Parallel Verses

Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale

Forsomuch as a man should weary himself with wisdom, with understanding and opportunity, and yet be fain to leave his labours unto another, that never sweat for them. This is also a vain thing and a great misery.

New American Standard Bible

When there is a man who has labored with wisdom, knowledge and skill, then he gives his legacy to one who has not labored with them. This too is vanity and a great evil.

King James Version

For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.

Holman Bible

When there is a man whose work was done with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, and he must give his portion to a man who has not worked for it, this too is futile and a great wrong.

International Standard Version

For sometimes people who strive to obtain wisdom, knowledge, and equity leave everything as an inheritance to a person who never worked for it. This, too, is pointless and greatly troublesome.

A Conservative Version

For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skillfulness, yet he shall leave it to a man who has not labored in it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.

American Standard Version

For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skilfulness; yet to a man that hath not labored therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.

Amplified

For there is a man who has labored with wisdom and knowledge and skill, yet gives his legacy to one who has not labored for it. This too is vanity and a great evil.

Bible in Basic English

Because there is a man whose work has been done with wisdom, with knowledge, and with an expert hand; but one who has done nothing for it will have it for his heritage. This again is to no purpose and a great evil.

Darby Translation

For there is a man whose labour hath been with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skill, and who leaveth it to a man that hath not laboured therein, to be his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.

Julia Smith Translation

For there is man his labor in wisdom, and in knowledge and in success; and to man not laboring in it he shall give his portion. Also this is vanity and much evil.

King James 2000

For there is a man whose labor is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that has not labored in it shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.

Lexham Expanded Bible

For although a person may toil with great wisdom and skill, he must leave his reward to someone who has not toiled for it. This also [is] vanity and a great calamity.

Modern King James verseion

When there is a man whose labor is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and with success; yet to a man who has not labored in it, he shall leave it for his share. This also is vanity and a great evil.

NET Bible

For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge, and skill; however, he must hand over the fruit of his labor as an inheritance to someone else who did not work for it. This also is futile, and an awful injustice!

New Heart English Bible

For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, with knowledge, and with skillfulness; yet he shall leave it for his portion to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil.

The Emphasized Bible

For here is a man, whose toil hath been with wisdom and with knowledge and with skill, - yet, to a man who hath not toiled therein, shall he leave it as his portion, even this, was vanity and a great vexation.

Webster

For there is a man whose labor is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not labored in it, shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.

World English Bible

For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, with knowledge, and with skillfulness; yet he shall leave it for his portion to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil.

Youngs Literal Translation

For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity, and to a man who hath not laboured therein he giveth it -- his portion! Even this is vanity and a great evil.

Interlinear

English(KJV)
Strong's
Root Form
Definition
Usage
For there is
ישׁ 
Yesh 
is, be, have, there,
Usage: 135

a man
אדם 
'adam 
Usage: 541

is in wisdom
חכמה 
Chokmah 
Usage: 149

and in knowledge
דּעת 
Da`ath 
Usage: 91

and in equity
כּשׁרון 
Kishrown 
Usage: 3

yet to a man
אדם 
'adam 
Usage: 541

עמל 
`amal 
Usage: 11

נתן 
Nathan 
Usage: 2011

חלק 
Cheleq 
Usage: 67

הבל הבל 
hebel 
Usage: 73

and a great
רב 
Rab 
Usage: 458

Verse Info

Context Readings

Is There Real Happiness In Life?

20 So I turned me to refrain my mind from all such travail, as I took under the Sun: 21 Forsomuch as a man should weary himself with wisdom, with understanding and opportunity, and yet be fain to leave his labours unto another, that never sweat for them. This is also a vain thing and a great misery. 22 For what getteth a man of all the labor and travail of his mind, that he taketh under the Sun,



Cross References

Ecclesiastes 2:17-18

Thus began I to be weary of my life, in so much that I could away with nothing that is done under the Sun, for all was but vanity and vexation of mind:

2 Chronicles 31:20-21

And of this manner did Hezekiah, throughout all Judah; and did that was good, right and truth, before the LORD his God.

2 Chronicles 33:2-9

And he did wickedly in the sight of the LORD, like unto the abominations of the heathen which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.

2 Chronicles 34:2

And he did that pleased the LORD, and walked in the ways of David his father, bowing neither to the righthand nor to the left.

2 Chronicles 35:18

And there was no Passover like to that kept in Israel, from the time of Samuel the prophet: neither did any of the kings of Israel hold such a Passover feast as did Josiah and the priests and Levites and all Judah, and as much of Israel as could be had, and the inhabiters of Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 36:5-10

And Jehoiakim was twenty five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem: and he did that displeased the LORD his God.

Ecclesiastes 9:18

For wisdom is better than harness: but one unthrifty alone destroyeth much good.

Jeremiah 22:15

Thinkest thou to reign, now that thou provokest me to wrath with thy Cedar trees? Did not thy father eat and drink, and prosper well, as long as he dealt with equity and righteousness?

Jeremiah 22:17

Nevertheless, as for thine eyes and thine heart, they look upon covetousness, to shed innocent blood, and to do wrong and violence.'"

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