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This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. <a href="/nlt/ecclesiastes/2.htm">New Living Translation</a> God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to those who please him. But if a sinner becomes wealthy, God takes the wealth away and gives it to those who please him. This, too, is meaningless—like chasing the wind. <a href="/esv/ecclesiastes/2.htm">English Standard Version</a> For to the one who pleases him God has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he has given the business of gathering and collecting, only to give to one who pleases God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind. <a href="/bsb/ecclesiastes/2.htm">Berean Standard Bible</a> To the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner He assigns the task of gathering and accumulating that which he will hand over to one who pleases God. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind. <a href="/kjv/ecclesiastes/2.htm">King James Bible</a> 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. <a href="/nkjv/ecclesiastes/2.htm">New King James Version</a> For God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy to a man who is good in His sight; but to the sinner He gives the work of gathering and collecting, that he may give to him who is good before God. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind. <a href="/nasb_/ecclesiastes/2.htm">New American Standard Bible</a> For to a person who is good in His sight, He has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, while to the sinner He has given the task of gathering and collecting so that he may give to one who is good in God’s sight. This too is futility and striving after wind. <a href="/nasb/ecclesiastes/2.htm">NASB 1995</a> For to a person who is good in His sight He has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, while to the sinner He has given the task of gathering and collecting so that he may give to one who is good in God&#8217s sight. This too is vanity and striving after wind. <a href="/nasb77/ecclesiastes/2.htm">NASB 1977 </a> For to a person who is good in His sight He has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, while to the sinner He has given the task of gathering and collecting so that he may give to one who is good in God’s sight. This too is vanity and striving after wind. <a href="/lsb/ecclesiastes/2.htm">Legacy Standard Bible </a> For to a man who is good before Him, He has given wisdom and knowledge and gladness, while to the sinner He has given the endeavor of gathering and collecting so that he may give to one who is good before God. This too is vanity and striving after wind. <a href="/amp/ecclesiastes/2.htm">Amplified Bible</a> For to the person who pleases Him God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner He gives the work of gathering and collecting so that he may give to one who pleases God. This too is vanity and chasing after the wind. <a href="/csb/ecclesiastes/2.htm">Christian Standard Bible</a> For to the person who is pleasing in his sight, he gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and accumulating in order to give to the one who is pleasing in God’s sight. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind. <a href="/hcsb/ecclesiastes/2.htm">Holman Christian Standard Bible</a> For to the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy, but to the sinner He gives the task of gathering and accumulating in order to give to the one who is pleasing in God&#8217s sight. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind. <a href="/asv/ecclesiastes/2.htm">American Standard Version</a> For to the man that pleaseth him God giveth 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 pleaseth God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind. <a href="/cev/ecclesiastes/2.htm">Contemporary English Version</a> If we please God, he will make us wise, understanding, and happy. But if we sin, God will make us struggle for a living, then he will give all we own to someone who pleases him. This makes no more sense than chasing the wind. <a href="/erv/ecclesiastes/2.htm">English Revised Version</a> For to the man that pleaseth him God giveth 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 pleaseth God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind. <a href="/gwt/ecclesiastes/2.htm">GOD'S WORD® Translation</a> God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to anyone who pleases him. But to the person who continues