"Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all …" — Ecclesiastes 2:11

Ecclesiastes 2:11 · KJV

“Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all {was} vanity and vexation of spirit, and {there was} no profit under the sun.”

— Ecclesiastes 2:11

Verse 10

And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.

Verse 12

And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what {can} the man {do} that cometh after the king? {even} that which hath been already done. {even...: or, in those things which have been already done}

Ecclesiastes 2 — Context

So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.

And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.

Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all {was} vanity and vexation of spirit, and {there was} no profit under the sun.

Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness. {that...: Heb. that there is an excellency in wisdom more than in folly, etc}

Cross References

Ecclesiastes 1:14

I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all {is} vanity and vexation of spirit.

1 John 2:16-17

For all that {is} in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

Ecclesiastes 1:3

What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?

Exodus 39:43

And Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, they had done it as the LORD had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them.

1 Timothy 6:6

But godliness with contentment is great gain.

Genesis 1:31

And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, {it was} very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. {And the evening...: Heb. And the evening was, and the morning was etc.}

Ecclesiastes 2:17-23

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.

Habakkuk 2:13

Behold, {is it} not of the LORD of hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity? {for...: or, in vain?}