Ecclesiastes 2:12
And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.
KJV
Transivi ad contemplandam sapientiam, erroresque, et stultitiam. (Quid est, inquam, homo, ut sequi possit regem, factorem suum ?)
Vulgate
Καὶ ἐπέβλεψα ἐγὼ τοῦ ἰδεῖν σοφίαν καὶ παραφορὰν καὶ ἀφροσύνην· ὅτι τίς ἄνθρωπος ὅς ἐπελεύσεται ὀπίσω τῆς βουλῆς; τὰ ὅσα ἐποίησεν αὐτήν.
LXX
And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for whatcanthe mandothat cometh after the king? even that which hath been done long ago.
ASV
וּ/פָנִ֤יתִֽי אֲנִי֙ לִ/רְא֣וֹת חָכְמָ֔ה וְ/הוֹלֵל֖וֹת וְ/סִכְל֑וּת כִּ֣י מֶ֣ה הָ/אָדָ֗ם שֶׁ/יָּבוֹא֙ אַחֲרֵ֣י הַ/מֶּ֔לֶךְ אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר כְּבָ֖ר עָשֽׂוּ/הוּ
Hebrew
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In the original Hebrew
16 distinct Hebrew words appear in this verse.
Historic Christian voices
4 passages from patristic writers, Reformers, and church catechisms citing this verse.
Cross-references
- Eccl 1:9 — The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.
- Eccl 1:17 — And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.
- Eccl 7:25 — I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness:
- Eccl 9:11 — I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skil