Ecclesiastes 2

Reading Ecclesiastes chapter 2 in the Darby Bible, public-domain text from 1890.

Verses 1–10

1 I said in my heart, Come now, I will try thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure. But behold, this also is vanity.

2 I said of laughter, Madness! and of mirth, What availeth it?

3 I searched in my heart how to cherish my flesh with wine, while practising my heart with wisdom; and how to lay hold on folly, till I should see what was that good for the children of men which they should do under the heavens all the days of their life.

4 I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards;

5 I made me gardens and parks, and I planted trees in them of every kind of fruit;

6 I made me ponds of water, to water therewith the wood, where the trees are reared.

7 I acquired servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all that had been in Jerusalem before me.

8 I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces; I got me men-singers and women-singers, and the delights of the children of men, a wife and concubines.

9 And I became great, and increased more than all that had been before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.

10 And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them: I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour, and this was my portion from all my labour.

Ecclesiastes in other translations

• KJV Ecclesiastes
• ASV Ecclesiastes
• DRC Ecclesiastes
• WEB Ecclesiastes
• Webster Ecclesiastes
• YLT Ecclesiastes

About this translation

The Darby Bible (1890) is one of seven public-domain translations available in the OCC Bible Explorer. Use the full app to compare translations side by side, search across all translations, and explore Strong's Hebrew and Greek concordance entries linked to every word.