Ecclesiastes 2:12
World English Bible (WEB)
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.
In context
10 Whatever my eyes desired, I didn’t keep from them. I didn’t withhold my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced because of all my labor, and this was my portion from all my labor.
11 Then I looked at all the works that my hands had worked, and at the labor that I had labored to do; and behold, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.
12 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.
13 Then I saw that wisdom excels folly, as far as light excels darkness.
14 The wise man’s eyes are in his head, and the fool walks in darkness—and yet I perceived that one event happens to them all.
Ecclesiastes 2:12 in every translation
- 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.
- 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.
- 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?
- 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.