to sin, he gives the job of gathering and collecting [wealth]. The sinner must turn his wealth over to the person who pleases God. Even this is pointless. [It's like] trying to catch the wind. <a href="/gnt/ecclesiastes/2.htm">Good News Translation</a> God gives wisdom, knowledge, and happiness to those who please him, but he makes sinners work, earning and saving, so that what they get can be given to those who please him. It is all useless. It is like chasing the wind. <a href="/isv/ecclesiastes/2.htm">International Standard Version</a> After all, to the person who is good in God's sight, he gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy, but to the sinner he gives the troublesome task of acquiring and accumulating in order to leave it to someone who is good in the sight of God. This also is pointless and chasing after the wind. <a href="/msb/ecclesiastes/2.htm">Majority Standard Bible</a> To the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner He assigns the task of gathering and accumulating that which he will hand over to one who pleases God. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind. <a href="/net/ecclesiastes/2.htm">NET Bible</a> For to the one who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy, but to the sinner, he gives the task of amassing wealth--only to give it to the one who pleases God. This task of the wicked is futile--like chasing the wind! <a href="/nheb/ecclesiastes/2.htm">New Heart English Bible</a> For to the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who pleases God. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind. <a href="/wbt/ecclesiastes/2.htm">Webster's Bible Translation</a> For God giveth to a man who is good in his sight, wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth toil, to gather, and to amass, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit. <a href="/web/ecclesiastes/2.htm">World English Bible</a> For to the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who pleases God. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind. <div class="vheading2">Literal Translations</div><a href="/lsv/ecclesiastes/2.htm">Literal Standard Version</a> For to a man who [is] good before Him, He has given wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; and to a sinner He has given travail, to gather and to heap up, to give to the good before God. Even this [is] vanity and distress of spirit. <a href="/ylt/ecclesiastes/2.htm">Young's Literal Translation</a> For to a man who is good before Him, He hath given wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; and to a sinner He hath given travail, to gather and to heap up, to give to the good before God. Even this is vanity and vexation of spirit. <a href="/slt/ecclesiastes/2.htm">Smith's Literal Translation</a> For to a man good before his face, he gave wisdom and knowledge and gladness: and to him sinning, he gave labor, to gather and to heap up, to give to the good one before the face of God. Also this is vanity and the striving of the spirit.<div class="vheading2">Catholic Translations</div><a href="/drb/ecclesiastes/2.htm">Douay-Rheims Bible</a> God hath given to a man that is good in his sight, wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he hath given vexation, and superfluous care, to heap up and to gather together, and to give it to him that hath pleased God: but this also is vanity, and a fruitless solicitude of the mind. <a href="/cpdv/ecclesiastes/2.htm">Catholic Public Domain Version</a> God has given, to the man who is good in his sight, wisdom, and knowledge, and rejoicing. But to the sinner, he has given affliction and needless worrying, so as to add, and to gather, and to deliver, to him who has pleased God. But this, too, is emptiness and a hollow worrying of the mind. <a href="/nabre/ecclesiastes/2.htm">New American Bible</a> For to the one who pleases God, he gives wisdom and knowledge and joy; but to the one who displeases, God gives the task of gathering possessions for the one who pleases God. This also is vanity and a chase after wind. <a href="/nrsvce/ecclesiastes/2.htm">New Revised Standard Version</a> 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.<div class="vheading2">Translations from Aramaic</div><a href="/lamsa/ecclesiastes/2.htm">Lamsa Bible</a> For, to a man who is good in his presence, God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy; but to the sinner he gives toil, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who is good in the presence of the LORD. