Parallel Verses

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.

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.

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 My heart turned to grief over all for which I had labored and all my wisdom under the sun. 21 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. 22 What does a man get for all his work, and for the desire of his heart with which he has done his work under the sun?

Cross References

Ecclesiastes 2:17-18

I hated life. Everything under the sun was evil to me. All is vanity and grasping for the wind.

2 Chronicles 31:20-21

This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah. He did what was good and right and true to Jehovah his God.

2 Chronicles 33:2-9

He did what Jehovah considered evil by copying the disgusting things done by the nations that Jehovah dispossessed from before the Israelites.

2 Chronicles 34:2

He did what Jehovah considered right. He lived in the ways of his ancestor David and never stopped living this way.

2 Chronicles 35:18

The Passover had not been celebrated like this since the days of the prophet Samuel. None of the former kings had ever celebrated a Passover like this one celebrated by King Josiah, the priests, the Levites, and the people of Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem

2 Chronicles 36:5-10

Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king. He ruled for eleven years in Jerusalem. He did what Jehovah his God considered evil.

Ecclesiastes 9:18

Wisdom is better than weapons of war, yet one sinner destroys much good.

Jeremiah 22:15

Do you become a king because you are competing in cedar? Did not your father eat and drink and do justice and righteousness? Then it was well with him.

Jeremiah 22:17

Your eyes and your heart are intent only upon your own dishonest gain. You are shedding innocent blood and on practicing oppression and extortion.

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