Ecclesiastes 2:2 I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What does it?

◄ Ecclesiastes 2:2 ►

I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What does it?

Treasury of Scripture

i said Solomon is not speaking here of sober enjoyment of the things of the world, but of an intemperate pleasure whose two attendants, laughter and mirth are introduced by a beautiful prosopopaeia, as in two persons, whom he treats with the utmost contempt.

it is

Ecclesiastes 7:2-6 It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men...

Proverbs 14:13 Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness.

Isaiah 22:12,13 And in that day did the Lord GOD of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth...

Amos 6:3-6 You that put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near...

1 Peter 4:2-4 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God...

Context

The Futility of Pleasures

1I said in my heart, Go to now, I will prove you with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity. 2I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What does it? 3I sought in my heart to give myself to wine, yet acquainting my heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life. 4I made me great works; I built me houses; I planted me vineyards: 5I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits: 6I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that brings forth trees: 7I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me: 8I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I got me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts. 9So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me. 10And whatever my eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labor: and this was my portion of all my labor. 11Then I looked on all the works that my hands had worked, and on the labor that I had labored to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.

Parallel Verses

American Standard Version
I said of laughter, It is mad; and of mirth, What doeth it?

Douay-Rheims Bible
Laughter I counted error: and to mirth I said: Why art thou vainly deceived?

Darby Bible Translation
I said of laughter, Madness! and of mirth, What availeth it?

King James Bible
I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?

Young's Literal Translation
Of laughter I said, 'Foolish!' and of mirth, 'What is this it is doing?'

Strong's Concordance

I said of laughter, [It is] mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?

Topical Bible

Accomplish Availeth Foolish Foolishness Joy Laughing Laughter Mad Madness Mirth Pleasure

Jump to Previous

Accomplish Availeth Foolish Foolishness Joy Laughter Mad Madness Mirth Pleasure Use

Jump to Next

Accomplish Availeth Foolish Foolishness Joy Laughter Mad Madness Mirth Pleasure Use

Resources

Ecclesiastes Chapter 2 Verse 2

Alphabetical: accomplish And does foolish I is It Laughter madness of pleasure said what

OT Poetry: Ecclesiastes 2:2 I said of laughter It is foolishness (Ecclesiast. Ec Ecc Eccles.)

Ecclesiastes 2:1

Ecclesiastes 2:3

Top of Page

Top of Page