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit, <a href="/hpbt/ecclesiastes/2.htm">Peshitta Holy Bible Translated</a> For to the man who is good before him he gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, and to sinners he gives the task to increase and to gather and to give what is good before LORD JEHOVAH, and this also is futility and agitation of spirit<div class="vheading2">OT Translations</div><a href="/jps/ecclesiastes/2.htm">JPS Tanakh 1917</a> For to the man that is good in His sight He giveth wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner He giveth the task, to gather and to heap up, that he may leave to him that is good in the sight of God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind. <a href="/sep/ecclesiastes/2.htm">Brenton Septuagint Translation</a> For God has given to the man who is good in his sight, wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but he has given to the sinner trouble, to add and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God; for this is also vanity and waywardness of spirit. <a href="/parallel/ecclesiastes/2-26.htm">Additional Translations ...</a></div></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="study" id="study"></a><div class="vheadingv">Audio Bible</div><iframe width="100%" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8-2fxj-VcEg?start=426" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe> <div class="vheadingv">Context</div><a href="/bsb/ecclesiastes/2.htm">The Futility of Work</a> …25For apart from Him, who can eat and who can find enjoyment? 26<a href="/hebrew/3588.htm" title="3588: kî (Conj) -- That, for, when. ">To</a> <a href="/hebrew/120.htm" title="120: lə·’ā·ḏām (Prep-l:: N-ms) -- Man, mankind. From 'adam; ruddy i.e. A human being.">the man</a> <a href="/hebrew/2896.htm" title="2896: šeṭ·ṭō·wḇ (Pro-r:: Adj-ms) -- Pleasant, agreeable, good.">who is pleasing</a> <a href="/hebrew/6440.htm" title="6440: lə·p̄ā·nāw (Prep-l:: N-cpc:: 3ms) -- Face, faces. Plural of an unused noun; the face; used in a great variety of applications; also as a preposition.">in His sight,</a> <a href="/hebrew/5414.htm" title="5414: nā·ṯan (V-Qal-Perf-3ms) -- To give, put, set. A primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application.">He gives</a> <a href="/hebrew/2451.htm" title="2451: ḥāḵ·māh (N-fs) -- Wisdom. From chakam; wisdom.">wisdom</a> <a href="/hebrew/1847.htm" title="1847: wə·ḏa·‘aṯ (Conj-w:: N-fs) -- Knowledge. From yada'; knowledge.">and knowledge</a> <a href="/hebrew/8057.htm" title="8057: wə·śim·ḥāh (Conj-w:: N-fs) -- Joy, gladness, mirth. From sameach; blithesomeness or glee.">and joy,</a> <a href="/hebrew/2398.htm" title="2398: wə·la·ḥō·w·ṭe (Conj-w, Prep-l, Art:: V-Qal-Prtcpl-ms) -- A primitive root; properly, to miss; hence to sin; by inference, to forfeit, lack, expiate, repent, lead astray, condemn.">but to the sinner</a> <a href="/hebrew/5414.htm" title="5414: nā·ṯan (V-Qal-Perf-3ms) -- To give, put, set. A primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application.">He assigns</a> <a href="/hebrew/6045.htm" title="6045: ‘in·yān (N-ms) -- Occupation, task. From anah; ado, i.e. employment or an affair.">the task</a> <a href="/hebrew/622.htm" title="622: le·’ĕ·sō·wp̄ (Prep-l:: V-Qal-Inf) -- To gather, remove. A primitive root; to gather for any purpose; hence, to receive, take away, i.e. Remove.">of gathering</a> <a href="/hebrew/3664.htm" title="3664: wə·liḵ·nō·ws (Conj-w, Prep-l:: V-Qal-Inf) -- To gather, collect. A primitive root; to collect; hence, to enfold.">and accumulating that which</a> <a href="/hebrew/5414.htm" title="5414: lā·ṯêṯ (Prep-l:: V-Qal-Inf) -- To give, put, set. A primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application.">he will hand over</a> <a href="/hebrew/2896.htm" title="2896: lə·ṭō·wḇ (Prep-l:: Adj-ms) -- Pleasant, agreeable, good.">to one who pleases</a> <a href="/hebrew/6440.htm" title="6440: lip̄·nê (Prep-l:: N-cpc) -- Face, faces. Plural of an unused noun; the face; used in a great variety of applications; also as a preposition."></a> <a href="/hebrew/430.htm" title="430: hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm (Art:: N-mp) -- Plural of 'elowahh; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used of the supreme God">God.