Ecclesiastes Chapter 2

Pointlessness of things pleasurable

2:1 I said to myself, Come now, I will test myself with joy and enjoy pleasure: and, see, this too is turned out to be pointless.
2:2 I said of laughter, It’s mad: and of joy, What use it?
2:3 I searched with my mind how to cheer my body with wine, while my heart is involved with wisdom; and to lay hold on foolishness, until I can understand what is goodטוֹב
Transliteration:ṭôḇ Pronunciation:tobe – good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well):—beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, fair. For more info click here for the sons mankindהָאָדָם
Transliteration: hā’āḏām – masculine noun Meaning: man, mankind, Adam, first man, city in Jordan valley For more info click here, to do under the heavensהַשָּׁמַיִם‎
Transliteration:haššāmayim – Hebrew Noun: Common Masculine Plural Absolute – the visible heavens, the abode of the stars like the visible universe, the sky, the atmosphere For more info click here the numbered days of their lives.
2:4 I worked on a grand scale; I built myself houses; I planted myself vineyards:
2:5 I made for myself  gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits:
2:6 I made myself pools of water, to irrigate the trees springing up in the forest.
2:7 I bought slaves and male and female, and I acquired stewards; I also owned more possessions, both of cattle and sheep more than anyone before me in Jerusalemבִּירוּשָׁלִָם‎
Transliteration: bîrûšālām – proper locative noun meaning “teaching of peace” or possession of peace – also called the city of David and Zion – the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split For more info click here:
2:8 I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasures of kings and the provinces: I provided myself with various musical instruments, and with every human luxury,  chests and chests of them.
2:9 So I grew and surpassed all who preceded me in Jerusalemבִּירוּשָׁלִָם‎
Transliteration: bîrûšālām – proper locative noun meaning “teaching of peace” or possession of peace – also called the city of David and Zion – the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split For more info click here: still my wisdom stayed with me.
2:10 Whatever my eyes desired I didn’t deny them, I didn’t deprive myself from any joy; because I took pleasure in all my work: and this was my reward of all my endeavors.
2:11 Then I looked on all the things I had done, and on the energy that I had expended in doing them: it was clear that it was all pointless and vexation of the spiritרוּחַ
Transliteration: rûaḥ – Meaning: the wind, the breath, the mind, the spirit For more info click here, and there was no profit under the sun.
2:12 And I turned my attention to examining wisdom, and madness, and foolishness: because what can manהָאָדָם
Transliteration: hā’āḏām – masculine noun Meaning: man, mankind, Adam, first man, city in Jordan valley For more info click here do that comes after the king? It has already been done* Since the king’s personal experience qualifies him to evaluate the difference between wisdom and foolishness there is no need for anyone to repeat the experiment. – From the Artscroll English Tanach.
2:13 I saw that wisdom is more useful than foolishness, just as light is more useful than darkness.
2:14 The wise man has eyes in his head; while the fool walks in darkness: But I also realize the same fate awaits them all.
2:15 So said I to myself, the fate of the fool will happen to me too; then what did I gain by being wise? Then I said to myself,  this too is pointless.
2:16 Because there is no comparison between the remembrance of the wise man and of the fool at all; seeing as the days past by all will be forgotten. How can the wise man die like the fool?
2:17 So I hated life; because I was depress by all the activities done under the sun: because everything is pointless and vexation of the spiritרוּחַ
Transliteration: rûaḥ – Meaning: the wind, the breath, the mind, the spirit For more info click here.
2:18 So I hated all my effort that I had worked under the sun: because I must leave it to the man who succeeds me.
2:19 And who knows whether he shall be wise or foolish? Yet he will have control over all my possessions that I have worked for, and have shown myself wise under the sun. This is pointless too .
2:20 So I went about to cause my heart to despair of all that I had achieved working under the sun.
2:21 Here is a man whose labor with wisdom, knowledge, and skill; yet  he must leave it to a man that has not worked for it. This is pointless too and a great evilוְרָעָה‎
Transliteration: vᵊrāʿâ – Hebrew Noun: Common Feminine Singular Absolute – and a | evil – In the KJV is translated in the following manner: evil (442x), wickedness (59x), wicked (25x), mischief (21x), hurt (20x), bad (13x), trouble (10x), sore (9x), affliction (6x), ill (5x), adversity (4x), ill favored (3x), harm (3x), naught (3x), noisome (2x), grievous (2x), sad (2x), miscellaneous (34x) For more info click here.
2:22 Because what does a personאָדָם‎
Transliteration: ‘āḏām Pronunciation: aw-dam’ man, human being
man, mankind (much more frequently intended sense in OT) Adam, first man city in Jordan valley For more info click here get from all his efforts and stress in which he labors under the sun?
2:23 Because his whole life is painful, and his business is stressful; even at night his mind gets no rest. This too is pointless.

Joy in our labor is God’s gift

2:24 Nothing betterטוֹב
Transliteration:ṭôḇ Pronunciation:tobe – good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well):—beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, fair. For more info click here to do a manאָדָם‎
Transliteration: ‘āḏām Pronunciation: aw-dam’ man, human being
man, mankind (much more frequently intended sense in OT) Adam, first man city in Jordan valley For more info click here, [than] let himselfנַפְשׁוֹ
Transliteration: nap̄šô – Meaning: his soul, himself, his life, his creature, his person, his appetite, his mind, his living being, his desire, his emotion, his passion For more info click here enjoy the goodטוֹב
Transliteration:ṭôḇ Pronunciation:tobe – good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well):—beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, fair. For more info click here that results from his work. I realized this too was from the hand of Elohimהָאֱלֹהִים
the God – Hebrew Noun: Common Masculine Plural Construct root word is Elohim for more info on the word click here.
2:25 Because who can eat and who else can be excited except me?
2:26 Because to the man that [is] goodשֶׁטּוֹב
Transliteration: šeṭṭôḇ – good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well):—beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, fair. For more info click here in His sight [God] gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy: but to the sinnerוְלַחוֹטֶ
Transliteration: vᵊlaḥôṭe’ – sin, guilt for sin, punishment for sin, a crime or its penalty, offence, (punishment of) sin – For more info click here He has given the task, of  collecting and accumulating things, that he may give to [one that is] pleasingטוֹב
Transliteration:ṭôḇ Pronunciation:tobe – good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well):—beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, fair. For more info click here before Elohimהָאֱלֹהִים
the God – Hebrew Noun: Common Masculine Plural Construct root word is Elohim for more info on the word click here. This too is pointless and vexation of the spiritרוּחַ
Transliteration: rûaḥ – Meaning: the wind, the breath, the mind, the spirit For more info click here.