Ecclesiastes 2:11
New International Version
Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.

New Living Translation
But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless—like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere.

English Standard Version
Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.

Berean Standard Bible
Yet when I considered all the works that my hands had accomplished and what I had toiled to achieve, I found everything to be futile, a pursuit of the wind; there was nothing to be gained under the sun.

King James Bible
Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.

New King James Version
Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done And on the labor in which I had toiled; And indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun.

New American Standard Bible
So I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold, all was futility and striving after wind, and there was no benefit under the sun.

NASB 1995
Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun.

NASB 1977
Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun.

Legacy Standard Bible
Thus I turned to all my works which my hands had done and the labor which I had labored to do, and behold, all was vanity and striving after wind, and there was no advantage under the sun.

Amplified Bible
Then I considered all which my hands had done and labored to do, and behold, all was vanity and chasing after the wind and there was no profit (nothing of lasting value) under the sun.

Christian Standard Bible
When I considered all that I had accomplished and what I had labored to achieve, I found everything to be futile and a pursuit of the wind. There was nothing to be gained under the sun.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
When I considered all that I had accomplished and what I had labored to achieve, I found everything to be futile and a pursuit of the wind. There was nothing to be gained under the sun.

American Standard Version
Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labor that I had labored to do; and, behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And I gazed at all the work that my hands had made and at all the labor that I had labored to make, and behold, everything was futility and agitation of spirit, and there is no profit under the sun

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And I looked on all my works which my hands had wrought, and on my labour which I laboured to perform: and behold, all was vanity and waywardness of spirit, and there is no advantage under the sun.

Contemporary English Version
Then I thought about everything I had done, including the hard work, and it was simply chasing the wind. Nothing on earth is worth the trouble.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And when I turned myself to all the works which my hands had wrought, and to the labours wherein I had laboured in vain, I saw in all things vanity, and vexation of mind, and that nothing was lasting under the sun.

English Revised Version
Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
But when I turned to look at all that I had accomplished and all the hard work I had put into it, I saw that it was all pointless. [It was like] trying to catch the wind. I gained nothing [from any of my accomplishments] under the sun.

Good News Translation
Then I thought about all that I had done and how hard I had worked doing it, and I realized that it didn't mean a thing. It was like chasing the wind--of no use at all.

International Standard Version
Then I examined all of my accomplishments that I had brought about by my own efforts, including the work that I had labored so hard to complete—and it was all pointless, like chasing after the wind, and there was nothing to be gained on earth.

JPS Tanakh 1917
Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do; and, behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

Literal Standard Version
and I have looked on all my works that my hands have done, and on the labor that I have labored to do, and behold, the whole [is] vanity and distress of spirit, and there is no advantage under the sun!

Majority Standard Bible
Yet when I considered all the works that my hands had accomplished and what I had toiled to achieve, I found everything to be futile, a pursuit of the wind; there was nothing to be gained under the sun.

New American Bible
But when I turned to all the works that my hands had wrought, and to the fruit of the toil for which I had toiled so much, see! all was vanity and a chase after wind. There is no profit under the sun.

NET Bible
Yet when I reflected on everything I had accomplished and on all the effort that I had expended to accomplish it, I concluded: "All these achievements and possessions are ultimately profitless--like chasing the wind! There is nothing gained from them on earth."

New Revised Standard Version
Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had spent in doing it, and again, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.

New Heart English Bible
Then I looked at all the works that my hands had worked, and at the labor that I had labored to do; and look, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

Webster's Bible Translation
Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labor that I had labored to do: and behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.

World English Bible
Then I looked at all the works that my hands had worked, and at the labor that I had labored to do; and behold, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

Young's Literal Translation
and I have looked on all my works that my hands have done, and on the labour that I have laboured to do, and lo, the whole is vanity and vexation of spirit, and there is no advantage under the sun!

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Futility of Pleasure
10Anything my eyes desired, I did not deny myself. I refused my heart no pleasure. For my heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor. 11Yet when I considered all the works that my hands had accomplished and what I had toiled to achieve, I found everything to be futile, a pursuit of the wind; there was nothing to be gained under the sun.

Cross References
Psalm 89:47
Remember the briefness of my lifespan! For what futility You have created all men!

Ecclesiastes 1:3
What does a man gain from all his labor, at which he toils under the sun?

Ecclesiastes 1:14
I have seen all the things that are done under the sun, and have found them all to be futile, a pursuit of the wind.

