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Book of Ecclesiastes, Chapter 2

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Ecclesiastes 2 NWT - New World TranslationEcclesiastes 2 NWT - New World Translation

Chapter 2 of Ecclesiastes—New World Translation (NWT)

  1. ¶ I said, even I, in my heart:1 “Do come now, let me try you out with rejoicing.2 Also, see good.”3 And, look! that too was vanity.
  2. I said to laughter: “Insanity!”4 and to rejoicing:5 “What is this doing?”
  3. ¶ I explored with my heart by cheering my flesh even with wine,6 while I was leading my heart with wisdom,7 even to lay hold on folly until I could see what good there was to the sons of mankind in what they did under the heavens for the number of the days of their life.8
  4. I engaged in greater works.9 I built houses for myself;10 I planted vineyards for myself.11
  5. I made gardens and parks[a] for myself,12 and I planted in them fruit trees of all sorts.
  6. I made pools of water for myself,13 to irrigate with them the forest, springing up with trees.14
  7. I acquired menservants and maidservants,15 and I came to have sons of the household.16 Also, livestock, cattle and flocks in great quantity I came to have, more so than all those who happened to be before me in Jerusalem.17
  8. I accumulated also silver and gold for myself,18 and property peculiar to kings and the jurisdictional districts.19 I made male singers and female singers20 for myself and the exquisite delights21 of the sons of mankind, a lady, even ladies.22
  9. And I became greater and increased more than anyone that happened to be before me in Jerusalem.23 Moreover, my own wisdom remained mine.24
  10. ¶ And anything that my eyes asked for I did not keep away from them.25 I did not hold back my heart from any sort of rejoicing, for my heart was joyful because of all my hard work,26 and this came to be my portion from all my hard work.27
  11. And I, even I, turned toward all the works of mine that my hands had done and toward the hard work that I had worked hard to accomplish,28 and, look! everything was vanity and a striving after wind,29 and there was nothing of advantage under the sun.30
  12. ¶ And I, even I, turned to see wisdom31 and madness and folly;32 for what can the earthling man do who comes in after the king? The thing that people have already done.
  13. And I saw, even I, that there exists more advantage for wisdom than for folly,33 just as there is more advantage for light than for darkness.34
  14. ¶ As regards anyone wise, his eyes are in his head;35 but the stupid one is walking on in sheer darkness.36 And I have come to know, I too, that there is one eventuality that eventuates to them all.37
  15. And I myself said in my heart:38 “An eventuality like that upon the stupid one39 will eventuate to me, yes, me.”40 Why, then, had I become wise, I overmuch so41 at that time? And I spoke in my heart: “This too is vanity.”
  16. For there is no more remembrance of the wise one than of the stupid one to time indefinite.42 In the days that are already coming in, everyone is certainly forgotten; and how will the wise one die? Along with the stupid one.43
  17. ¶ And I hated life,44 because the work that has been done under the sun was calamitous from my standpoint,45 for everything was vanity and a striving after wind.46
  18. And I, even I, hated all my hard work at which I was working hard under the sun,47 that I would leave behind for the man who would come to be after me.48
  19. And who is there knowing whether he will prove to be wise or foolish?49 Yet he will take control over all my hard work at which I worked hard and at which I showed wisdom under the sun.50 This too is vanity.
  20. And I myself turned around toward making my heart despair51 over all the hard work at which I had worked hard under the sun.
  21. For there exists the man whose hard work has been with wisdom and with knowledge and with proficiency,52 but to a man that has not worked hard at such a thing will be given the portion of that one.53 This too is vanity and a big calamity.54
  22. ¶ For what does a man come to have[b] for all his hard work and for the striving of his heart with which he is working hard under the sun?55
  23. For all his days his occupation means pains and vexation,56 also during the night his heart just does not lie down.57 This too is mere vanity.
  24. ¶ With a man there is nothing better [than] that he should eat and indeed drink and cause his soul to see good because of his hard work.58 This too I have seen, even I, that this is from the hand of the [true] God.[c]59
  25. For who eats60 and who drinks[d] better than I do?61
  26. ¶ For to the man that is good before him62 he has given wisdom and knowledge and rejoicing,63 but to the sinner he has given the occupation of gathering and bringing together merely to give to the one that is good before the [true] God.64 This too is vanity and a striving after wind.65

