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24 There is nothing better for mortals than to eat and drink, and find enjoyment in their toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God; 25 for apart from him[a] who can eat or who can have enjoyment? 26 For to the one who pleases him God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy; but to the sinner he gives the work of gathering and heaping, only to give to one who pleases God. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.[b]

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 2:25 Gk Syr: Heb apart from me
  2. Ecclesiastes 2:26 Or a feeding on wind. See Hos 12.1

24 A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink(A) and find satisfaction in their own toil.(B) This too, I see, is from the hand of God,(C) 25 for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment?(D) 26 To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom,(E) knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth(F) to hand it over to the one who pleases God.(G) This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

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24 There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.

25 For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I?

26 For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

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