 'It is madness,' and of joy, 'What does it accomplish?'

    3 I explored with my heart how to cheer my body with wine, while my mind guided me with wisdom, and how to embrace folly until I could see what is good for people to do under the heavens during the few days of their lives.

    4 I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards.

  • Eccl 6:7-9
    3 verses
    77%

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

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

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

  • Eccl 1:13-14
    2 verses
    77%

    13 I 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!

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

  • Eccl 6:11-12
    2 verses
    76%

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

    12 For 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?

  • 2 God 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 4:6-8
    3 verses
    76%

    6 Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.

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

    8 There 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!

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

  • Eccl 4:3-4
    2 verses
    75%

    3 But 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.

    4 And 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.

  • 15 Then 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.'

  • Eccl 3:9-10
    2 verses
    75%

    9 What does the worker gain from all their toil?

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

  • Eccl 1:16-17
    2 verses
    75%

    16 I said to myself, 'Look, I have grown and increased in wisdom more than anyone who has ruled Jerusalem before me. I have experienced much wisdom and knowledge.'

    17 Then 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.

  • 11 The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether they eat little or much, but the abundance of the rich permits them no sleep.

  • 7 Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a glad heart, for God has already approved your works.

  • 16 There 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.

  • 10 Whatever 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.