◄ Ecclesiastes 2:21 ►
Parallel Verses
New International Version
For a person may labor with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then they must leave all they own to another who has not toiled for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune.

New American Standard Bible
When there is a man who has labored with wisdom, knowledge and skill, then he gives his legacy to one who has not labored with them. This too is vanity and a great evil.

King James Bible
For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
When there is a man whose work was done with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, and he must give his portion to a man who has not worked for it, this too is futile and a great wrong.

International Standard Version
For sometimes people who strive to obtain wisdom, knowledge, and equity leave everything as an inheritance to a person who never worked for it. This, too, is pointless and greatly troublesome.

American Standard Version
For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skilfulness; yet to a man that hath not labored therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.

Douay-Rheims Bible
For when a man laboureth in wisdom, and knowledge, and carefulness, he leaveth what he hath gotten to an idle man: so this also is vanity, and a great evil.

Darby Bible Translation
For there is a man whose labour hath been with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skill, and who leaveth it to a man that hath not laboured therein, to be his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.

Young's Literal Translation
For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity, and to a man who hath not laboured therein he giveth it -- his portion! Even this is vanity and a great evil.
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Enjoyed Equity Evil Expert Gives Great Heritage Labor Labour Meaningless Misfortune Owns Portion Skill Skillfulness Someone Sometimes Therein Toiled Vanity Wisdom Work Worked
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Enjoyed Equity Evil Expert Gives Great Heritage Labor Labour Meaningless Misfortune Owns Portion Skill Skillfulness Someone Sometimes Therein Toiled Vanity Wisdom Work Worked
Context
The Futility of Work

18Yes, I hated all my labor which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it to the man that shall be after me. 19And who knows whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labor wherein I have labored, and wherein I have showed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity. 20Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labor which I took under the sun. 21For there is a man whose labor is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that has not labored therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil. 22For what has man of all his labor, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he has labored under the sun? 23For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yes, his heart takes not rest in the night. This is also vanity. 24There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God. 25For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I? 26For 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.
Cross References
Psalm 49:10
For he sees that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others.

Ecclesiastes 2:18
Yes, I hated all my labor which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it to the man that shall be after me.

Ecclesiastes 2:20
Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labor which I took under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 4:4
Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbor. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

Ecclesiastes 4:8
There is one alone, and there is not a second; yes, he has neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labor; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither said he, For whom do I labor, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yes, it is a sore travail.

Treasury of Scripture

For there is a man whose labor is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that has not labored therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.

whose

Ecclesiastes 2:17,18 Therefore I hated life; because the work that is worked under the sun is grievous to me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit...

Ecclesiastes 9:18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroys much good.

2 Chronicles 31:20,21 And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and worked that which was good and right and truth before the LORD his God...

2 Chronicles 33:2-9 But did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, like to the abominations of the heathen...

2 Chronicles 34:2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the ways of David his father...

2 Chronicles 35:18 And there was no passover like to that kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the prophet...

2 Chronicles 36:5 Jehoiakim was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem...

Jeremiah 22:15,17 Shall you reign, because you close yourself in cedar? did not your father eat and drink, and do judgment and justice...

leave

Strong's Concordance
For there is a man whose labour [is] in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it [for] his portion. This also [is] vanity and a great evil.
Topical Bible
Enjoyed Equity Evil Expert Gives Giveth Heritage Labor Labored Labour Laboured Leave Leaveth Legacy Meaningless Misfortune Nothing Owns Portion Purpose Skilfulness Skill Skillfulness Someone Sometimes Therein Toil Toiled Vanity Wisdom Worked Yet
Resources
Ecclesiastes Chapter 2 Verse 21

Alphabetical: a all and do evil For gives great has he his is it knowledge labored leave legacy man may meaningless misfortune must not one owns skill someone them then there This to too vanity When who wisdom with work worked

OT Poetry: Ecclesiastes 2:21 For there is a man whose labor (Ecclesiast. Ec Ecc Eccles.)
Ecclesiastes 2:20
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