Parallel Verses
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.
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 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 test you with mirth; therefore consider and behold goodness; this also is vanity. 2 I said of laughter, It is madness; and of mirth, What does it do?
Names
Cross References
Ecclesiastes 8:15
Then I praised gladness, because a man has no better thing under the sun than to eat and to drink and to be glad; for that shall go with him of his labor for the days of his life which God gives him under the sun.
Luke 12:19
And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years. Take your ease, eat drink and be merry.
Genesis 11:3-4
And they said to one another, Come, let us make brick 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 confuse their language, so that they cannot understand one another's speech.
2 Kings 5:5
And the king of Syria said, Go, go in 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 of gold, and ten changes of clothing.
Psalm 10:6
He has said in his heart, I shall not be moved; from generation to generation, never in evil!
Psalm 14:1
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. The fool has said in his heart, There is no God! They acted corruptly; they have done abominable works, there is none who does good.
Psalm 27:8
My heart says to You, Seek my face; Your face, O Jehovah, I will seek;
Psalm 30:6-7
And in my blessedness I said, I shall never be moved.
Ecclesiastes 1:16-17
I spoke within my own heart, saying, Lo, I have become great and have gathered more wisdom than all that have been before me in Jerusalem; yea, my heart has seen much of wisdom and knowledge.
Ecclesiastes 2:15
Then I said in my heart, As it happens to the fool, so it happens even to me; and why was I then more wise? And I said in my heart that this also is vanity.
Ecclesiastes 3:17-18
I said in my heart, God shall 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 is in the house of laughter.
Ecclesiastes 11:9
Rejoice, in your youth, young man; and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth, and walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes; but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.
Isaiah 5:5
And now I will tell you what I will do to My vineyard; I will take away its hedge, and it shall be eaten up; and break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down;
Isaiah 50:5
The Lord Jehovah has opened My ear, and I was not rebellious, nor turned away backwards.
Isaiah 50:11
Behold, all you who kindle a fire, who are surrounded with sparks; walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks which you have kindled. This you shall have of My hand; you shall lie down in sorrow.
Luke 16:19
There was a certain rich man who was customarily clothed in purple and fine linen and making merry in luxury every day.
Luke 16:23
And in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
Titus 3:3
For we ourselves also were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, slaving for various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.
James 4:13
Come now, those saying, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city and spend a year there, and we will trade and will make a profit,
James 5:1
Come now, rich ones, weep and howl for your hardships coming on.
James 5:5
You have lived luxuriously on the earth, and lived wantonly. You have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
Revelation 18:7-8
As much as she has glorified herself and has lived in luxury, so much torment and sorrow give her. For she says in her heart, I sit as a queen, and I am not a widow; and I do not see mourning at all.