Ecclesiastes 2:21

Translations

Modern

When there is a man who has labored with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, and he must give his portion to a man who has not worked for it, this too is futile and a great evil.

Traditional

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.

Literal

For there is a man whose toil is with wisdom and with knowledge and with skill, and to a man not having toiled for it he must give his portion. This also is vapor and a great evil.

Latin

Nam cum alius laboret in sapientia, et doctrina, et sollicitudine, homini otioso quæsita dimittit; et hoc ergo vanitas et magnum malum.

Original

Hebrew

English

When there is a man who has labored with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, and he must give his portion to a man who has not worked for it, this too is futile and a great evil.

Notes

Ecclesiastes 2:21

labored with wisdom, knowledge, and skill: Skill in work shows wisdom (for example, see Exodus 31:1–5).
give his portion to a man who has not worked for it: A person with little personal investment tends to waste it or take foolish risks.

Ecclesiastes 2:12–23

The Teacher now examines the value of wisdom (Ecclesiastes 2:12–17) and hard work (2:18–23). These, too, are futile (Ecclesiastes 2:17).

Ecclesiastes 1:12–2:26

The Teacher examines how wisdom, work, and pleasure relate to each other.

Theme notes and profiles

Laziness and Hard Work Wealth and Poverty in the Wisdom Literature

Related verses

Ecclesiastes 2:17–18
So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. For everything is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
2 Chronicles 34:2
And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and walked in the ways of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right or to the left.
2 Chronicles 31:20–21
So this is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah. He did what was good and upright and true before the LORD his God.
Ecclesiastes 9:18
Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.
Jeremiah 22:15
Does it make you a king to excel in cedar? Did not your father have food and drink? He administered justice and righteousness, and so it went well with him.
2 Chronicles 36:5–10
Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD his God.
Jeremiah 22:17
“But your eyes and heart are set on nothing except your own dishonest gain, on shedding innocent blood, on practicing extortion and oppression.”
2 Chronicles 33:2–9
And he did evil in the sight of the LORD by following the abominations of the nations that the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.
2 Chronicles 35:18
No such Passover had been observed in Israel since the days of Samuel the prophet. None of the kings of Israel ever observed a Passover like the one that Josiah observed with the priests, the Levites, all Judah, the Israelites who were present, and the people of Jerusalem.

Glossary

Book of Ecclesiastes

Topics

Industry: General Scriptures Concerning Property in Real Estate: Inherited Vanity: Worldly Wisdom Is Wisdom: Worldly Working

Ecclesiastes 2:21

Translations?

Original?

Notes?

Related verses?

Glossary?

Topics?

Translations

Original

Notes

Related verses

Glossary

Topics