Ecclesiastes 2:18-23

Christian Standard Bible Anglicised

The Emptiness of Work

¹⁸ I hated all my work that I laboured at under the sun^(A) because I must leave it to the one who comes after me.^{(B) 19} And who knows whether he will be wise or a fool?^(C) Yet he will take over all my work that I laboured at skilfully under the sun. This too is futile. ²⁰ So I began to give myself over^[a] to despair concerning all my work that I had laboured at under the sun. ²¹ When there is a person whose work was done with wisdom, knowledge, and skill,^(D) and he must give his portion to a person who has not worked for it, this too is futile and a great wrong. ²² For what does a person get with all his work and all his efforts^(E) that he labours at under the sun? ²³ For all his days are filled with grief, and his occupation is sorrowful;^(F) even at night, his mind does not rest.^(G) This too is futile.