Ecclesiastes 2:21

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.

Additional Resources

Other Translations

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

    For there is{H3426} a man{H120} whose labor{H5999} is with wisdom,{H2451} and with knowledge,{H1847} and with skilfulness;{H3788} yet to a man{H120} that hath not labored{H5998} therein shall he leave{H5414} it for his portion.{H2506} This also is vanity{H1892} and a great{H7227} evil.{H7451}

  • King James Version with Strong's Numbers

    For there is{H3426} a man{H120} whose labour{H5999} is in wisdom{H2451}, and in knowledge{H1847}, and in equity{H3788}; yet to a man{H120} that hath not laboured{H5998}{(H8804)} therein shall he leave{H5414}{(H8799)} it for his portion{H2506}. This also is vanity{H1892} and a great{H7227} evil{H7451}.

  • 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 Therefore I hated life, because the work that was done under the sun was grievous to me; for all is vanity and vexation of spirit. 18 Yes, I hated all my labor that I had labored under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who will come after me.
  • Eccl 9:18 : 18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.
  • Jer 22:15 : 15 Shall you reign, because you enclose yourself in cedar? Did not your father eat and drink, and do judgment and justice, and then it was well with him?
  • Jer 22:17 : 17 But your eyes and your heart are set only on your covetousness, and on shedding innocent blood, and on oppression, and on violence, to do it.
  • 2 Chr 31:20-21 : 20 And so did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and did what was good and right and true before the LORD his God. 21 And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.
  • 2 Chr 33:2-9 : 2 But he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, like the abominations of the nations whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel. 3 For he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down; he erected altars for Baal, made groves, and worshiped all the host of heaven and served them. 4 He also built altars in the house of the LORD, where the LORD had said, 'In Jerusalem shall my name be forever.' 5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD. 6 And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom; also he observed times, used enchantments, used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit and with wizards; he did much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger. 7 And he set a carved image, the idol he had made, in the house of God, of which God had said to David and Solomon his son, 'In this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name forever.' 8 And I will no longer remove the foot of Israel from the land which I appointed for your fathers, if only they will be careful to do all that I have commanded them according to the whole law and statutes and ordinances by the hand of Moses. 9 So Manasseh led Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem astray, to do worse than the nations whom the LORD had destroyed before the children of Israel.
  • 2 Chr 34:2 : 2 And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the ways of David his father, and turned aside neither to the right hand nor to the left.
  • 2 Chr 35:18 : 18 There had been no Passover like that kept in Israel since the days of Samuel the prophet; nor did any of the kings of Israel keep such a Passover as Josiah kept, with the priests, the Levites, all Judah and Israel that were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
  • 2 Chr 36:5-9 : 5 Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem; and he did evil in the sight of the LORD his God. 6 Against him came up Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and bound him in chains, to carry him to Babylon. 7 Nebuchadnezzar also took some of the vessels of the house of the LORD to Babylon, and placed them in his temple at Babylon. 8 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and his abominations which he did, and what was found against him, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah: and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his place. 9 Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem; and he did evil in the sight of the LORD. 10 And when the year was expired, King Nebuchadnezzar sent for him and brought him to Babylon, with the precious vessels of the house of the LORD, and 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%

    22 For what has man from all his labor, and of the striving of his heart with which he has labored under the sun?

    23 For all his days are sorrowful, and his work is burdensome; even at night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.

    24 There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and enjoy the good of his labor. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God.

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

    26 For God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to the man who is good in His sight; but to the sinner He gives the task of gathering and collecting, only to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

  • Eccl 2:15-20
    6 verses
    84%

    15 So I said in my heart, "As it happens to the fool, so it happens even to me. And why was I then more wise?" Then I said in my heart, "This also is vanity."

    16 For there is no more remembrance of the wise than of the fool forever, since what now is will all be forgotten in the days to come. And how does the wise man die? Just like the fool.

    17 Therefore I hated life, because the work that was done under the sun was grievous to me; for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

    18 Yes, I hated all my labor that I had labored under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who will come after me.

    19 And who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? Yet he will rule over all my labor in which I have labored and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.

