Parallel Verses
Bible in Basic English
And I went again in search of wisdom and of foolish ways. What may the man do who comes after the king? The thing which he has done before.
New American Standard Bible
So I turned to
King James Version
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.
Holman Bible
Then I turned to consider wisdom,
International Standard Version
Next I turned to examine wisdom, insanity, and foolishness, because what can a person do who succeeds the king except what has already been accomplished?
A Conservative Version
And I turned myself to behold wisdom and madness and folly. For what [can] the man [do] who comes after the king? [Even] that which has been done long ago.
American Standard Version
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 done long ago.
Amplified
So I turned to consider [secular] wisdom, madness, and folly; for what will the man do who succeeds the king? Nothing except what has already been done.
Darby Translation
And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly; for what shall the man do that cometh after the king? that which hath already been done.
Julia Smith Translation
And I turned to see wisdom, madness, and folly: for what the man that shall come after the king? with those things they did already.
King James 2000
And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can a man do that comes after the king? even that which has been already done.
Lexham Expanded Bible
Next, I considered wisdom, as well as delusion and folly. What can anyone [do] who will come after the king that has not already been done?
Modern King James verseion
And I turned to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly; for what can the man do who comes after the king, when they have already done it?
Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale
Then turned I me to consider wisdom, error and foolishness: for what is he among men, that might be compared to me the king in such work?
NET Bible
Next, I decided to consider wisdom, as well as foolish behavior and ideas. For what more can the king's successor do than what the king has already done?
New Heart English Bible
I turned myself to consider wisdom, madness, and folly. For what can the man who comes after the king do? Just that which he has already done.
The Emphasized Bible
Thus turned, I, to look at wisdom, and madness and folly, - for what can the man do more who cometh after the king? save that which, already, men have done.
Webster
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.
World English Bible
I turned myself to consider wisdom, madness, and folly: for what can the king's successor do? Just that which has been done long ago.
Youngs Literal Translation
And I turned to see wisdom, and madness, and folly, but what is the man who cometh after the king? that which is already -- they have done it!
Interlinear
References
Hastings
Word Count of 20 Translations in Ecclesiastes 2:12
Verse Info
Context Readings
The Living Must Abandon The Work Of Their Hands To Others At Death
11 Then I saw all the works which my hands had made, and everything I had been working to do; and I saw that all was to no purpose and desire for wind, and there was no profit under the sun. 12 And I went again in search of wisdom and of foolish ways. What may the man do who comes after the king? The thing which he has done before. 13 Then I saw that wisdom is better than foolish ways--as the light is better than the dark.
Phrases
Cross References
Ecclesiastes 1:17
And I gave my heart to getting knowledge of wisdom, and of the ways of the foolish. And I saw that this again was desire for wind.
Ecclesiastes 7:25
I gave my mind to knowledge and to searching for wisdom and the reason of things, and to the discovery that sin is foolish, and that to be foolish is to be without one's senses.
Ecclesiastes 1:9-10
That which has been, is that which is to be, and that which has been done, is that which will be done, and there is no new thing under the sun.