</a> <a href="/hebrew/2088.htm" title="2088: zeh (Pro-ms) -- This, here. A primitive word; the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or that.">This</a> <a href="/hebrew/1571.htm" title="1571: gam- (Conj) -- Also, moreover, yea. ">too</a> <a href="/hebrew/1892.htm" title="1892: he·ḇel (N-ms) -- Or Habel; from habal; emptiness or vanity; figuratively, something transitory and unsatisfactory; often used as an adverb.">is futile</a> <a href="/hebrew/7469.htm" title="7469: ū·rə·‘ūṯ (Conj-w:: N-fsc) -- Longing, striving. Probably from ra'ah; a feeding upon, i.e. Grasping after.">and a pursuit</a> <a href="/hebrew/7307.htm" title="7307: rū·aḥ (N-cs) -- Breath, wind, spirit. From ruwach; wind; by resemblance breath.">of the wind.</a> <div class="cred"><a href="//berean.bible">Berean Standard Bible</a> · <a href="//berean.bible/downloads.htm">Download</a></div> <a name="crossref" id="crossref"></a><div class="vheading">Cross References</div><div id="crf"><a href="/proverbs/13-22.htm">Proverbs 13:22</a> A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the sinner’s wealth is passed to the righteous. <a href="/job/27-16.htm">Job 27:16-17</a> Though he heaps up silver like dust and piles up a wardrobe like clay, / what he lays up, the righteous will wear, and his silver will be divided by the innocent. <a href="/matthew/25-29.htm">Matthew 25:29</a> For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. But the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. <a href="/proverbs/28-8.htm">Proverbs 28:8</a> He who increases his wealth by interest and usury lays it up for one who is kind to the poor. <a href="/james/1-5.htm">James 1:5</a> Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. <a href="/proverbs/2-6.htm">Proverbs 2:6</a> For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. <a href="/1_corinthians/3-19.htm">1 Corinthians 3:19</a> For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness.” <a href="/james/1-17.htm">James 1:17</a> Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow. <a href="/proverbs/10-22.htm">Proverbs 10:22</a> The blessing of the LORD enriches, and He adds no sorrow to it. <a href="/luke/12-20.htm">Luke 12:20-21</a> But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be required of you. Then who will own what you have accumulated?’ / This is how it will be for anyone who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich toward God.” <a href="/1_timothy/6-17.htm">1 Timothy 6:17</a> Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be conceited and not to put their hope in the uncertainty of wealth, but in God, who richly provides all things for us to enjoy. <a href="/psalms/112-3.htm">Psalm 112:3</a> Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever. <a href="/romans/8-28.htm">Romans 8:28</a> And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. <a href="/1_kings/3-12.htm">1 Kings 3:12-13</a> behold, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been another like you, nor will there ever be. / Moreover, I will give you what you did not request—both riches and honor—so that during all your days no man in any kingdom will be your equal. <a href="/2_corinthians/9-8.htm">2 Corinthians 9:8</a> And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.</div> <a name="tsk" id="tsk"><div class="vheading">Treasury of Scripture</div>For God gives to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he gives 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.in his sight<a href="/genesis/7-1.htm">Genesis 7:1</a> And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.<a href="/luke/1-6.htm">Luke 1:6</a> And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.wisdom<a href="/2_chronicles/31-20.htm">2 Chronicles 31:20,21</a> And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good and right and truth before the LORD his God… <a href="/proverbs/3-13.htm">Proverbs 3:13-18</a> Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding… <a href="/isaiah/3-10.htm">Isaiah 3:10,11</a> Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings… to the sinner<a href="/job/27-16.htm">Job 27:16,17</a> Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare raiment as the clay; … <a href="/proverbs/13-22.htm">Proverbs 13:22</a> A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.<a href="/proverbs/28-8.htm">Proverbs 28:8</a> He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor.