from mortals—by your hand, O Lord— from mortals whose portion in life is in this world. May their bellies be filled with what you have stored up for them; may their children have more than enough; may they leave something over to their little ones.
Ecclesiastes 2:18 - New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition 2021 I hated all my toil in which I had toiled under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to my successor, More versionsKing James Version (Oxford) 1769 Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me. Amplified Bible - Classic Edition And I hated all my labor in which I had toiled under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to the man who will succeed me. [Ps. 49:10.] American Standard Version (1901) And I hated all my labor wherein I labored under the sun, seeing that I must leave it unto the man that shall be after me. Common English Bible I hated the things I worked so hard for here under the sun, because I will have to leave them to someone who comes after me. Catholic Public Domain Version Again, I detested all my efforts, by which I had earnestly labored under the sun, to be taken up by an heir after me, Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version Again I hated all my application wherewith I had earnestly laboured under the sun, being like to have an heir after me, |
from mortals—by your hand, O Lord— from mortals whose portion in life is in this world. May their bellies be filled with what you have stored up for them; may their children have more than enough; may they leave something over to their little ones.
Surely everyone goes about like a shadow. Surely for nothing they are in turmoil; they heap up and do not know who will gather.
When we look at the wise, they die; fool and dolt perish together and leave their wealth to others.
I applied my mind to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven; it is an unhappy business that God has given to humans to be busy with.
Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had spent in doing it, and again, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.
because sometimes one who has toiled with wisdom and knowledge and skill must leave all to be enjoyed by another who did not toil for it. This also is vanity and a great evil.
For to the one who pleases him God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he gives the work of gathering and heaping, only to give to one who pleases God. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.
So I saw that there is nothing better than that all should enjoy their work, for that is their lot; who can bring them to see what will be after them?
but better than both is the one who has not yet been and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.
This is what I have seen to be good: it is fitting to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of the life God gives us, for this is our lot.
Enjoy life with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life that are given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun.
But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’
According to the grace of God given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building on it. Let each builder choose with care how to build on it.