Parallel Verses
Darby Translation
I said in my heart, Come now, I will try thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure. But behold, this also is 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.
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.
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.
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 I said in my heart, Come now, I will try thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure. But behold, this also is vanity. 2 I said of laughter, Madness! and of mirth, What availeth it?
Names
Cross References
Ecclesiastes 8:15
And I commended mirth, because there is nothing better for man under the sun than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry; for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God hath given him under the sun.
Luke 12:19
and I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much good things laid by for many years; repose thyself, eat, drink, be merry.
Genesis 11:3-4
And they said one to another, Come on, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar.
Genesis 11:7
Come, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.
2 Kings 5:5
And the king of Syria said, Well! go, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of raiment.
Psalm 10:6
He saith in his heart, I shall not be moved; from generation to generation I shall be in no adversity.
Psalm 14:1
{To the chief Musician. A Psalm of David.} The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They have corrupted themselves, they have done abominable works: there is none that doeth good.
Psalm 27:8
My heart said for thee, Seek ye my face. Thy face, O Jehovah, will I seek.
Psalm 30:6-7
As for me, I said in my prosperity, I shall never be moved.
Ecclesiastes 1:16-17
I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I have become great and have acquired wisdom more than all they that have been before me over Jerusalem; and my heart hath seen much of wisdom and knowledge.
Ecclesiastes 2:15
And I said in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool so will it happen even to me; and why was I then so wise? Then I said in my heart that this also is vanity.
Ecclesiastes 3:17-18
I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.
Ecclesiastes 7:4
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools in the house of mirth.
Ecclesiastes 11:9
Rejoice, young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of thine eyes; but know that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.
Isaiah 5:5
And now, let me tell you what I am about to do to my vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it shall be eaten up; I will break down its wall, and it shall be trodden under foot;
Isaiah 50:5
The Lord Jehovah hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious; I turned not away back.
Isaiah 50:11
Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks: walk in the light of your fire, and among the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of my hand: ye shall lie down in sorrow.
Luke 16:19
Now there was a rich man and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, making good cheer in splendour every day.
Luke 16:23
And in hades lifting up his eyes, being in torments, he sees Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
Titus 3:3
For we were once ourselves also without intelligence, disobedient, wandering in error, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
James 4:13
Go to now, ye who say, To-day or to-morrow will we go into such a city and spend a year there, and traffic and make gain,
James 5:1
Go to now, ye rich, weep, howling over your miseries that are coming upon you.
James 5:5
Ye have lived luxuriously on the earth and indulged yourselves; ye have nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter;
Revelation 18:7-8
So much as she has glorified herself and lived luxuriously, so much torment and grief give to her. Because she says in her heart, I sit a queen, and I am not a widow; and I shall in no wise see grief: