Ecclesiastes 2:22

For what has been to a man by all his labor, and by the thought of his heart that he labored at under the sun?

Literal Standard Version

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 a man whose labor [is] in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity, and to a man who has not labored therein he gives it—his portion! Even this [is] vanity and a great evil.

23For all his days are sorrows, and his travail sadness; even at night his heart has not lain down; this [is] also vanity.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 2

Cross References

Proverbs 16:26A laboring man has labored for himself, || For his mouth has caused [him] to bend over it.

Ecclesiastes 2:11and I have looked on all my works that my hands have done, and on the labor that I have labored to do, and behold, the whole [is] vanity and distress of spirit, and there is no advantage under the sun!

Ecclesiastes 4:6“Better [is] a handful [with] quietness, than two handfuls [with] labor and distress of spirit.”

Ecclesiastes 5:10Whoever is loving silver is not satisfied [with] silver, nor he who is in love with stores [with] increase. Even this [is] vanity.

Ecclesiastes 6:7All the labor of man [is] for his mouth, || And yet the soul is not filled.

Matthew 6:11Give us today our appointed bread.

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