What does Ecclesiastes 2:21 mean?
"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." - Ecclesiastes 2:21
"Ecclesiastes 2:21" from the King James Version of the Bible reads, "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." This verse comes from the book of Ecclesiastes, which is traditionally attributed to King Solomon, the wisest and wealthiest of all the Israelite kings. Ecclesiastes is a book that reflects on the meaning of life, the pursuit of wisdom, and the inevitability of death. The verse in question addresses the futility of accumulating wisdom and knowledge without being able to pass it on to future generations.
In the context of the broader book of Ecclesiastes, this verse is part of the author's reflection on the meaning and purpose of human labor. Throughout the book, the author (often presumed to be King Solomon) expresses a sense of disillusionment with the pursuits of wealth, power, and wisdom. Despite his own unparalleled wisdom and understanding of the world, the author comes to view these pursuits as ultimately meaningless. The verse in question highlights the frustration of toiling to gain wisdom and knowledge, only to have it be inherited by someone who didn't work for it.
From a thematic perspective, "Ecclesiastes 2:21" touches on several key themes prevalent throughout the entire book of Ecclesiastes. These include the fleeting nature of life, the inevitability of death, the pursuit of wisdom and knowledge, the pursuit of pleasure and wealth, and the ultimate futility of human labor. The concept of "vanity," which is a recurring theme in Ecclesiastes, denotes the transitory and ultimately empty nature of human endeavors.
The verse also embodies a sense of injustice and frustration. The idea that one's hard-earned wisdom and knowledge might be wasted on someone who did not labor for it conveys a feeling of lack of control and a sense of injustice. This sentiment adds to the overall tone of disillusionment and despair that permeates the book of Ecclesiastes.
Symbolically, "Ecclesiastes 2:21" can be seen as a reflection of the broader human experience. It speaks to the universal struggle to find meaning and purpose in our pursuits, and the frustration that can arise when our efforts seem to be in vain. In a spiritual sense, it also serves as a reminder of the limitations of human wisdom and knowledge in the face of the greater mysteries of life and death.
Ultimately, "Ecclesiastes 2:21" serves as a poignant reflection on the complex and often baffling nature of human existence. It challenges us to consider the value of our pursuits and the legacy we hope to leave behind. In the larger context of the book of Ecclesiastes, it is a part of a larger exploration of the human condition and our search for meaning in the face of life's transience and uncertainty.
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Ecclesiastes 2:21 - "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."
"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." - Ecclesiastes 2:21
Ecclesiastes 2:1 - "I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity."
Ecclesiastes 3:21 - "Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?"
Ecclesiastes 7:21 - "Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:"
Ecclesiastes 2:2 - "I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?"
ecclesiastes 12:2-6
"I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity." - Ecclesiastes 2:1
Ecclesiastes 1:2 - "Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity."
Ecclesiastes 2:13 - "Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness."
Ecclesiastes 8:2 - "I counsel thee to keep the king's commandment, and that in regard of the oath of God."
Ecclesiastes 3:2 - "A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;"
Ecclesiastes 2:25 - "For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I?"
Ecclesiastes 10:2 - "A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left."
"I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?" - Ecclesiastes 2:2
"Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?" - Ecclesiastes 3:21
Ecclesiastes 2:5 - "I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits:"
Ecclesiastes 2:6 - "I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees:"
"While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:" - Ecclesiastes 12:2
Ecclesiastes 12:2 - "While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:"
Ecclesiastes 2:4 - "I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards:"
Ecclesiastes 4:2 - "Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive."
Ecclesiastes 11:2 - "Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth."
Ecclesiastes 2:22 - "For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun?"
Ecclesiastes 2:20 - "Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun."
Ecclesiastes 7:2 - "¶ It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart."
Ecclesiastes 2:23 - "For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity."
"Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:" - Ecclesiastes 7:21
Ecclesiastes 2:14 - "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."
Ecclesiastes 2:17 - "Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit."