Ecclesiastes 2:17,23 - Compare All Versions

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So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

All their days their work is grief and pain; even at night their minds do not rest. This too is meaningless.

So I hated life, because what is done under the sun was grievous to me, for all is vanity and a striving after wind.

For all his days are full of sorrow, and his work is a vexation. Even in the night his heart does not rest. This also is vanity.

So I came to hate life because everything done here under the sun is so troubling. Everything is meaningless—like chasing the wind.

Their days of labor are filled with pain and grief; even at night their minds cannot rest. It is all meaningless.

Therefore, I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was distressing to me. For everything is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

For all his days are filled with grief, and his occupation is sorrowful;  even at night, his mind does not rest.  This too is futile.

Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity.

Therefore I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was distressing to me, for all is vanity and grasping for the wind.

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

I hate life. As far as I can see, what happens on earth is a bad business. It’s smoke—and spitting into the wind.

That’s when I called it quits, gave up on anything that could be hoped for on this earth. What’s the point of working your fingers to the bone if you hand over what you worked for to someone who never lifted a finger for it? Smoke, that’s what it is. A bad business from start to finish. So what do you get from a life of hard labor? Pain and grief from dawn to dusk. Never a decent night’s rest. Nothing but smoke.

So I hated life, for the work which had been done under the sun was unhappy to me; because everything is futility and striving after wind.

Because all his days his activity is painful and irritating; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is futility.

So I hated life, for the work which had been done under the sun caused me only great sorrow; because all is futility and chasing after the wind.

For all his days his work is painful and sorrowful; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is vanity (worthless).

So I loathed life because what happens on earth seems awful to me; for all the benefits of wisdom are futile – like chasing the wind.

For all day long his work produces pain and frustration, and even at night his mind cannot relax! This also is futile!