Ecclesiastes 2 · Verse 18

Ecclesiastes 2:18

Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me.
Ecclesiastes 2:18, King James Version

Ecclesiastes 2:18 in other translations

BSBI hated all for which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes after me.
WEBI hated all my labor in which I labored under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes after me.
ASVAnd I hated all my labor wherein I labored under the sun, seeing that I must leave it unto the man that shall be after me.
YLTAnd I have hated all my labour that I labour at under the sun, because I leave it to a man who is after me.
DARBYAnd I hated all my labour wherewith I had been toiling under the sun, because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me.
BBEHate had I for all my work which I had done, because the man who comes after me will have its fruits.
WebsterYes, I hated all my labor which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it to the man that shall be after me.

What does Ecclesiastes 2:18 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Ecclesiastes 2:18-19
18-19. One hope alone was left to the disappointed worldling, the perpetuation of his name and riches, laboriously gathered, through his successor. For selfishness is mostly at the root of worldly parents' alleged providence for their children. But now the remembrance of how he himself, the piously reared child of David, had disregarded his father's dying charge (1Ch 28:9), suggested the sad misgivings as to what Rehoboam, his son by an idolatrous Ammonitess, Naamah, should prove to be; a foreboding too fully realized (1Ki 12:1-18; 14:21-31).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 18 I hated all my labor - Because, 1. It has not answered the end for which it was instituted. 2. I can enjoy the fruits of it but a short time. 3. I must leave it to others, and know not whether a wise man, a knave, or a fool will possess it.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ecclesiastes 2:18-26
Our hearts are very loth to quit their expectations of great things from the creature; but Solomon came to this at length. The world is a vale of tears, even to those that have much of it. See what fools they are, who make themselves drudges to the world, which affords a man nothing better than subsistence for the body. And the utmost he can attain in this respect is to allow himself a sober, cheerful use thereof, according to his rank and condition. But we must enjoy good in our labour; we must use those things to make us diligent and cheerful in worldly business. And this is the gift of God. Riches are a blessing or a curse to a man, according as he has, or has not, a heart to make a good use of them. To those that are accepted of the Lord, he gives joy and satisfaction in the knowledge and love of him. But to the sinner he allots labour, sorrow, vanity, and vexation, in seeking a worldly portion, which yet afterwards comes into better hands. Let the sinner seriously consider his latter end. To seek a lasting portion in the love of Christ and the blessings it bestows, is the only way to true and satisfying enjoyment even of this present world.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Ecclesiastes 2:18 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְשָׂנֵ֤אתִֽיve.sa.Ne.tiand I hatedH8130
אֲנִי֙'a.NiIH589
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
כָּל\־kol-allH3605
עֲמָלִ֔י'a.ma.Litoil myH5999
שֶׁאֲנִ֥יshe.'a.Nithat IH589
עָמֵ֖ל'a.Mel[was] a laborerH6001
תַּ֣חַתTa.chatunderH8478
הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁha.Sha.meshthe sunH8121
שֶׁ֣אַנִּיחֶ֔נּוּshe.'an.ni.Che.nuthat I will leave itH5117
לָאָדָ֖םla.'a.Damto the personH120
שֶׁיִּהְיֶ֥הshei.yih.Yehwho <he> will beH1961
אַחֲרָֽי\׃'a.cha.Raiafter meH310

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Ecclesiastes 2:18

  • Psalms 39:6

    Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.

  • Psalms 49:10

    For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others.

  • Luke 16:27-28

    Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

  • Luke 12:20

    But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

  • Ecclesiastes 5:18

    Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.

  • Psalms 17:14

    From men which are thy hand, O Lord, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes.

  • Ecclesiastes 1:13

    And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith.

  • Ecclesiastes 2:4-9

    I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards: I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits: I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees: I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me: …

  • Ecclesiastes 1:3

    What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?

  • Ecclesiastes 4:3

    Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

  • Acts 20:29-30

    For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

  • Ecclesiastes 2:26

    For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
I hated.
4-9; 1:13; 4:3; 5:18; 9:9
taken. Heb. laboured. I should.
26; 5:13,14; 1Ki 11:11-13; Ps 17:14; 39:6; 49:10; Lu 12:20; 16:27,28
Ac 20:29,30; 1Co 3:10

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 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.

  • Ecclesiastes 2:18

    Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me.

  • Ecclesiastes 2:19

    And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 2

Ecclesiastes 2:18 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Yo asimismo aborrecí todo mi trabajo que había puesto por obra debajo del sol; el cual dejaré á otro que vendrá después de mí.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et j’ai haï tout le travail auquel j’ai travaillé sous le soleil, parce que je dois le laisser à l’homme qui sera après moi.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und ich haßte alle meine Mühe, womit ich mich abmühte unter der Sonne, weil ich sie dem Menschen hinterlassen muß, der nach mir sein wird.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Rursus detestatus sum omnem industriam meam, qua sub sole studiosissime laboravi, habiturus hæredem post me,