Ecclesiastes 5:18 bbe — This is what I have seen: it is good and fair for a man to take meat and drink and to have joy in all his work under th…

Bible in Basic English

"This is what I have seen: it is good and fair for a man to take meat and drink and to have joy in all his work under the sun, all the days of his life which God has given him; that is his reward."

— Ecclesiastes 5:18, Bible in Basic English

Read in Another Translation

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Ecclesiastes 5:18 in Other Translations

4 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “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.”

  • WEB

    “Behold, that which I have seen to be good and proper is for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labor, in which he labors under the sun, all the days of his life which God has given him; for this is his portion.”

  • NET

    “Enjoy the Fruit of Your Labor I have seen personally what is the only beneficial and appropriate course of action for people: to eat and drink, and find enjoyment in all their hard work on earth during the few days of their life which God has given them, for this is their reward.”

  • DRB

    “And every man to whom God hath given riches, and substance, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to enjoy his portion, and to rejoice of his labour: this is the gift of God.”

Ecclesiastes 5 — Context

15

As he came from his mother at birth, so does he go again; he gets from his work no reward which he may take away in his hand.

16

And this again is a great evil, that in all points as he came so will he go; and what profit has he in working for the wind?

17

All his days are in the dark, and he has much sorrow, pain, disease, and trouble.

18

This is what I have seen: it is good and fair for a man to take meat and drink and to have joy in all his work under the sun, all the days of his life which God has given him; that is his reward.

19

Every man to whom God has given money and wealth and the power to have pleasure in it and to do his part and have joy in his work: this is given by God.

20

He will not give much thought to the days of his life; because God lets him be taken up with the joy of his heart.

Ecclesiastes 5:18 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Ecclesiastes 5:18 say?
Ecclesiastes 5:18 in the Bible in Basic English reads: “This is what I have seen: it is good and fair for a man to take meat and drink and to have joy in all his work under the sun, all the days of his life which God has given him; that is his reward.”
Where is Ecclesiastes 5:18 in the Bible?
Ecclesiastes 5:18 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Ecclesiastes, chapter 5, verse 18.
Who wrote Ecclesiastes?
Ecclesiastes is traditionally attributed to Solomon (traditional; identified as "the Preacher, son of David"). It was written c. 940 BC.
What is the book of Ecclesiastes about?
Ecclesiastes is a candid meditation on life "under the sun" — its pleasures, its pains, and its apparent vanity. The Preacher tries wisdom, wealth, work, and pleasure, finds them all empty without God, and concludes that fearing God and keeping his commandments is the whole of man.
What are the major themes of Ecclesiastes?
Ecclesiastes explores themes including Vanity, Time, Meaning, Fear of God, Mortality. These themes shape the meaning and context of Ecclesiastes 5:18.
What translation should I read Ecclesiastes 5:18 in?
Ecclesiastes 5:18 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Ecclesiastes 5:18?
Ecclesiastes 5:18 reads (BBE): “This is what I have seen: it is good and fair for a man to take meat and drink and to have joy in all his work under the sun, all the days of his life which God has given him; that is his reward.” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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