<div class="vheading">Jump to Previous</div><a href="/matthew/6-20.htm">Amass</a> <a href="/ecclesiastes/2-17.htm">Chasing</a> <a href="/proverbs/28-8.htm">Gather</a> <a href="/proverbs/13-11.htm">Gathering</a> <a href="/ecclesiastes/2-21.htm">Gives</a> <a href="/psalms/135-2.htm">God's</a> <a href="/ecclesiastes/2-24.htm">Good</a> <a href="/proverbs/26-8.htm">Heap</a> <a href="/ecclesiastes/2-10.htm">Joy</a> <a href="/proverbs/17-14.htm">Leave</a> <a href="/proverbs/21-1.htm">Pleases</a> <a href="/proverbs/29-13.htm">Sight</a> <a href="/proverbs/21-26.htm">Sinner</a> <a href="/ecclesiastes/2-17.htm">Spirit</a> <a href="/ecclesiastes/2-22.htm">Striving</a> <a href="/ecclesiastes/2-23.htm">Task</a> <a href="/ecclesiastes/2-24.htm">Toil</a> <a href="/ecclesiastes/2-23.htm">Travail</a> <a href="/ecclesiastes/2-23.htm">Vanity</a> <a href="/ecclesiastes/2-23.htm">Vexation</a> <a href="/ecclesiastes/2-17.htm">Wind</a> <a href="/ecclesiastes/2-21.htm">Wisdom</a><div class="vheading2">Jump to Next</div><a href="/matthew/6-20.htm">Amass</a> <a href="/ecclesiastes/4-4.htm">Chasing</a> <a href="/ecclesiastes/3-5.htm">Gather</a> <a href="/isaiah/13-4.htm">Gathering</a> <a href="/ecclesiastes/5-19.htm">Gives</a> <a href="/ecclesiastes/3-13.htm">God's</a> <a href="/ecclesiastes/3-12.htm">Good</a> <a href="/ecclesiastes/3-5.htm">Heap</a> <a href="/ecclesiastes/3-13.htm">Joy</a> <a href="/ecclesiastes/8-3.htm">Leave</a> <a href="/ecclesiastes/7-26.htm">Pleases</a> <a href="/ecclesiastes/5-8.htm">Sight</a> <a href="/ecclesiastes/7-26.htm">Sinner</a> <a href="/ecclesiastes/3-21.htm">Spirit</a> <a href="/ecclesiastes/4-4.htm">Striving</a> <a href="/ecclesiastes/3-10.htm">Task</a> <a href="/ecclesiastes/3-9.htm">Toil</a> <a href="/ecclesiastes/3-10.htm">Travail</a> <a href="/ecclesiastes/3-19.htm">Vanity</a> <a href="/ecclesiastes/4-4.htm">Vexation</a> <a href="/ecclesiastes/4-4.htm">Wind</a> <a href="/ecclesiastes/4-13.htm">Wisdom</a><div class="vheading2">Ecclesiastes 2</div>1. <a href="/ecclesiastes/2-1.htm">the vanity of human courses is the work of pleasure</a> 12. <a href="/ecclesiastes/2-12.htm">Though the wise be better than the fool, yet both have one event</a> 18. <a href="/ecclesiastes/2-18.htm">The vanity of human labor, in leaving it they know not to whom</a> 24. <a href="/ecclesiastes/2-24.htm">Nothing better than joy in our labor but that is God's gift</a> </div></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script>  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div>  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div>  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div>  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div>  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div> <script type="text/javascript"> </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script> </div> </td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="combox"><div class="padcom"><a name="commentary" id="commentary"></a><div class="vheading"><a href="/study/ecclesiastes/2.htm">Berean Study Bible</a></div>To the man who is pleasing in His sight The phrase "pleasing in His sight" suggests a relationship of favor and approval from God. In Hebrew, the word often translated as "pleasing" is "טוֹב" (tov), which means good or favorable. This implies a life aligned with God's will, characterized by righteousness and obedience. Historically, those who walked in God's ways were seen as recipients of His blessings, as seen in the lives of figures like Abraham and David. This phrase sets the stage for understanding the divine favor that follows.He gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy The gifts of "wisdom, knowledge, and joy" are significant. "Wisdom" (חָכְמָה, chokmah) in Hebrew is more than intellectual understanding; it is practical, godly living. "Knowledge" (דַּעַת, da'at) refers to an intimate understanding of God's ways and purposes. "Joy" (שִׂמְחָה, simchah) is a deep-seated gladness that transcends circumstances. These gifts are not merely human achievements but divine endowments, reflecting a life lived in harmony with God's purposes.but to the sinner The term "sinner" (חֹטֵא, chote) denotes one who misses the mark of God's standards. In the biblical context, sin is not just moral failure but a breach in the relationship with God. The contrast here is stark: while the righteous receive divine gifts, the sinner's life is marked by futility. This highlights the biblical theme of the consequences of sin, as seen throughout Scripture.He assigns the task of gathering and accumulating The "task of gathering and accumulating" suggests a life of toil without ultimate purpose. The Hebrew word for "task" (עִנְיָן, inyan) can imply burdensome labor. This reflects the curse of laborious toil given to Adam after the Fall (<a href="/genesis/3-17.htm">Genesis 3:17-19</a>). The sinner's efforts are ultimately in vain, as they do not lead to lasting fulfillment or divine approval.to give to