FOOTNOTES

  1. ^ “And parks.” Heb., u·phar·de·simʹ, pl. of par·desʹ; LXXSy, “parks; paradises.”
  2. ^ Lit., “what is there proving to be for the man?” Heb., meh-ho·wehʹ la·ʼa·dhamʹ? The participle ho·wehʹ is from the root verb ha·wahʹ, related to the divine name, Yeho·wahʹ.
  3. ^ “The [true] God.” Heb., ha·ʼElo·himʹ, with ha, “the,” for emphasis; TSy, “Jehovah.” See App 1F.
  4. ^ “Drinks,” LXXBagsterSy; M, “hastens.”

REFERENCES

  1. ^ Ec 3:17; Lu 12:19
  2. ^ Ec 7:4
  3. ^ Ex 32:6; 1Co 10:7
  4. ^ Pr 14:13; Ec 7:6
  5. ^ Is 22:13
  6. ^ Ps 104:15; Ec 10:19
  7. ^ Pr 31:4; Ec 1:17; Eph 5:18
  8. ^ Ge 47:9; Jb 14:1; Ps 90:10
  9. ^ 1Ki 7:8; 9:17; 2Ch 9:15
  10. ^ De 8:12; 1Ki 7:1; Ps 49:11
  11. ^ 1Ki 4:25; Sg 8:11
  12. ^ Sg 4:6; Je 39:4
  13. ^ Ne 2:14; Sg 7:4
  14. ^ Ps 1:3; Je 17:8
  15. ^ 1Sa 8:13; 1Ki 9:22
  16. ^ Ge 14:14; 15:3; 17:12; Ezr 2:58
  17. ^ 1Ki 4:23
  18. ^ 1Ki 9:14, 28; 10:10; 2Ch 1:15; 9:13
  19. ^ 1Ki 9:19; 10:15
  20. ^ 2Sa 19:35
  21. ^ Sg 7:6
  22. ^ 1Ki 11:3; Sg 6:8
  23. ^ 1Ki 3:13; 10:23
  24. ^ Ec 2:3
  25. ^ Pr 23:5; 27:20; Ec 11:9; 1Jo 2:16
  26. ^ Ps 128:2; Ec 5:18
  27. ^ Ec 3:22; 9:9
  28. ^ 1Ki 7:1; Ec 1:14
  29. ^ Ps 49:10; Ec 2:16
  30. ^ Ec 1:3; 2:17; Mt 16:26; 1Ti 6:7
  31. ^ 1Co 3:19
  32. ^ Ec 1:17; 7:25
  33. ^ Pr 4:7; Ec 7:12
  34. ^ Is 5:20
  35. ^ Pr 4:25; 14:8; 23:26
  36. ^ Pr 17:24; Jn 3:19; 1Jo 2:11
  37. ^ Ec 3:19; 9:2, 11
  38. ^ Ps 15:2; Ec 1:16; 3:17
  39. ^ Pr 10:23; 23:9
  40. ^ 1Ki 11:43; Ps 49:10
  41. ^ 1Ki 3:12; Ec 1:18; Lu 11:31
  42. ^ Ex 1:8; Ps 103:16; Ec 1:11
  43. ^ Ec 6:8; Ro 5:12; Heb 9:27
  44. ^ Nu 11:15; 1Ki 19:4; Jb 7:6; Je 20:18; Jon 4:3; Ro 8:20
  45. ^ Ec 1:14; 2:21
  46. ^ Ec 5:16
  47. ^ Ec 2:4; 5:18; 9:9
  48. ^ 1Ki 11:43; Ps 17:14; 39:6; Lu 12:20
  49. ^ 1Ki 12:8; 2Ch 10:13; 12:9
  50. ^ 1Ki 7:2
  51. ^ 1Sa 27:1
  52. ^ 1Ki 4:30; 2Ch 1:12
  53. ^ 2Ch 9:31; Ec 2:18; 5:15
  54. ^ Ec 5:16
  55. ^ Ps 127:2; Ec 1:3; 3:9; 4:8
  56. ^ Ge 47:9; Jb 14:1
  57. ^ Ge 31:40; Da 6:18; Lu 12:29
  58. ^ De 12:18; 20:6; Ec 3:22; 5:18; 8:15; Ac 14:17
  59. ^ Ps 145:16; Ec 3:13; 5:19
  60. ^ 1Ki 4:7, 22
  61. ^ 1Ki 10:5, 21
  62. ^ Ge 7:1; 1Sa 18:14; 2Ch 31:20; Pr 3:32; Is 3:10; Lu 1:6
  63. ^ Pr 2:6
  64. ^ De 6:11; Jb 27:17; Pr 13:22; 28:8
  65. ^ Ec 2:11

