Ecclesiastes 2:1
Said, I, in my heart, Come now! I will prove thee with gladness, and look thou on blessedness,—but lo! even that, was vanity.
The Emphasised Bible by J. B. Rotherham
In The King James Version
In Context
2Of laughter, I said, Madness! and, of mirth, What can it do?
Cross References
Genesis 11:7Come on! let us go down, and there confuse their speech,—that they may not understand, each man the speech of his friend.
Psalms 10:6He hath said in his heart, I shall not be shaken,—From generation to generation, shall I be in no misfortune.
Psalms 27:8To thee, said my heart—[When thou saidst] Seek ye my face—Thy face, O Yahweh, will I seek!
Ecclesiastes 1:16Spake, I, in my heart, saying, As for me, lo! I have become great, and have gathered wisdom, beyond any one who hath been before me over Jerusalem,—and, my heart, hath seen much wisdom and knowledge:
Ecclesiastes 2:15Then said, I, in my heart, As it happeneth to the dullard, even to me, will it happen, but wherefore, then, became, I, wise to excess? Therefore spake I, in my heart, Even this, is vanity.
Ecclesiastes 3:17Said, I, in my heart, Both the righteous and the lawless, will God judge,—for [there will be] a time for every pursuit, and concerning every work—there.
Matthew Henry on Ecclesiastes 2:1
Solomon having pronounced all vanity, and particularly knowledge and learning, which he was so far from giving himself joy of that he found the increase of it did but increase his sorrow, in this chapter he goes on to show what reason he has to be tired of this world, and with what little reason most men are fond of it. I. He shows that there is no true happiness and satisfaction to be had in mirth and pleasure, and the delights of sense, ver. 1-11 . II. He reconsiders the pretensions of wisdom, and allows it to… Read the whole commentary →