Parallel Verses
A Conservative Version
For to the man who pleases him [God] gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who pleases God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
New American Standard Bible
For to a person who is good in His sight
King James Version
For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.
Holman Bible
For to the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy,
International Standard Version
After all, to the person who is good in God's sight, he gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy, but to the sinner he gives the troublesome task of acquiring and accumulating in order to leave it to someone who is good in the sight of God. This also is pointless and chasing after the wind.
American Standard Version
For to the man that pleaseth him God giveth wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that pleaseth God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
Amplified
For to the person who pleases Him God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner He gives the work of gathering and collecting so that he may give to one who pleases God. This too is vanity and chasing after the wind.
Bible in Basic English
To the man with whom he is pleased, God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy; but to the sinner he gives the work of getting goods together and storing up wealth, to give to him in whom God has pleasure. This again is to no purpose and desire for wind.
Darby Translation
For he giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he giveth travail to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good in God's sight. This also is vanity and pursuit of the wind.
Julia Smith Translation
For to a man good before his face, he gave wisdom and knowledge and gladness: and to him sinning, he gave labor, to gather and to heap up, to give to the good one before the face of God. Also this is vanity and the striving of the spirit.
King James 2000
For God gives to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he gives the work of gathering and heaping up, only that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and grasping of the wind.
Lexham Expanded Bible
For to the person who [is] good in his eyes, he gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and heaping up only to give [it] to [him who is] pleasing to him. This also [is] vanity and chasing wind!
Modern King James verseion
For God gives wisdom, and knowledge, and joy to a man who is good in His sight. But to the sinner He gives labor, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.
Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale
He giveth unto man, what it pleaseth him; whether it be wisdom, understanding, or gladness. But unto the sinner he giveth weariness and sorrow, that he may gather and heap together the thing, that afterward shall be given unto him whom it pleaseth God. This is now a vain thing, yea a very disquietness and vexation of mind.
NET Bible
For to the one who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy, but to the sinner, he gives the task of amassing wealth -- only to give it to the one who pleases God. This task of the wicked is futile -- like chasing the wind!
New Heart English Bible
For to the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who pleases God. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.
The Emphasized Bible
For, to a man who is good before him, hath he given wisdom and knowledge and gladness, - whereas, to the sinner, he hath given employment, to gather and heap up, to give to one who is good before God, even this, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.
Webster
For God giveth to a man who is good in his sight, wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth toil, to gather, and to amass, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.
World English Bible
For to the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who pleases God. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.
Youngs Literal Translation
For to a man who is good before Him, He hath given wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; and to a sinner He hath given travail, to gather and to heap up, to give to the good before God. Even this is vanity and vexation of spirit.
Themes
Accumulation of wealth » The accumulation of, disappointing
Care » Worldly folly of » The sinners' portion
Gifts » From God » According to the character of men
the Gifts of God » Are dispensed according to his will
God's Promises » Of spiritual gifts » Of wisdom
Happiness/joy » Who God gives joy to
Knowledge » Who God gives knowledge to
Profit and loss » Loss » The wages of sin do not profit
earthly Riches » The perils of » Fleeting and uncertain
earthly Riches » The perils of » The accumulation of, disappointing
Sin » Unpardonable, the » Wages of
Wealth » Accumulation of » The accumulation of, disappointing
Wisdom » The lord giving wisdom
Wisdom » True wisdom, general references to » Promised
Topics
Interlinear
Nathan
Towb
Paniym
Chata'
Nathan
Nathan
Towb
Paniym
'elohiym
References
Hastings
Word Count of 20 Translations in Ecclesiastes 2:26
Verse Info
Context Readings
Is There Real Happiness In Life?
25 For who can eat, or who can have enjoyment, without him? 26 For to the man who pleases him [God] gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who pleases God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
Phrases
Names
Cross References
Proverbs 13:22
A good man leaves an inheritance to his son's sons, and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the righteous.
Job 27:16-17
Though he heaps up silver as the dust, and prepares raiment as the clay,
John 16:24
Until now ye have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and ye will receive, so that your joy may be made full.
Genesis 7:1
And LORD said to Noah, Come, thou and all thy house into the ark, for I have seen thee righteous before me in this generation.
2 Chronicles 31:20-21
And thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah. And he wrought that which was good and right and faithful before LORD his God.
Job 32:8
But there is a spirit in man, and the breath of the Almighty gives them understanding.
Proverbs 3:13-18
Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gets understanding.
Proverbs 28:8
He who augments his substance by interest and increase, gathers it for him who has pity on the poor.
Ecclesiastes 1:14
I have seen all the works that are done under the sun, and, behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.
Isaiah 3:10-11
Say ye of the righteous, that [it is] well, for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.
Luke 1:6
And they were both righteous before God, going in all the commandments and righteous things of the Lord blameless.
Romans 14:17-18
For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 1:30-31
But ye are his, in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption,
Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
Colossians 1:9-12
Because of this we also, from the day that we heard, cease not praying for you and making request that ye may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.
Colossians 3:16-17
Let the word of Christ dwell in you abundantly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing by grace in your hearts to God.
James 3:17
But the wisdom from above is indeed first pure, then peaceful, meek, easily entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and non-hypocritical.