Ecclesiastes 2:18

New International Reader's Version

I hated everything I had worked for on earth. I’ll have to leave all of it to someone who lives after me.

Cross References

Psalm 17:14

Lord, by your power save me from people like that. They belong to this world. They get their reward in this life. May what you have stored up for evil people fill their bellies. May their children’s stomachs be filled with it. And may there even be leftovers for their little ones.

Psalm 39:6

People are only shadows as they go here and there. They rush around, but it doesn’t mean anything. They pile up wealth, but they don’t know who will finally get it.

Psalm 49:10

Everyone can see that even wise people die. People who are foolish and who have no sense also pass away. All of them leave their wealth to others.

Ecclesiastes 1:13

I decided to study things carefully. I used my wisdom to check everything out. I looked into everything that is done on earth. What a heavy load God has put on human beings!

Ecclesiastes 1:3

What do people get for all their work? Why do they work so hard on this earth?

Ecclesiastes 2:11

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.

Ecclesiastes 2:21

A person might use wisdom, knowledge and skill to do their work. But then they have to leave everything they own to someone who hasn’t worked for it. That doesn’t have any meaning either. In fact, it isn’t fair.

Ecclesiastes 2:26

God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness to the person 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.

Ecclesiastes 3:22

So a person should enjoy their work. That’s what God made them for. I saw that there’s nothing better for them to do than that. After all, who can show them what will happen after they are gone?

Ecclesiastes 4:3

But someone who hasn’t been born yet is better off than the dead or the living. That’s because that person hasn’t seen the evil things that are done on earth.

Ecclesiastes 5:18

I have seen what is good. It is good for a person to eat and drink. It’s good for them to be satisfied with their hard work on this earth. That’s what they should do during the short life God has given them. That’s what God made them for.

Ecclesiastes 9:9

You love your wife. So enjoy life with her. Do it all the days of this meaningless life God has given you on earth. That’s what he made you for. That’s what you get for all your hard work on earth.

Luke 12:20

“But God said to him, ‘You foolish man! Tonight I will take your life away from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’

1 Corinthians 3:10

God has given me the grace to lay a foundation as a wise builder. Now someone else is building on it. But each one should build carefully.