Ecclesiastes 2:21
BSB · Public Domain (CC0)“When there is a man who has labored 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 evil.”
A short, plain-language explanation of Ecclesiastes 2:21 goes here — the kind of answer a reader (or an AI assistant) can quote in one breath. Original meaning coming soon.
“When there is a man who has labored 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 evil.”
Berean Standard Bible · Public Domain (CC0)“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.”
King James Version · Public Domain“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.”
American Standard Version · Public Domain“For there is a man whose labour <FI>is<Fi> in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity, and to a man who hath not laboured therein he giveth it--his portion! Even this <FI>is<Fi> vanity and a great evil.”
Young's Literal Translation · Public DomainOther passages that echo Ecclesiastes 2:21 — 11 related verses from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- 2 Chronicles 31:20So this is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah. He did what was good and upright and true before the LORD his God.
- 2 Chronicles 33:2And he did evil in the sight of the LORD by following the abominations of the nations that the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.
- 2 Chronicles 34:2And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and walked in the ways of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right or to the left.
- 2 Chronicles 35:18No such Passover had been observed in Israel since the days of Samuel the prophet. None of the kings of Israel ever observed a Passover like the one that Josiah observed with the priests, the Levites, all Judah, the Israelites who were present, and the people of Jerusalem.
- 2 Chronicles 36:5Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD his God.
- Psalms 39:7And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in You.
- Psalms 49:11Their graves are their eternal homes— their dwellings for endless generations— even though their lands were their namesakes.
- Ecclesiastes 2:17So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. For everything is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
- Ecclesiastes 9:18Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.
- Jeremiah 22:15Does it make you a king to excel in cedar? Did not your father have food and drink? He administered justice and righteousness, and so it went well with him.
- Jeremiah 22:17“But your eyes and heart are set on nothing except your own dishonest gain, on shedding innocent blood, on practicing extortion and oppression.”
Cross-reference data: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain) via OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0).