the one who is pleasing in God’s sight This phrase underscores the divine sovereignty and justice in redistributing wealth and resources. It echoes the biblical principle that God ultimately rewards the righteous, as seen in <a href="/proverbs/13-22.htm">Proverbs 13:22</a>, "A sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous." This transfer of wealth is not merely material but signifies the deeper spiritual truth that God honors those who honor Him.This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind The word "futile" (הֶבֶל, hebel) is a recurring theme in Ecclesiastes, often translated as "vanity" or "meaninglessness." It conveys the transient and elusive nature of worldly pursuits. "A pursuit of the wind" (רְעוּת רוּחַ, re'ut ruach) is a vivid metaphor for chasing something that cannot be caught. This phrase serves as a sobering reminder of the emptiness of life apart from God, urging readers to seek lasting fulfillment in Him alone.<div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/ellicott/ecclesiastes/2.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></div>(26) On the doctrine that the wicked amass wealth for the righteous, see marginal references.<div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/ecclesiastes/2.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div>Verse 26. - For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight. The subject "God" is not, in the Hebrew, an omission which is supposed to justify its virtual insertion in ver. 25. The Vulgate boldly supplies it here, Homini bone in conspectu sue dedit Deus. To the man that finds favor in God's sight (<a href="/1_samuel/29-6.htm">1 Samuel 29:6</a>; <a href="/nehemiah/2-5.htm">Nehemiah 2:5</a>), i.e. who pleases him, ha gives blessings, while he withholds them or takes them away from the man who displeases him. The blessings specified are wisdom, and knowledge, and joy. The only true wisdom which is not grief, the only true knowledge which is not sorrow (<a href="/ecclesiastes/1-18.htm">Ecclesiastes 1:18</a>), and the only joy in life, are the gifts of God to those whom he regards as good. But to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up. The sinner takes great pains, expends continuous labor, that he may amass wealth, but it passes into other. (more worthy) hands. Horace, 'Carm.,' 2:14. 25 - "Absumet heres Caecuba dignior Servata centum clavibus." The moral government of God is here recognized, as below, <a href="/ecclesiastes/3-15.htm">Ecclesiastes 3:15, 17</a>, etc., and a further thought is added on the subject of retribution: That he may give to him that is good before God. This idea is found in <a href="/proverbs/28-8.htm">Proverbs 28:8</a>, "He that augmenteth his substance by usury and increase, gathereth it for him that hath pity upon the poor;" and Ecclesiastes 13:22, "The wealth of the sinner is laid up for the righteous" (comp. <a href="/job/27-16.htm">Job 27:16, 17</a>). So in the parable of the talents, the talent of the unprofitable servant is given unto him who had made best use of his money (<a href="/matthew/25-28.htm">Matthew 25:28</a>). This also is vanity. It is a question what is the reference here. Delitzsch considers it to be the striving after pleasure in and from labor (ver. 24); Knobel, the arbitrary distribution of the good things of this life; but, put thus baldly, this could hardly be termed a "feeding on wind;" nor could that expression be applied to the "gifts of God" to which Bullock confines the reference. Wright, Hengstenberg, Gratz, and others deem that what is meant is the collecting and heaping up of riches by the sinner, which has already been decided to be vanity (vers. 11, 17, 18); and this Would limit the general conclusion to a particular instance. Taking the view contained in ver. 24 as the central idea of the passage, we see that Koheleth feels that the restriction upon man's enjoyment of labor imposed by God's moral government makes that toil vain because its issue is not in men's hands, and it is a striving for or a feeding on wind because the result is unsatisfying and vanishes in the grasp. <a href="/commentaries/ecclesiastes/2-26.htm">Parallel Commentaries ...