12I 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

9 So I was great, and increased more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also remained with me.

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 Other Translations

The King James Version of the Holy Bible

2:12And 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.

The New International Version of the Holy Bible

2:12Then I turned my thoughts to consider wisdom, and also madness and folly. What more can the king's successor do than what has already been done?

The Douay-Rheims Version of the Holy Bible

2:12I passed further to behold wisdom, and errors and folly, (What is man, said I, that he can follow the King his maker?)

The American Standard Version of the Holy Bible

2:12And 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.

The Darby Bible Translation of the Holy Bible

2:12And 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.

The English Revised Version of the Holy Bible

2:12And 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.

The Webster Bible Translation of the Holy Bible

2:12And 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.

The Young's Literal Translation of the Holy Bible

2:12And 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!

The American King James Version of the Holy Bible

2:12And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that comes after the king? even that which has been already done.