Ecclesiastes 2:3

New International Reader's Version

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 good for people to do on earth during their short lives.

Cross References

Genesis 47:9

Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The years of my journey through life are 130. My years have been few and hard. They aren’t as many as the years of my father and grandfather before me.”

Job 14:14

If someone dies, will they live again? All the days of my hard work I will wait for the time when you give me new life.

Psalm 104:15

There is wine to make people glad. There is olive oil to make their skin glow. And there is bread to make them strong.

Proverbs 20:1

Wine causes you to make fun of others, and beer causes you to start fights. Anyone who is led astray by them is not wise.

Ecclesiastes 1:17

Then I used my mind to understand what it really means to be wise. And I wanted to know what foolish pleasure is all about. But I found out that it’s also like chasing the wind.

Ecclesiastes 10:19

People laugh at a dinner party. And wine makes life happy. People think money can buy everything.

Ecclesiastes 12:13

Everything has now been heard. And here’s the final thing I want to say. Have respect for God and obey his commandments. This is what he expects of all human beings.

Ecclesiastes 2:24

A person can’t do anything better than eat, drink and be satisfied with their work. I’m finally seeing that those things also come from the hand of God.

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 6:12

Who knows what’s good for a person? They live for only a few meaningless days. They pass through life like a shadow. Who can tell them what will happen on earth after they are gone?

Ecclesiastes 7:18

It’s good to hold on to both of those things. Don’t let go of either one. Whoever has respect for God will avoid going too far in either direction.

Ecclesiastes 7:25

So I tried to understand wisdom more completely. I wanted to study it and figure it out. I tried to find out everything I could about it. I tried to understand why it’s foolish to be evil. I wanted to see why choosing foolishness is so unwise.

Ecclesiastes 8:15

So I advise everyone to enjoy life. A person on this earth can’t do anything better than eat and drink and be glad. Then they will enjoy their work. They’ll be happy all the days of the life God has given them on earth.

Matthew 6:24

“No one can serve two masters at the same time. You will hate one of them and love the other. Or you will be faithful to one and dislike the other. You can’t serve God and money at the same time.

Ephesians 5:18

Don’t fill yourself up with wine. Getting drunk will lead to wild living. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Judges 9:13

“But the vine answered, ‘Should I give up my wine? It cheers up gods and people alike. Should I give that up just to rule over the trees?’

1 Samuel 25:36

Abigail went back to Nabal. He was having a dinner party in the house. It was the kind of dinner a king would have. He had been drinking too much wine. He was very drunk. So she didn’t tell him anything at all until sunrise.