Ecclesiastes 2:26

World English Bible (2000)

For to the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who pleases God. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

  • Prov 13:22 : 22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, but the wealth of the sinner is stored for the righteous.
  • Job 27:16-17 : 16 Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare clothing as the clay; 17 he may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, and the innocent shall divide the silver.
  • John 16:24 : 24 Until now, you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be made full.
  • Prov 3:13-18 : 13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gets understanding. 14 For her good profit is better than getting silver, and her return is better than fine gold. 15 She is more precious than rubies. None of the things you can desire are to be compared to her. 16 Length of days is in her right hand. In her left hand are riches and honor. 17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness. All her paths are peace. 18 She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her. Happy is everyone who retains her.
  • Prov 28:8 : 8 He who increases his wealth by excessive interest gathers it for one who has pity on the poor.
  • Eccl 1:14 : 14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and behold, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.
  • Isa 3:10-11 : 10 Tell the righteous "Good!" For they shall eat the fruit of their deeds. 11 Woe to the wicked! Disaster is upon them; for the deeds of his hands will be paid back to him.
  • Luke 1:6 : 6 They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.
  • Job 32:8 : 8 But there is a spirit in man, and the breath of the Almighty gives them understanding.
  • Gen 7:1 : 1 Yahweh said to Noah, "Come with all of your household into the ship, for I have seen your righteousness before me in this generation.
  • 2 Chr 31:20-21 : 20 Hezekiah did so throughout all Judah; and he worked that which was good and right and faithful before Yahweh his God. 21 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.
  • Rom 14:17-18 : 17 for the Kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.
  • 1 Cor 1:30-31 : 30 But of him, you are in Christ Jesus, who was made to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption: 31 that, according as it is written, "He who boasts, let him boast in the Lord."
  • Gal 5:22-23 : 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, 23 gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
  • Col 1:9-9 : 9 For this cause, we also, since the day we heard this, don't cease praying and making requests for you, that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 that you may walk worthily of the Lord, to please him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all power, according to the might of his glory, for all endurance and perseverance with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father, who made us fit to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light;
  • Col 3:16-17 : 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your heart to the Lord. 17 Whatever you do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father, through him.
  • Jas 3:17 : 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

Similar Verses (AI)

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

  • Eccl 2:19-25
    7 verses
    84%

    19 Who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have rule over all of 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 began to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor in which I had labored under the sun.

    21 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.

    22 For what has a man of all his labor, and of the striving of his heart, in which he labors under the sun?

    23 For all his days are sorrows, and his travail is grief; yes, even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.

    24 There 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.

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

  • Eccl 8:14-15
    2 verses
    79%

    14 There is a vanity which is done on the earth, that there are righteous 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.

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

  • Eccl 3:12-13
    2 verses
    78%

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

    13 Also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labor, is the gift of God.

  • Eccl 2:10-11
    2 verses
    78%

    10 Whatever my eyes desired, I didn't keep from them. I didn't withhold my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced because of all my labor, and this was my portion from all my labor.

    11 Then I looked at all the works that my hands had worked, and at the labor that I had labored to do; and behold, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

  • Eccl 1:13-14
    2 verses
    78%

    13 I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under the sky. It is a heavy burden that God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.

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

  • Eccl 3:22
    77%

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

  • Eccl 5:18-20
    3 verses
    77%

    18 Behold, that which I have seen to be good and proper is for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labor, in which he labors under the sun, all the days of his life which God has given him; for this is his portion.

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

    20 For he shall not often reflect on the days of his life; because God occupies him with the joy of his heart.

  • Eccl 1:17-18
    2 verses
    77%

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

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

  • Eccl 4:4
    77%

    4 Then I saw all the labor and achievement that is the envy of a man's neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

  • Eccl 6:1-2
    2 verses
    77%

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

    2 a man to whom God gives riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacks nothing for his soul of all that he desires, yet God gives him no power to eat of it, but an alien eats it. This is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

  • Eccl 2:17
    76%

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

  • Eccl 7:13-14
    2 verses
    76%

    13 Consider the work of God, for who can make that straight, which he has made crooked?

    14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yes, God has made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything after him.

  • Eccl 6:8-9
    2 verses
    75%

    8 For what advantage has the wise more than the fool? What has the poor man, that knows how to walk before the living?

    9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

  • Eccl 8:17
    75%

    17 then I saw all the work of God, that man can't find out the work that is done under the sun, because however much a man labors to seek it out, yet he won't find it. Yes even though a wise man thinks he can comprehend it, he won't be able to find it.

  • Eccl 3:9-10
    2 verses
    75%

    9 What profit has he who works in that in which he labors?

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

  • Eccl 9:1
    75%

    1 For 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 is love or hatred, man doesn't know it; all is before them.

  • Eccl 2:1
    75%

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

  • Eccl 5:16
    74%

    16 This also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go. And what profit does he have who labors for the wind?

  • Eccl 1:3
    74%

    3 What does man gain from all his labor in which he labors under the sun?

  • Eccl 4:8
    74%

    8 There is one who is alone, and he has neither son nor brother. There is no end to all of his labor, neither are his eyes satisfied with wealth. "For whom then, do I labor, and deprive my soul of enjoyment?" This also is vanity. Yes, it is a miserable business.

  • Eccl 6:11-12
    2 verses
    74%

    11 For there are many words that create vanity. What does that profit man?

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

  • Ps 39:6
    73%

    6 "Surely every man walks like a shadow. Surely they busy themselves in vain. He heaps up, and doesn't know who shall gather.

  • Job 3:20
    73%

    20 "Why is light given to him who is in misery, life to the bitter in soul,

  • Eccl 12:8
    73%

    8 "Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher. "All is vanity!"

  • Eccl 8:6
    73%

    6 For there is a time and procedure for every purpose, although the misery of man is heavy on him.

  • Eccl 11:8
    73%

    8 Yes, if a man lives many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember the days of darkness, for they shall be many. All that comes is vanity.

  • Eccl 4:6
    73%

    6 Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and chasing after wind.

  • Eccl 2:15
    73%

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

  • Eccl 2:3
    73%

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

  • Prov 10:23
    73%

    23 It is a fool's pleasure to do wickedness, but wisdom is a man of understanding's pleasure.

  • Eccl 4:16
    73%

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

  • Eccl 9:3
    73%

    3 This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one event to all: yes 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.