Read Ecclesiastes Chapter 2 in other Bible versions:

Comments

  1. Kiamia DoelKiamia Doel
    Jan 9, 2025 23:00 GMT

    The NWT adds words to the text that are not in the greek Manuscripts to fit it's own doctrinal position for example

    Compare the wording of the NWT and the NKJV at Colossians 1:15-17

    NKJV says

    15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.

    NWT says

    15 He is the image of the invisible God,the firstborn OF all creation;16 because by means of him all OTHER things were created in the heavens and on the earth, the things visible and the things invisible,whether they are thrones or lordships or governments or authorities. All OTHER things have been created through him and for him. 17 Also, he is before all OTHER things,and by means of him all OTHER things were made to exist,

    The word “other” is not in the Greek but they add it Why? So they can decieve their followers into thinking that Christ was created by the Father and that he then created other things, that is not what the Greek says.

    1. SmeSme
      Feb 27, 2025 11:17 GMT

      Truth is from God and those that follow him. As for lies? John8:44

      Kiamia, I noticed you used a modern version of kjv to make your point about the nwt.

      Why didn’t you use the original kjv of col1:15?

      Is it because it disproves your point? It proves the opposite of what you wrote?

      Here is kjv col1:15 ¶” Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn OF every creature:“

      Now I appeal to your Christian nature to correct your mistake as God is watching each of us, and let us bless the God of Jesus his father.

      Kjv 1Pe 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ….

  2. YanekYanek
    Dec 24, 2024 22:18 GMT

    Joshua, Jehovah’s Witnesses have never denied the deity of the Messiah in his prehuman existence. While on Earth he was fully 100% human. I do not mean he was a mere human, he was not affected by Adam’s unfaithful behavior, he was sinless.

  3. David yakubuDavid yakubu
    Oct 29, 2022 08:05 GMT

    When i do read some comments and seeing that its the same people that are supposed to be called believers but are talking ill of other denominations, it hurts. Let us all remember that We should judge not

    1. jonas smithjonas smith
      Apr 23, 2023 02:57 GMT

      The bible tells us to test the spirits. Satan disguises himself as angel of light. So yes some denomination are not teaching the truth. You are responsible for judging which ones are not. You have to judge the truth at all times. this is what the bible teaches

  4. THTH
    Apr 7, 2021 00:20 GMT

    The NWT is a very good translation. Dr. Jason David BeDuhn PhD attests to that in his book Truth in Translation. drive.google.com/...5p16melHzg8/view

    1. James LernerJames Lerner
      Jul 20, 2024 09:48 GMT

      The NWT is Satanic filth to its very core.

      The JW Cult is Satanic to its very core.

      Praise Yahweh I will never be a victim of JW brainwashing. If I burn in Hell for eternity or I am ultimately annihilated so be it

      May Yahweh's curse rest on the Watchtower Society and its Satanic leadership

    2. jim mcleodjim mcleod
      Aug 22, 2021 06:16 GMT

      NWT is a false translation that takes away from the deity of Jesus !