</a> <a name="lexicon" id="lexicon"></a><div class="vheading">Hebrew</div>To כִּ֤י (kî) Conjunction <a href="/hebrew/strongs_3588.htm">Strong's 3588: </a> A relative conjunction the man לְאָדָם֙ (lə·’ā·ḏām) Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular <a href="/hebrew/strongs_120.htm">Strong's 120: </a> Ruddy, a human being who is pleasing שֶׁטּ֣וֹב (šeṭ·ṭō·wḇ) Pronoun - relative | Adjective - masculine singular <a href="/hebrew/strongs_2896.htm">Strong's 2896: </a> Pleasant, agreeable, good in His sight, לְפָנָ֔יו (lə·p̄ā·nāw) Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular <a href="/hebrew/strongs_6440.htm">Strong's 6440: </a> The face He gives נָתַ֛ן (nā·ṯan) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular <a href="/hebrew/strongs_5414.htm">Strong's 5414: </a> To give, put, set wisdom חָכְמָ֥ה (ḥāḵ·māh) Noun - feminine singular <a href="/hebrew/strongs_2451.htm">Strong's 2451: </a> Wisdom and knowledge וְדַ֖עַת (wə·ḏa·‘aṯ) Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular <a href="/hebrew/strongs_1847.htm">Strong's 1847: </a> Knowledge and joy, וְשִׂמְחָ֑ה (wə·śim·ḥāh) Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular <a href="/hebrew/strongs_8057.htm">Strong's 8057: </a> Blithesomeness, glee but to the sinner וְלַחוֹטֶא֩ (wə·la·ḥō·w·ṭe) Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular <a href="/hebrew/strongs_2398.htm">Strong's 2398: </a> To miss, to sin, to forfeit, lack, expiate, repent, lead astray, condemn He assigns נָתַ֨ן (nā·ṯan) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular <a href="/hebrew/strongs_5414.htm">Strong's 5414: </a> To give, put, set the task עִנְיָ֜ן (‘in·yān) Noun - masculine singular <a href="/hebrew/strongs_6045.htm">Strong's 6045: </a> Ado, employment, an affair of gathering לֶאֱס֣וֹף (le·’ĕ·sō·wp̄) Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct <a href="/hebrew/strongs_622.htm">Strong's 622: </a> To gather for, any purpose, to receive, take away, remove and accumulating [that which] וְלִכְנ֗וֹס (wə·liḵ·nō·ws) Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct <a href="/hebrew/strongs_3664.htm">Strong's 3664: </a> To collect, to enfold he will hand over לָתֵת֙ (lā·ṯêṯ) Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct <a href="/hebrew/strongs_5414.htm">Strong's 5414: </a> To give, put, set to one who pleases לְטוֹב֙ (lə·ṭō·wḇ) Preposition-l | Adjective - masculine singular <a href="/hebrew/strongs_2896.htm">Strong's 2896: </a> Pleasant, agreeable, good God. הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים (hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm) Article | Noun - masculine plural <a href="/hebrew/strongs_430.htm">Strong's 430: </a> gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative This זֶ֥ה (zeh) Pronoun - masculine singular <a href="/hebrew/strongs_2088.htm">Strong's 2088: </a> This, that too גַּם־ (gam-) Conjunction <a href="/hebrew/strongs_1571.htm">Strong's 1571: </a> Assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, and is futile הֶ֖בֶל (he·ḇel) Noun - masculine singular <a href="/hebrew/strongs_1892.htm">Strong's 1892: </a> Emptiness, vanity, transitory, unsatisfactory and a pursuit וּרְע֥וּת (ū·rə·‘ūṯ) Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct <a href="/hebrew/strongs_7469.htm">Strong's 7469: </a> A feeding upon, grasping after of the wind. רֽוּחַ׃ (rū·aḥ) Noun - common singular <a href="/hebrew/strongs_7307.htm">Strong's 7307: </a> Wind, breath, exhalation, life, anger, unsubstantiality, a region of the sky, spirit <div class="vheading">Links</div><a href="/niv/ecclesiastes/2-26.htm">Ecclesiastes 2:26 NIV</a> <a href="/nlt/ecclesiastes/2-26.htm">Ecclesiastes 2:26 NLT</a> <a href="/esv/ecclesiastes/2-26.htm">Ecclesiastes 2:26 ESV</a> <a href="/nasb/ecclesiastes/2-26.htm">Ecclesiastes 2:26 NASB</a> <a href="/kjv/ecclesiastes/2-26.htm">Ecclesiastes 2:26 KJV</a> <a href="//bibleapps.com/ecclesiastes/2-26.htm">Ecclesiastes 2:26 BibleApps.com</a> <a href="//bibliaparalela.com/ecclesiastes/2-26.htm">Ecclesiastes 2:26 Biblia Paralela</a> <a href="//holybible.com.cn/ecclesiastes/2-26.htm">Ecclesiastes 2:26 Chinese Bible</a> <a href="//saintebible.com/ecclesiastes/2-26.htm">Ecclesiastes 2:26 French Bible</a> <a href="/catholic/ecclesiastes/2-26.htm">Ecclesiastes 2:26 Catholic Bible</a> <a href="/ecclesiastes/2-26.htm">OT Poetry: Ecclesiastes 2:26 For to the man who pleases him (Ecclesiast. Ec Ecc Eccles.) </a></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="/ecclesiastes/2-25.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Ecclesiastes 2:25"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Ecclesiastes 2:25" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/ecclesiastes/3-1.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Ecclesiastes 3:1"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Ecclesiastes 3:1" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>