Ecclesiastes 2

Reading Ecclesiastes chapter 2 in the Young's Literal Translation, public-domain text from 1898.

Verses 1–10

1 I said in my heart, `Pray, come, I try thee with mirth, and look thou on gladness;' and lo, even it is vanity.

2 Of laughter I said, `Foolish!' and of mirth, `What is this it is doing?'

3 I have sought in my heart to draw out with wine my appetite, (and my heart leading in wisdom), and to take hold on folly till that I see where is this--the good to the sons of man of that which they do under the heavens, the number of the days of their lives.

4 I made great my works, I builded for me houses, I planted for me vineyards.

5 I made for me gardens and paradises, and I planted in them trees of every fruit.

6 I made for me pools of water, to water from them a forest shooting forth trees.

7 I got men-servants, and maid-servants, and sons of the house were to me; also, I had much substance--herd and flock--above all who had been before me in Jerusalem.

8 I gathered for me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces. I prepared for me men-singers and women-singers, and the luxuries of the sons of man--a wife and wives.

9 And I became great, and increased above every one who had been before me in Jerusalem; also, my wisdom stood with me.

10 And all that mine eyes asked I kept not back from them; I withheld not my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced because of all my labour, and this hath been my portion, from all my labour,

Ecclesiastes in other translations

• KJV Ecclesiastes
• ASV Ecclesiastes
• Darby Ecclesiastes
• DRC Ecclesiastes
• WEB Ecclesiastes
• Webster Ecclesiastes

About this translation

The Young's Literal Translation (1898) 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.