New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Ecclesiastes 2
1
I said to myself, "Come on. I'll put pleasure to the test. I want to find out what is good." But that also proved to be meaningless.
Reference
2
"Laughter is foolish," I said. "And what can pleasure do for me?"
Reference
Parallel theme
Proverbs 14:13
3
I tried cheering myself up by drinking wine. I even tried living in a foolish way. But wisdom was still guiding my mind. I wanted to see what was really important for men to do on earth during the few days of their lives.
Reference
Good
Ecclesiastes 6:12
Parallel theme
Proverbs 20:1
Ecclesiastes 1:17
Ephesians 5:18
Ecclesiastes 12:13
5
I made gardens and parks. I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them.
6
I made lakes to water groves of healthy trees.
Reference
Parallel theme
Nehemiah 2:14
7
I bought male and female slaves. And I had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem ever had before.
8
I stored up silver and gold for myself. I gathered up the treasures of kings and their kingdoms. I got some male and female singers. I also got many women for myself. Women delight the hearts of men.
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9
I became far more important than anyone in Jerusalem had ever been before. And in spite of everything, I didn't lose my wisdom.
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10
I gave myself everything my eyes wanted. There wasn't any pleasure that I refused to give myself. I took delight in everything I did. And that was what I got for all of my work.
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11
But then I looked over everything my hands had done. I saw what I had worked so hard to get. And nothing had any meaning. It was like chasing the wind. Nothing was gained on this earth.
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12
I decided to think about wisdom. I also thought about foolish pleasure. What more can a new king do? Can he do anything more than others have already done?
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14
The eyes of a wise man see things clearly. A person who is foolish lives in darkness. But I finally realized that death catches up with both of them.
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15
Then I thought, "What happens to a foolish person will catch up with me too. So what do I gain by being wise?" I said to myself, "That doesn't have any meaning either."
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16
Like a foolish person, a wise man won't be remembered very long. In days to come, both of them will be forgotten. Like a person who is foolish, a wise man must die too!
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17
So I hated life. That's because the work that is done on this earth made me sad. None of it has any meaning. It's like chasing the wind.
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18
I hated everything I had worked for on earth. I'll have to leave all of it to someone who lives after me.
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19
And who knows whether he will be wise or foolish? Either way, he'll take over everything on earth I've worked so hard for. That doesn't have any meaning either.
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20
So I began to lose hope because of all of my hard work on this earth.
21
A man might use wisdom, knowledge and skill to do his work. But then he has to leave everything he owns to someone who hasn't worked for it. That doesn't have any meaning either. In fact, it isn't fair.
22
What does a man get for all of his hard work on earth? What does he get for all of his worries?
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23
As long as he lives, his work is nothing but pain and sorrow. Even at night his mind can't rest. That doesn't have any meaning either.
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24
A man can't do anything better than eat and drink and be satisfied with his work. I'm finally seeing that those things also come from the hand of God.
Reference
Good
Acts 14:17
Parallel theme
Ecclesiastes 3:22
1 Corinthians 15:32
Malachi 2:2
References God
Ecclesiastes 8:15
1 Timothy 6:17
Deuteronomy 12:18
Ecclesiastes 6:2
Deuteronomy 12:12
25
Without his help, who can eat or find pleasure?
26
God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness to a man who pleases him. But to a sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth. Then the sinner must hand it over to the one who pleases God. That doesn't have any meaning either. It's like chasing the wind.
Reference
Good
James 3:17
Parallel theme
Proverbs 28:8
John 16:24
Genesis 7:1
References God
Luke 1:6
Sin
Proverbs 13:22
Spirit
Job 32:8
Ecclesiastes 1:14
Summary of Ecclesiastes 2
Ecclesiastes 2 takes the Teacher's search for meaning into a new area: pleasure and achievement.
After questioning the value of wisdom in the previous chapter, he now asks whether enjoyment itself can provide the satisfaction that human beings are looking for.
He does not approach the question casually.
He gives himself completely to the experiment.
He enjoys laughter, pleasure, possessions, beautiful surroundings, gardens, buildings, servants, wealth, music, and every form of luxury available to him.
He essentially asks: If a person has everything he could reasonably want, will that finally make life meaningful?
His experience leads to a disappointing conclusion.
Pleasure can make a person happy for a moment, but it cannot provide permanent satisfaction.
The overall message of Ecclesiastes 2 is that life becomes frustrating when temporary things are expected to provide permanent meaning.
Pleasure fades, achievements pass to others, wealth cannot guarantee happiness, and wisdom cannot prevent death.
But when people receive their work, food, relationships, and daily blessings as gifts from God rather than as substitutes for God, they can experience genuine joy within the limits of human life.
After questioning the value of wisdom in the previous chapter, he now asks whether enjoyment itself can provide the satisfaction that human beings are looking for.
He does not approach the question casually.
He gives himself completely to the experiment.
He enjoys laughter, pleasure, possessions, beautiful surroundings, gardens, buildings, servants, wealth, music, and every form of luxury available to him.
He essentially asks: If a person has everything he could reasonably want, will that finally make life meaningful?
His experience leads to a disappointing conclusion.
Pleasure can make a person happy for a moment, but it cannot provide permanent satisfaction.
The overall message of Ecclesiastes 2 is that life becomes frustrating when temporary things are expected to provide permanent meaning.
Pleasure fades, achievements pass to others, wealth cannot guarantee happiness, and wisdom cannot prevent death.
But when people receive their work, food, relationships, and daily blessings as gifts from God rather than as substitutes for God, they can experience genuine joy within the limits of human life.