Devine Scripture

Ecclesiastes 2:12

Ecclesiastes chapter 2 · verse 12 in three public-domain English translations with cross-references

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for whatcanthe mandothat cometh after the king? even that which hath been done long ago.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

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.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for whatcanthe mandothat cometh after the king? even that which hath been done long ago.

Context

v.11Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labor that I had labored to do; and, behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

v.12This passage

v.13Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Ecclesiastes 1:9

    That which hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

  • Ecclesiastes 1:17

    And I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also was a striving after wind.

  • Ecclesiastes 7:25

    I turned about, and my heart was set to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason of things, and to know that wickedness is folly, and that foolishness is madness.