Ecclesiastes 2:12
Berean Standard Bible (BSB)
Then I turned to consider wisdom and madness and folly; for what more can the king’s successor do than what has already been accomplished?
In context
10 Anything my eyes desired, I did not deny myself. I refused my heart no pleasure. For my heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor.
11 Yet when I considered all the works that my hands had accomplished and what I had toiled to achieve, I found everything to be futile, a pursuit of the wind; there was nothing to be gained under the sun.
12 Then I turned to consider wisdom and madness and folly; for what more can the king’s successor do than what has already been accomplished?
13 And I saw that wisdom exceeds folly, just as light exceeds darkness:
14 The wise man has eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also came to realize that one fate overcomes them both.
Ecclesiastes 2:12 in every translation
- BSB Berean Standard Bible
- Then I turned to consider wisdom and madness and folly; for what more can the king’s successor do than what has already been accomplished?
- KJV King James Version
- And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.
- WEB World English Bible
- I turned myself to consider wisdom, madness, and folly; for what can the king’s successor do? Just that which has been done long ago.
- ASV American Standard Version
- And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been done long ago.
- YLT Young's Literal Translation
- And I turned to see wisdom, and madness, and folly, but what [is] the man who cometh after the king? that which [is] already — they have done it!
- DBY Darby Translation
- And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly; for what shall the man [do] that cometh after the king? — that which hath already been done.
- WBS Webster Bible
- And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.