Ecclesiastes 2:12

Old Testament Wisdom/Poetry ASV (1901)

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 done long ago.

Ecclesiastes 2:12 — American Standard Version

Study Ecclesiastes 2:12 with Original Hebrew & AI

Word-by-word Hebrew interlinear, Strong's concordance, morphological parsing, and commentary from Gill, Barnes, Wesley, Matthew Henry & more.

Open Full Study Tools →

Context — Ecclesiastes 2

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.

9So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.

10And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them; I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced because of all my labor; and this was my portion from all my labor.

11Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labor that I had labored to do; and, behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

12And 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 done long ago.

13Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.

14The wise man`s eyes are in his head, and the fool walketh in darkness: and yet I perceived that one event happeneth to them all.

15Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then said I in my heart, that this also is vanity.

← Ecclesiastes 2:11 Ecclesiastes 2:13 →

← Full Chapter 2 Ecclesiastes Overview

Free Original-Language Bible Study

BibleWord.ai gives you Hebrew interlinear text, 7 classic commentaries, Strong's concordance, and AI-powered scholarship — free to start, no credit card required.

Start Free Today →