Parallel Verses
The Emphasized Bible
Said, I, in my heart, Come now! I will prove thee with gladness, and look thou on blessedness, - but lo! even that, was vanity.
New American Standard Bible
I said
King James Version
I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.
Holman Bible
I said to myself, “Go ahead, I will test you with pleasure;
International Standard Version
I told myself, "I will test you with pleasure, so enjoy yourself." But this was pointless.
A Conservative Version
I said in my heart, Come now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure. And, behold, this also was vanity.
American Standard Version
I said in my heart, Come now, I will prove thee with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also was vanity.
Amplified
I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure and gratification; so enjoy yourself and have a good time.” But behold, this too was vanity (futility, meaninglessness).
Bible in Basic English
I said in my heart, I will give you joy for a test; so take your pleasure--but it was to no purpose.
Darby Translation
I said in my heart, Come now, I will try thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure. But behold, this also is vanity.
Julia Smith Translation
I Said in my heart, Go now, I will prove thee with gladness, and look thou upon good: and behold, this also vanity.
King James 2000
I said in my heart, Come now, I will test you with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.
Lexham Expanded Bible
I said {to myself}, "Come! I will test pleasure {to see whether it is worthwhile}." But look, "This also [is] vanity!"
Modern King James verseion
I said in my heart, Come now, I will test you with mirth; therefore consider and behold goodness; this also is vanity.
Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale
Then said I thus in my heart, "Now go to, I will take mine ease and have good days." But lo, that was vanity also:
NET Bible
I thought to myself, "Come now, I will try self-indulgent pleasure to see if it is worthwhile." But I found that it also is futile.
New Heart English Bible
I said in my heart, "Come now, I will test you with mirth: therefore enjoy pleasure;" and behold, this also was vanity.
Webster
I said in my heart, Come now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and behold, this also is vanity.
World English Bible
I said in my heart, "Come now, I will test you with mirth: therefore enjoy pleasure;" and behold, this also was vanity.
Youngs Literal Translation
I said in my heart, 'Pray, come, I try thee with mirth, and look thou on gladness;' and lo, even it is vanity.
Themes
worldly Amusements and pleasures » The wicked seek for happiness in
Amusements and worldly pleasures » The wicked seek for happiness in
Emptiness » Emptiness or vanity of the worldly life (ps 3911; 629)
Epicureans » Worldly pleasure sought by the epicureans as the chief aim of life
Epicureans » Doctrines propagated by, familiar to solomon
Happiness » Of the wicked » Is vain
Interlinear
Leb
References
Word Count of 20 Translations in Ecclesiastes 2:1
Verse Info
Context Readings
Qohelet's Investigation Of Self-Indulgence
1 Said, I, in my heart, Come now! I will prove thee with gladness, and look thou on blessedness, - but lo! even that, was vanity. 2 Of laughter, I said, Madness! and, of mirth, What can it do?
Names
Cross References
Ecclesiastes 8:15
Then extolled I, gladness, in that there was nothing better for a man, under the sun, than to eat and to drink, and to be glad, - since, that, should tarry with him in his toil, for the days of his life which God had given him under the sun.
Luke 12:19
and will say to my soul - Soul! thou hast many good things lying by for many years: be taking thy rest, eat, drink,be making merry!
Genesis 11:3-4
Then said they, each man to his friend, Come on! let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly, - So the bricks, served them for stone, and bitumen, served them for mortar,
Genesis 11:7
Come on! let us go down, and there confuse their speech, - that they may not under-stand, each man the speech of his friend.
2 Kings 5:5
And the king of Syria said - Go, get in, that I may send a letter unto the king of Israel. So he went, and took in his hand ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment.
Psalm 10:6
He hath said in his heart, I shall not be shaken, - From generation to generation, shall I be in no misfortune.
Psalm 14:1
The impious hath said in his heart - There is no God! They have acted corruptly, they have done an abominable deed, there is none that doeth good.
Psalm 27:8
To thee, said my heart - When thou saidst Seek ye my face - Thy face, O Yahweh, will I seek!
Psalm 30:6-7
But, I, said, in my tranquility, I shall not be shaken to times age-abiding!
Ecclesiastes 1:16-17
Spake, I, in my heart, saying, As for me, lo! I have become great, and have gathered wisdom, beyond any one who hath been before me over Jerusalem, - and, my heart, hath seen much wisdom and knowledge:
Ecclesiastes 2:15
Then said, I, in my heart, As it happeneth to the dullard, even to me, will it happen, but wherefore, then, became, I, wise to excess? Therefore spake I, in my heart, Even this, is vanity.
Ecclesiastes 3:17-18
Said, I, in my heart, Both the righteous and the lawless, will God judge, - for there will be a time for every pursuit, and concerning every work - there.
Ecclesiastes 7:4
The heart of the wise, is in the house of mourning, but, the heart of dullards, in the house of mirth.
Ecclesiastes 11:9
Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth, and let thy heart gladden thee in the days of thine early manhood, and walk thou - in the ways of thine own heart, and in that which is seen by thine own eyes, - yet know, that, for all these things, will God bring thee into judgment.
Isaiah 5:5
Now, therefore, I pray you, let me tell, you, what I am about to do to my vineyard, - To take away the fence thereof And it shall be eaten up, To destroy the wall thereof And it shall be trodden down;
Isaiah 50:5
My Lord, Yahweh, opened mine ear, And, I, was not rebellious, - Away, turned I not:
Isaiah 50:11
Lo! all ye that kindle a fire, That gird yourselves with fiery darts, - Walk ye in the blaze of your own fire. And in the fiery darts ye have kindled, At my hand, hath this befallen you, In sorrow, shall ye lie down.
Luke 16:19
Now, a certain man, was rich, and he used to clothe himself with purple and fine linen, making merry day by day, brilliantly.
Luke 16:23
And, in hades, lifting up his eyes, being in torments, he seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
Titus 3:3
For, even we, used, at one time, to be - thoughtless, unyielding, deceived, in servitude unto manifold covetings and pleasures, in malice and envy, leading on, detestable, hating one another.
James 4:13
Come now! ye that say - Today or To-morrow, we will journey unto this city here, and will spend there a year, and will trade and get gain, -
James 5:1
Come now! ye wealthy! Weep ye, howling, for your hardships which are coming upon you:
James 5:5
Ye have luxuriated upon the land, and run riot, ye have pampered your hearts in a day of slaughter;
Revelation 18:7-8
As much as she glorified herself, and waxed wanton, so much give, unto her, torment and grief: - because, in her heart, she saith - I sit a Queen, and, widow, am I not, and, grief, in nowise shall I see!