Red-Letter King James Bible 1769 Edition (KJV)

Ecclesiastes 2

1 The vanity of human courses in the works of pleasure. 12 Though the wise be better than the fool, yet both have one event. 18 The vanity of human labour, in leaving it they know not to whom. 24 Nothing better than joy in our labour; but that is God's gift.

 2:1 ¶ I x589 said 559 z8804 in mine heart, 3820 Go to x1980 now, y3212 z8798 x4994 I will prove 5254 z8762 thee with mirth, 8057 therefore enjoy 7200 z8798 pleasure: 2896 and, behold, x2009 this x1931 also x1571 [is] vanity. 1892

 2:2 I said 559 z8804 of laughter, 7814 [It is] mad: 1984 z8781 and of mirth, 8057 What y2090 x4100 doeth 6213 z8802 it? x2090

 2:3 I sought 8446 z8804 in mine heart 3820 to give 4900 z8800 x853 myself 1320 unto wine, 3196 yet acquainting 5090 z8802 mine heart 3820 with wisdom; 2451 and to lay hold 270 z8800 on folly, 5531 till x5704 x834 I might see 7200 z8799 what x335 [was] that x2088 good 2896 for the sons 1121 of men, 120 which x834 they should do 6213 z8799 under x8478 the heaven 8064 all 4557 the days 3117 of their life. 2416

 2:4 I made me great 1431 z8689 works; 4639 I builded 1129 z8804 me houses; 1004 I planted 5193 z8804 me vineyards: 3754

 2:5 I made 6213 z8804 me gardens 1593 and orchards, 6508 and I planted 5193 z8804 trees 6086 in them of all x3605 [kind of] fruits: 6529

 2:6 I made 6213 z8804 me pools 1295 of water, 4325 to water 8248 z8687 therewith x4480 the wood 3293 that bringeth forth 6779 z8802 trees: 6086

 2:7 I got 7069 z8804 [me] servants 5650 and maidens, 8198 and had x1961 servants born 1121 in my house; 1004 also x1571 I had x1961 great 7235 z8687 possessions 4735 of great 1241 and small cattle 6629 above all x4480 x3605 that were x7945 x1961 in Jerusalem 3389 before 6440 me:

 2:8 I gathered 3664 z8804 me also x1571 silver 3701 and gold, 2091 and the peculiar treasure 5459 of kings 4428 and of the provinces: 4082 I gat 6213 z8804 me men singers 7891 z8802 and women singers, 7891 z8802 and the delights 8588 of the sons 1121 of men, 120 [as] musical instruments, 7705 and that of all sorts.

 2:9 So I was great, 1431 z8804 and increased y3254 z8689 more x3254 than all x4480 x3605 that were x7945 x1961 before 6440 me in Jerusalem: 3389 also x637 my wisdom 2451 remained 5975 z8804 with me.

 2:10 And whatsoever x3605 x834 mine eyes 5869 desired 7592 z8804 I kept 680 z8804 not x3808 from x4480 them, I withheld 4513 z8804 not x3808 x853 my heart 3820 from any x4480 x3605 joy; 8057 for x3588 my heart 3820 rejoiced 8056 in all x4480 x3605 my labour: 5999 and this x2088 was x1961 my portion 2506 of all x4480 x3605 my labour. 5999

 2:11 Then I x589 looked 6437 z8804 on all x3605 the works 4639 that my hands y3027 had wrought, 6213 z8804 x7945 x3027 and on the labour 5999 that I had laboured 5998 z8804 x7945 to do: 6213 z8800 and, behold, x2009 all x3605 [was] vanity 1892 and vexation 7469 of spirit, 7307 and [there was] no x369 profit 3504 under x8478 the sun. 8121

 2:12 ¶ And I x589 turned 6437 z8804 myself to behold 7200 z8800 wisdom, 2451 and madness, 1947 and folly: 5531 for x3588 what x4100 [can] the man 120 [do] that cometh 935 z8799 x7945 after 310 the king? 4428 [even] x853 that which x834 hath been already 3528 done. 6213 z8804

 2:13 Then I x589 saw 7200 z8804 that 3426 x7945 wisdom 2451 excelleth 3504 folly, 5531 x4480 as far as light 216 excelleth 3504 darkness. 2822 x4480