  5. SlightlyChaoticSlightlyChaotic
    Jan 30, 2021 16:33 GMT

    Thank you for taking the time to provide this service. I like seeing the NASB on your web page in the same format as I read on paper. On other sites, the text area is smaller, and so I have to keep scrolling down to read and sometimes I lose the context. So I really appreciate the format.

    As far as the NWT, you are certainly free to do whatever you think best with your own web pages. I'd suggest that you make a note anytime you have a translation that is associated with only one denomination or church, for example:
    New World Translation (Jehovah's Witness version).

    In Jesus' parable of the wheat and the tares. the main idea seems to be that you can't easily distinguish between God's people and not-God's people on this earth, so our Lord's response is to wait until they are shown to be the kind of people they are inside. But the NWT seems like false teaching to me. So I think the warning passages from Jesus' apostles are more applicable, as in 2 Peter 3:15-16, when he talks about Paul's writings:
    "There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures."
    And we also have the positive exhortations, as in 2 Timothy 2:15:
    "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth."

    1. BroderickBroderick
      Jan 31, 2021 00:57 GMT

      Your suggestion regarding the denominational flagging is duly noted. But I can’t help but wonder, wouldn’t a Catholic also want “Protestant versions” marked as well?

      As for the parable, I’m pretty sure the slaves were convinced in their own minds that they could tell the tares from the wheat. After all, aren’t they the ones who identified the problem in the first place? But the master obviously thought otherwise.

      Furthermore, even at the time when Jesus himself was walking the earth, not everybody who claimed fellowship actually followed him causing John to inquire at Mark 9:39, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we tried to prevent him because he was not following us.” But Jesus said, “Do not hinder him . . . for he who is not against us is for us.”

  6. Joshua HarderJoshua Harder
    Dec 11, 2020 17:48 GMT

    Hello, question.. why have you included the NWT with other legitimate bible translations? Or why have you not atleast included a warning to readers? Don't you fear that someone could be influenced by the Watchtower's intentional heresies? Thank you.

    1. KevinKevin
      Jul 11, 2021 17:45 GMT

      en.m.wikipedia.org/..._Holy_Scriptures

      See the section critical review

    2. ChrisChris
      Jan 8, 2021 07:15 GMT

      Please site these intentional heresies. I am well versed in the watch tower outline and agree they are in many ways incorrect but i also bet i can point many out from EVERY established or main denomination. There is much to learn from them all as one who drinks milk?

      Judge not lest ye be judged, that is not to pass judgement on you either brother.

      I debate with scripture. I don't hold it to be true that Michael is Y'Shua HaMeshiach but I also firmly hold it to be true that our G-d and Heavenly Father are not the word encarnate and only begotten son.

      I love not seeing "lord" which i relate to baal. I feel the catholic church is a satanic establishment and I am aware a freemason started the hovies but there are evil in high places and our fight is also with principalities.

      What i'm saying is that in my darkest hours, those two were some of if not the only ones who would bring a Bible and eucharist and pray with me.

      We all fall short of the glory of G-d.

      Don't forget the NWT was recognized as the most accurate translation on Jeopardy.

      Lastly, this is different I noted than the NWT i have read and am very familiar with. Pull up the watchtower page and compare. I truly look forward to getting this one!

  7. julietjuliet
    Aug 17, 2022 09:36 GMT

    the sky is blue

  8. mercymercy
    Aug 12, 2022 21:23 GMT

    i am Mercy, the sky is blue what else do you need

    1. mercymercy
      Aug 12, 2022 21:25 GMT

      i am so sorry, it was a big mistake

  9. God is able to do all thingsGod is able to do all things
    May 17, 2021 17:59 GMT

    Jesus how much love calling yo name

  10. EmpiralEmpiral
    Jul 4, 2025 19:06 GMT

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