Ecclesiastes 2:22

For what doth a man obtain of all his toil, and of the torture of his heart, wherewith he toileth under the sun?

Leeser Tanakh

In The King James Version

For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun?

In Context

21For there is many a man whose toil is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and with energy; yet to a man that hath not toiled therefore must he give it as his portion. Also this is vanity and a great evil.

23For all his days are full of pains, and vexation is [mingled with] his employment: yea, even in the night his heart taketh not rest. Also this is vanity.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 2

Cross References

Proverbs 16:26The desire of the laborer laboreth for him; for his mouth imposeth it on him.

Ecclesiastes 2:11But when I turned myself [to look] on all my works that my hands had wrought, and on the toil that I had toiled to accomplish: then, behold, all was vanity and a torture of the spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 4:6Better is a handful of quiet, than both the hands full of toil and torture of spirit.

Ecclesiastes 5:10(5:9) He that loveth money will never be satisfied with money; nor he that loveth abundance, with any increase. Also this is vanity.

Ecclesiastes 6:7All the toil of a man is for his mouth; and yet is his desire never filled.

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 →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Ecclesiastes 2:22