 2:14 The wise man's 2450 eyes 5869 [are] in his head; 7218 but the fool 3684 walketh 1980 z8802 in darkness: 2822 and I myself x589 perceived 3045 z8804 also x1571 that one y259 event 4745 x7945 x259 happeneth 7136 z8799 to x854 them all. x3605

 2:15 Then y227 said 559 z8804 I x589 in my heart, 3820 As it happeneth 4745 to the fool, 3684 so it happeneth 7136 z8799 even x1571 to me; y1571 and why x4100 was I x589 then x227 more 3148 wise? 2449 z8804 Then I said 1696 z8765 in my heart, 3820 that this x2088 also x7945 x1571 [is] vanity. 1892

 2:16 For x3588 [there is] no x369 remembrance 2146 of the wise 2450 more than 5973 of the fool 3684 for ever; 5769 seeing that which now 3528 x7945 [is] in the days 3117 to come 935 z8802 shall all x3605 be forgotten. 7911 z8738 And how x349 dieth 4191 z8799 the wise 2450 [man]? as x5973 the fool. 3684

 2:17 Therefore I hated 8130 z8804 x853 life; 2416 because x3588 the work 4639 that is wrought 6213 z8738 x7945 under x8478 the sun 8121 [is] grievous 7451 unto x5921 me: for x3588 all x3605 [is] vanity 1892 and vexation 7469 of spirit. 7307

 2:18 ¶ Yea, I x589 hated 8130 z8804 x853 all x3605 my labour 5999 which I x7945 x589 had taken 6001 under x8478 the sun: 8121 because I should leave y3240 z8686 x7945 x5117 it unto the man 120 that shall be x7945 x1961 after 310 me.

 2:19 And who x4310 knoweth 3045 z8802 whether he shall be x1961 a wise 2450 [man] or x176 a fool? 5530 yet shall he have rule 7980 z8799 over all x3605 my labour 5999 wherein I have laboured, 5998 z8804 x7945 and wherein I have shewed myself wise 2449 z8804 x7945 under x8478 the sun. 8121 This x2088 [is] also x1571 vanity. 1892

 2:20 Therefore I x589 went about 5437 z8804 to cause y2976 z0 x853 my heart 3820 to despair 2976 z8763 of x5921 all x3605 the labour 5999 which I took 5998 z8804 x7945 under x8478 the sun. 8121

 2:21 For x3588 there is 3426 a man 120 whose labour 5999 x7945 [is] in wisdom, 2451 and in knowledge, 1847 and in equity; 3788 yet to a man 120 that hath not x7945 x3808 laboured 5998 z8804 therein shall he leave 5414 z8799 it [for] his portion. 2506 This x2088 also x1571 [is] vanity 1892 and a great 7227 evil. 7451

 2:22 For x3588 what x4100 hath 1933 z8802 man 120 of all x3605 his labour, 5999 and of the vexation 7475 of his heart, 3820 wherein y1931 he x7945 x1931 hath laboured 6001 under x8478 the sun? 8121

 2:23 For x3588 all x3605 his days 3117 [are] sorrows, 4341 and his travail 6045 grief; 3708 yea, x1571 his heart 3820 taketh not x3808 rest 7901 z8804 in the night. 3915 This x2088 is also x1571 vanity. 1892

 2:24 ¶ [There is] nothing x369 better 2896 for a man, 120 [than] that he should eat 398 z8799 x7945 and drink, 8354 z8804 and [that] he should make his soul 5315 x7200 x853 enjoy y7200 z8689 good 2896 in his labour. 5999 This 2090 also x1571 I x589 saw, 7200 z8804 that x3588 it x1931 [was] from the hand 3027 x4480 of God. 430

 2:25 For x3588 who x4310 can eat, 398 z8799 or who x4310 else can hasten 2363 z8799 [hereunto], more 2351 than x4480 I?

 2:26 For x3588 [God] giveth 5414 z8804 to a man 120 that [is] good 2896 x7945 in his sight 6440 wisdom, 2451 and knowledge, 1847 and joy: 8057 but to the sinner 2398 z8802 he giveth 5414 z8804 travail, 6045 to gather 622 z8800 and to heap up, 3664 z8800 that he may give 5414 z8800 to [him that is] good 2896 before 6440 God. 430 This x2088 also x1571 [is] vanity 1892 and vexation 7469 of spirit. 7307