Ecclesiastes 2:10

New Living Translation

Anything I wanted, I would take. I denied myself no pleasure. I even found great pleasure in hard work, a reward for all my labors.

Cross References

Genesis 3:6

The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too.

Genesis 6:2

The sons of God saw the beautiful women and took any they wanted as their wives.

Job 31:1

“I made a covenant with my eyes not to look with lust at a young woman.

Psalm 119:37

Turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through your word.

Psalm 128:2

You will enjoy the fruit of your labor. How joyful and prosperous you will be!

Proverbs 23:5

In the blink of an eye wealth disappears, for it will sprout wings and fly away like an eagle.

Ecclesiastes 11:9

Young people, it’s wonderful to be young! Enjoy every minute of it. Do everything you want to do; take it all in. But remember that you must give an account to God for everything you do.

Ecclesiastes 2:1

I said to myself, “Come on, let’s try pleasure. Let’s look for the ‘good things’ in life.” But I found that this, too, was meaningless.

Ecclesiastes 2:22

So what do people get in this life for all their hard work and anxiety?

Ecclesiastes 2:24

So I decided there is nothing better than to enjoy food and drink and to find satisfaction in work. Then I realized that these pleasures are from the hand of God.

Ecclesiastes 3:22

So I saw that there is nothing better for people than to be happy in their work. That is our lot in life. And no one can bring us back to see what happens after we die.

Ecclesiastes 5:10

Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness!

Ecclesiastes 5:17

Throughout their lives, they live under a cloud—frustrated, discouraged, and angry.

Ecclesiastes 5:18

Even so, I have noticed one thing, at least, that is good. It is good for people to eat, drink, and enjoy their work under the sun during the short life God has given them, and to accept their lot in life.

Ecclesiastes 6:2

God gives some people great wealth and honor and everything they could ever want, but then he doesn’t give them the chance to enjoy these things. They die, and someone else, even a stranger, ends up enjoying their wealth! This is meaningless—a sickening tragedy.

Ecclesiastes 6:9

Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don’t have. Just dreaming about nice things is meaningless—like chasing the wind.

Ecclesiastes 8:15

So I recommend having fun, because there is nothing better for people in this world than to eat, drink, and enjoy life. That way they will experience some happiness along with all the hard work God gives them under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 9:6

Whatever they did in their lifetime—loving, hating, envying—is all long gone. They no longer play a part in anything here on earth.

Ecclesiastes 9:9

Live happily with the woman you love through all the meaningless days of life that God has given you under the sun. The wife God gives you is your reward for all your earthly toil.

1 John 2:16

For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.

Judges 14:2

When he returned home, he told his father and mother, “A young Philistine woman in Timnah caught my eye. I want to marry her. Get her for me.”