Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun.
Parallel translations
- WEB Therefore I began to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor in which I had labored under the sun.
- BSB So my heart began to despair over all the labor that I had done under the sun.
- NKJV Therefore I turned my heart and despaired of all the labor in which I had toiled under the sun.
- NASB Therefore I completely despaired over all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun.
- NLT So I gave up in despair, questioning the value of all my hard work in this world.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
He gave his heart over to despair concerning all his labor under the sun. Reflecting on futility brought him to hopelessness about his toil.
Overview
Qoheleth describes surrendering to despair as he contemplates the emptiness of his efforts. This candid expression of hopelessness reflects the natural end of a life that seeks meaning only in earthly work. The verse marks the depth of the problem that the book, and the gospel, ultimately answer with the gift of God-given joy and eternal hope.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Ps 39:6–7Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.
- 1 Cor 15:19If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
- Gen 43:14And God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send away your other brother, and Benjamin. If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.
- Job 17:11–15My days are past, my purposes are broken off, even the thoughts of my heart.
- 2 Cor 1:8–10For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:
- 1 Th 3:3–4That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The search that finds everything 'under the sun' to be vapor exposes the emptiness of life without God and drives us to the one who alone gives meaning, the resurrection that makes our labor not in vain.
How Ecclesiastes 2:20 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.