KJV King James Version
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 already done.
VERSE STUDY • KJV
Ecclesiastes 2:12
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 already done.
Read it in 5 translations
BSB Berean Standard Bible
Then I turned to consider wisdom and madness and folly; for what more can the king’s successor do than what has already been accomplished?
WEB World English Bible
I turned myself to consider wisdom, madness, and folly: for what can the king’s successor do? Just that which has been done long ago.
ASV American Standard Version
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.
YLT Young’s Literal Translation
And I turned to see wisdom, and madness, and folly, but what is the man who cometh after the king? that which is already—they have done it!
Surrounding context — Ecclesiastes 2
9 So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.
10 And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.
11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all [was] vanity and vexation of spirit, and [there was] no profit under the sun.
12 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 already done.
13 Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.
14 The wise man’s eyes [are] in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all.
15 Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also [is] vanity.
Topics connected to this verse
Original-language word links
These Hebrew/Greek tokens are linked by Strong's number. Click one for its lexicon definition and other occurrences.
וּפָנִ֤יתִֽיH6437 · pa.nahto turnאֲנִי֙H589 · a.niIלִרְא֣וֹתH7200 · ra.ahto see: seeחָכְמָ֔הH2451 · chokh.mahwisdomוְהוֹלֵל֖וֹתH1947 · ho.le.lahmadnessוְסִכְל֑וּתH5531 · sikh.lutfollyכִּ֣י׀H3588 · kiforמֶ֣הH4100 · mahwhat?הָאָדָ֗םH120 · a.dammanשֶׁיָּבוֹא֙H935 · boto come (in): comeאַחֲרֵ֣יH310 · a.charafterהַמֶּ֔לֶךְH4428 · me.lekhkingאֵ֥תH853 · et[Obj.]אֲשֶׁר־H834 · a.sherwhichכְּבָ֖רH3528 · ke.varalreadyעָשֽׂוּהוּ׃H6213 · a.sahto make: do
Cross-references
Ecclesiastes 1:17And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.Ecclesiastes 7:25I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason [of things], and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness [and] madness:Ecclesiastes 1:9-10The thing that hath been, it [is that] which shall be; and that which is done [is] that which shall be done: and [there is] no new [thing] under the sun.
HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION
Compare classic commentaries on Ecclesiastes 2:12
Put Matthew Henry, Adam Clarke, Calvin, Wesley, Barnes, Jamieson–Fausset–Brown, Aquinas’ Catena and other public-domain sources beside the passage.
Compare commentaries →