Ecclesiastes 2:19
And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity.
KJV
quem ignoro utrum sapiens an stultus futurus sit, et dominabitur in laboribus meis, quibus desudavi et sollicitus fui : et est quidquam tam vanum ?
Vulgate
καὶ τίς οἶδεν εἰ σοφὸς ἔσται ἢ ἄφρων; καὶ εἰ ἐξουσιάζεται ἐν παντὶ μόχθῳ μου ᾧ ἐμόχθησα καὶ ἐσοφισάμην ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον; καί γε τοῦτο ματαιότης.
LXX
And who knoweth whether he will be a wise man or a fool? yet will he have rule over all my labor wherein I have labored, and wherein I have showed myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.
ASV
וּ/מִ֣י יוֹדֵ֗עַ הֶֽ/חָכָ֤ם יִהְיֶה֙ א֣וֹ סָכָ֔ל וְ/יִשְׁלַט֙ בְּ/כָל עֲמָלִ֔/י שֶֽׁ/עָמַ֥לְתִּי וְ/שֶׁ/חָכַ֖מְתִּי תַּ֣חַת הַ/שָּׁ֑מֶשׁ גַּם זֶ֖ה הָֽבֶל
Hebrew
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In the original Hebrew
16 distinct Hebrew words appear in this verse.
Historic Christian voices
2 passages from patristic writers, Reformers, and church catechisms citing this verse.
Cross-references
- 1Sam 8:3 — And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.
- Eccl 1:2 — Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
- Eccl 1:3 — What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?
- Eccl 3:22 — Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?
- Jas 3:17 — But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
- Jer 9:23 — Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:
- Prov 10:1 — The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.
- Prov 23:24 — The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.