Parallel Verses

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!

New American Standard Bible

So I turned to consider wisdom, madness and folly; for what will the man do who will come after the king except what has already been done?

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, madness, and folly, for what will the man be like who comes after the king? He will do what has already been done.

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.

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.

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.

Interlinear

English(KJV)
Strong's
Root Form
Definition
Usage
And I turned
פּנה 
Panah 
Usage: 134

ראה 
Ra'ah 
Usage: 1308

חכמה 
Chokmah 
Usage: 149

and madness
הוללה 
Howlelah 
Usage: 5

and folly
שׂכלוּת סכלוּת 
Cikluwth 
Usage: 7

for what can the man
אדם 
'adam 
Usage: 541


come, bring, ... in, enter, go, carry, ...down, pass, ...out,
Usage: 0

אחר 
'achar 
Usage: 488

the king
מלך 
melek 
Usage: 2521

כּבר 
K@bar 
Usage: 9

References

Context Readings

The Living Must Abandon The Work Of Their Hands To Others At Death

11 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! 12 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! 13 And I saw that there is an advantage to wisdom above folly, like the advantage of the light above the darkness.


Cross References

Ecclesiastes 1:17

And I give my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I have known that even this is vexation of spirit;

Ecclesiastes 7:25

I have turned round, also my heart, to know and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and reason, and to know the wrong of folly, and of foolishness the madness.

Ecclesiastes 1:9-10

What is that which hath been? it is that which is, and what is that which hath been done? it is that which is done, and there is not an entirely new thing under the sun.

King James Version Public Domain

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.

International Standard Version Copyright © 1996-2008 by the ISV Foundation.

New American Standard Bible Copyright ©1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org

American Standard Version Public Domain

NET Bible copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. NetBible

Basic English, produced by Mr C. K. Ogden of the Orthological Institute - public domain