    20 Therefore I turned my heart to despair over all the labor which I had done under the sun.

  • Eccl 2:10-12
    3 verses
    82%

    10 And whatever my eyes desired, I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced in all my labor; and this was my reward from all my labor.

    11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done and on the labor I had toiled to do; and behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.

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

  • Eccl 8:16-17
    2 verses
    80%

    16 When I applied my heart to know wisdom and to see the work that is done upon the earth (for there are those who neither day nor night see sleep with their eyes),

    17 Then I saw all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. Even though a man labors to seek it out, he shall not find it; moreover, though a wise man thinks to know it, he shall not be able to find it.

  • Eccl 1:2-3
    2 verses
    80%

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

    3 What profit does a man have from all his labor which he does under the sun?

  • Eccl 5:16
    80%

    16 And this also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go; and what profit has he who has labored for the wind?

  • Eccl 4:3-4
    2 verses
    79%

    3 Yes, better is he than both, who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

    4 Again, I considered all the toil and every right work, that for this a man is envied by his neighbor. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

  • Eccl 3:22
    79%

    22 Therefore I perceive that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who can bring him to see what shall be after him?

  • Eccl 4:7-8
    2 verses
    79%

    7 Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.

    8 There is one alone, without a second; yes, he has neither child nor brother, yet there is no end to all his labor, nor is his eye satisfied with riches, nor does he ask, 'For whom do I labor and deprive my soul of good?' This is also vanity, yes, it is a grievous toil.

  • Eccl 8:14
    79%

    14 There is a vanity which is done upon the earth: there are just men to whom it happens according to the work of the wicked; again, there are wicked men to whom it happens according to the work of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity.

  • Eccl 6:11-12
    2 verses
    78%

    11 Since there are many things that increase vanity, what advantage does man have?

    12 For who knows what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spends as a shadow? For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?

  • Eccl 1:13-14
    2 verses
    78%

    13 And I set my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this difficult task God has given to the children of man to be engaged with.

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

  • Eccl 3:9-10
    2 verses
    78%

    9 What profit does he have who works in that which he labors?

    10 I have seen the task which God has given to the sons of men to be occupied with.

  • Eccl 6:1-2
    2 verses
    77%

    1 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:

    2 A man to whom God has given riches, wealth, and honor, so that he wants nothing for his soul of all he desires, yet God does not give him the power to eat of it, but a stranger eats it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

  • Eccl 1:17-18
    2 verses
    77%

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

    18 For in much wisdom is much grief, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.

  • Eccl 6:7-9
    3 verses
    77%

    7 All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet his appetite is not satisfied.

    8 For what has the wise more than the fool? what does the poor have, who knows to walk before the living?

    9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of desire: this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

  • Eccl 9:10
    77%

    10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave where you go.

  • Eccl 4:16
    76%

    16 There is no end of all the people, even of all who have been before them; they also that come after will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

  • Eccl 3:12
    76%

    12 I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives.

  • Eccl 5:18-19
    2 verses
    75%

    18 Behold, what I have seen: it is good and fitting for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life, which God gives him; for it is his portion.

    19 Every man also to whom God has given riches and wealth, and has given him power to eat of it, to receive his portion, and to rejoice in his labor—this is the gift of God.

  • Eccl 12:8
    75%

    8 Vanity of vanities, says the preacher; all is vanity.

  • Ps 39:6
    75%

    6 Surely every man walks in a vain show: surely they are troubled in vain: he heaps up riches, and does not know who shall gather them.

  • Eccl 7:15
    75%

    15 All things have I seen in the days of my vanity; there is a just man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his wickedness.

  • Eccl 8:9-10
    2 verses
    75%

    9 All this I have seen, and applied my heart to every work that is done under the sun; there is a time when one man rules over another to his own harm.

    10 Then I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of the holy, and they were forgotten in the city where they had done so. This also is vanity.

  • Prov 13:11
    74%

    11 Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished, but he who gathers by labor shall increase.

  • Eccl 9:1
    74%

    1 For all this I considered in my heart, even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God. No one knows either love or hatred by all that is before them.

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