Ecclesiastes 2:21
Because there is a man whose work has been done with wisdom, with knowledge, and with an expert hand; but one who has done nothing for it will have it for his heritage. This again is to no purpose and a great evil.
Bible in Basic English
In The King James Version
In Context
20So my mind was turned to grief for all the trouble I had taken and all my wisdom under the sun.
Cross References
2 Chronicles 31:20This Hezekiah did through all Judah; he did what was good and right and true before the Lord his God.
2 Chronicles 34:2And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, walking in the ways of his father David, without turning to the right hand or to the left.
2 Chronicles 36:5Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king; he was ruling in Jerusalem for eleven years, and he did evil in the eyes of the Lord his God.
Psalms 49:11\49:10\For he sees that wise men come to their end, and foolish persons of low behaviour come to destruction together, letting their wealth go to others.
Ecclesiastes 9:18Wisdom is better than instruments of war, but one sinner is the destruction of much good.
Jeremiah 22:17But your eyes and your heart are fixed only on profit for yourself, on causing the death of him who has done no wrong, and on violent and cruel acts.
Matthew Henry on Ecclesiastes 2:18-26
Sources of Dissatisfaction; The Cheerful Use of Abundance. 17 Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit. 18 Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me. 19 And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also… Read the whole commentary →