Ecclesiastes 2:17 — Compare Translations

27 translations compared side by side

English (YLT) 1898 Young's Literal Translation by Robert Young

And I have hated life, for sad to me [is] the work that hath been done under the sun, for the whole [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.

So I hated life, because the work that is wrought under the sun was grievous unto me; for all is vanity and a striving after wind.

English Amplified

So I hated life, because what is done under the sun was grievous to me; for all is vanity and a striving after the wind and a feeding on it.

English Amplified Classic Bible 1987

So I hated life, because what is done under the sun was grievous to me; for all is vanity and a striving after the wind and a feeding on it.

English Berean Standard Bible (BSB) 2025

So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. For everything is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

English CSB 2017 - Christian Standard Bible

Therefore, I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was distressing to me. For everything is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

English Darby 1890 : Public Domain

And I hated life; for the work that is wrought under the sun was grievous unto me; for all is vanity and pursuit of the wind.

English EASY 2024

So I hated life. Everything that happens on the earth only brings me trouble. Nothing has any purpose. It is as useless as somebody who tries to catch the wind.

English ERV 2006 - Only For Website

This made me hate life. It was depressing to think that everything in this life is useless, like trying to catch the wind.

English ESV 2016 == The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles

So I hated life, because what is done under the sun was grievous to me, for all is vanity and a striving after wind.

English GNT (Good News Translation)

So life came to mean nothing to me, because everything in it had brought me nothing but trouble. It had all been useless; I had been chasing the wind.

English God's Word - GW 1995

So I came to hate life because everything done under the sun seemed wrong to me. Everything was pointless. {It was like} trying to catch the wind.

English HCSB 2004 - Copyrighted Only For Website

Therefore, I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was distressing to me. For everything is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

English KJV 1611

Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

So I hated life, for the work which had been done under the sun was grievous to me; because everything is vanity and striving after wind.

English MEV 2014 (Modern English Version)

So I began to hate life, because the labor that was done under the sun was contemptible to me, for all of this is vanity and a chasing after wind.

English NASB (New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995)

So I hated life, for the work which had been done under the sun was grievous to me; because everything is futility and striving after wind.

English NASU 1989 - New American Standard Update - Only for Website

Therefore I loathed life, since for me the work that is done under the sun is evil; for all is vanity and a chase after wind.

English NET Bible - 2005 (New English Translation)

So I loathed life because what happens on earth seems awful to me; for all the benefits of wisdom are futile — like chasing the wind.

English NIRV 1996 - Copyrighted only for Website

So I hated life. That's because the work that is done on this earth made me sad. None of it has any meaning. It's like chasing the wind.

So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

English NKJ 1982

Therefore I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was distressing to me, for all is vanity and grasping for the wind.

So now I hate life because everything done here under the sun is so irrational. Everything is meaningless, like chasing the wind.

English NRSV 1989 - Only for website

So I hated life, because what is done under the sun was grievous to me; for all is vanity and a chasing after wind.

English RSV (Revised Standard Version)

So I hated life, because what is done under the sun was grievous to me; for all is vanity and a striving after wind.

English TL (The Living Bible) (1971)

So now I hate life because it is all so irrational; all is foolishness, chasing the wind.

English Tyndale 1537

Thus began I to be weary of my life, in so much that I could away with nothing that is done under the Sun, for all was but vanity and vexation of mind: