Bible in Basic English
Hate had I for all my work which I had done, because the man who comes after me will have its fruits.
And who is to say if that man will be wise or foolish? But he will have power over all my work which I have done and in which I have been wise under the sun. This again is to no purpose.
So my mind was turned to grief for all the trouble I had taken and all my wisdom under the sun.
Because there is a man whose work has been done with wisdom, with knowledge, and with an expert hand; but one who has done nothing for it will have it for his heritage. This again is to no purpose and a great evil.
What does a man get for all his work, and for the weight of care with which he has done his work under the sun?
All his days are sorrow, and his work is full of grief. Even in the night his heart has no rest. This again is to no purpose.
There is nothing better for a man than taking meat and drink, and having delight in his work. This again I saw was from the hand of God.
Who may take food or have pleasure without him?
To the man with whom he is pleased, God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy; but to the sinner he gives the work of getting goods together and storing up wealth, to give to him in whom God has pleasure. This again is to no purpose and desire for wind.
— Ecclesiastes 2:18-1964, Bible in Basic English
“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. 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. Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun. 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 what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun? For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity. There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God. For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I? 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. ”
Then said I in my heart: As it comes to the foolish man, so will it come to me; so why have I been wise overmuch? Then I said in my heart: This again is to no purpose.
Of the wise man, as of the foolish man, there is no memory for ever, seeing that those who now are will have gone from memory in the days to come. See how death comes to the wise as to the foolish!
So I was hating life, because everything under the sun was evil to me: all is to no purpose and desire for wind.
Hate had I for all my work which I had done, because the man who comes after me will have its fruits.
And who is to say if that man will be wise or foolish? But he will have power over all my work which I have done and in which I have been wise under the sun. This again is to no purpose.
So my mind was turned to grief for all the trouble I had taken and all my wisdom under the sun.
Because there is a man whose work has been done with wisdom, with knowledge, and with an expert hand; but one who has done nothing for it will have it for his heritage. This again is to no purpose and a great evil.
What does a man get for all his work, and for the weight of care with which he has done his work under the sun?
All his days are sorrow, and his work is full of grief. Even in the night his heart has no rest. This again is to no purpose.
There is nothing better for a man than taking meat and drink, and having delight in his work. This again I saw was from the hand of God.
Who may take food or have pleasure without him?
To the man with whom he is pleased, God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy; but to the sinner he gives the work of getting goods together and storing up wealth, to give to him in whom God has pleasure. This again is to no purpose and desire for wind.