Ecclesiastes 1:17
So I set my mind to know wisdom and madness and folly; I learned that this, too, is a pursuit of the wind.

Ecclesiastes 2:18
I hated all for which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes after me.

Ecclesiastes 2:22
For what does a man get for all the toil and striving with which he labors under the sun?

Ecclesiastes 2:23
Indeed, all his days are filled with grief, and his task is sorrowful; even at night, his mind does not rest. This too is futile.


Treasury of Scripture

Then I looked on all the works that my hands had worked, and on the labor that I had labored to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.

i looked

Ecclesiastes 2:14
The wise man's eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all.

Genesis 1:31
And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

Exodus 39:43
And Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, they had done it as the LORD had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them.

behold

Ecclesiastes 1:3,14
What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun? …

Habakkuk 2:13
Behold, is it not of the LORD of hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity?

1 Timothy 6:6
But godliness with contentment is great gain.

Jump to Previous
Achieve Activities Advantage Chasing Considered Cost Gained Hands Labor Laboured Profit Purpose Pursuit Spent Spirit Striving Sun Surveyed Toil Toiled Vanity Vexation Whole Wind Worked Working Works Wrought
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Achieve Activities Advantage Chasing Considered Cost Gained Hands Labor Laboured Profit Purpose Pursuit Spent Spirit Striving Sun Surveyed Toil Toiled Vanity Vexation Whole Wind Worked Working Works Wrought
Ecclesiastes 2
1. the vanity of human courses is the work of pleasure
12. Though the wise be better than the fool, yet both have one event
18. The vanity of human labor, in leaving it they know not to whom
24. Nothing better than joy in our labor but that is God's gift














Verse 11. - Then I looked on - I turned to contemplate - all the works which my hands had wrought. He examined carefully the effects of the conduct and proceedings mentioned in vers. 1-10, and he now gives his matured judgment concerning them. They had contributed nothing to his anxious inquiry for man's real good. His sorrowful conclusion again is that all was vanity, a hunting of wind; in all the pursuits and labors that men undertake there is no real profit (Ecclesiastes 1:3), no lasting happiness, nothing to satisfy the cravings of the spirit.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Yet when I
אֲנִ֗י (’ă·nî)
Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 589: I

considered
וּפָנִ֣יתִֽי (ū·p̄ā·nî·ṯî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 6437: To turn, to face, appear, look

all
בְּכָל־ (bə·ḵāl)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the works
מַעֲשַׂי֙ (ma·‘ă·śay)
Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular
Strong's 4639: An action, a transaction, activity, a product, property

that my hands
יָדַ֔י (yā·ḏay)
Noun - fdc | first person common singular
Strong's 3027: A hand

had accomplished
שֶֽׁעָשׂ֣וּ (še·‘ā·śū)
Pronoun - relative | Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 6213: To do, make

and [what]
וּבֶֽעָמָ֖ל (ū·ḇe·‘ā·māl)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5999: Toil, wearing effort, worry, wheth, of body, mind

I had toiled
שֶׁעָמַ֣לְתִּי (še·‘ā·mal·tî)
Pronoun - relative | Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 5998: To toil, work severely and with irksomeness

to achieve,
לַעֲשׂ֑וֹת (la·‘ă·śō·wṯ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 6213: To do, make

I found
וְהִנֵּ֨ה (wə·hin·nêh)
Conjunctive waw | Interjection
Strong's 2009: Lo! behold!

everything
הַכֹּ֥ל (hak·kōl)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

to be futile,
הֶ֙בֶל֙ (he·ḇel)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1892: Emptiness, vanity, transitory, unsatisfactory

a pursuit
וּרְע֣וּת (ū·rə·‘ūṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 7469: A feeding upon, grasping after

of the wind;
ר֔וּחַ (rū·aḥ)
Noun - common singular
Strong's 7307: Wind, breath, exhalation, life, anger, unsubstantiality, a region of the sky, spirit

there was nothing
וְאֵ֥ין (wə·’ên)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle

to be gained
יִתְר֖וֹן (yiṯ·rō·wn)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3504: Preeminence, gain

under
תַּ֥חַת (ta·ḥaṯ)
Preposition
Strong's 8478: The bottom, below, in lieu of

the sun.
הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ (haš·šā·meš)
Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's 8121: The sun, the east, a ray, a notched battlement


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OT Poetry: Ecclesiastes 2:11 Then I looked at all the works (Ecclesiast. Ec Ecc Eccles.)
Ecclesiastes 2:10
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