The Meaning of Ecclesiastes 2:10 Explained

Ecclesiastes 2:10

KJV: And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.

YLT: And all that mine eyes asked I kept not back from them; I withheld not my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced because of all my labour, and this hath been my portion, from all my labour,

Darby: And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them: I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour, and this was my portion from all my labour.

ASV: And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them; I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced because of all my labor; and this was my portion from all my labor.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And whatsoever mine eyes  desired  I kept  not from them, I withheld  not my heart  from any joy;  for my heart  rejoiced  in all my labour:  and this was my portion  of all my labour. 

What does Ecclesiastes 2:10 Mean?

Context Summary

Ecclesiastes 2:1-17 - 24-26, Vain Undertakings
At the beginning of his search for happiness Solomon erected a splendid home and planned all kinds of delights of an artistic and sensuous nature. There were gardens, pools of crystal water, fruit trees, meadows filled with cattle, regal splendor, musicians who poured into the palace their sweet melodies. He went further, adding to architecture and art his intellectual pursuits. But when he had gone to the furthest limit, he turned from it all, with the old gnawing at his heart-Vanity of vanities!
A few days before the death of the great Cardinal Mazarin, he was heard by a friend to utter something of the same sad refrain. "I was walking," says this friend, "in one of the apartments of the palace, when I recognized the approach of the Cardinal by the sound of his slippered feet, which he dragged one after the other as a man suffering from a mortal malady. I concealed myself behind the tapestry and heard him say, as he looked at one picture and rare treasure after another, "˜I must leave all these.'" Let us, in the light of these things, ponder again those words of Christ in Luke 12:33. [source]

Chapter Summary: Ecclesiastes 2

1  the vanity of human courses is the work of pleasure
12  Though the wise be better than the fool, yet both have one event
18  The vanity of human labor, in leaving it they know not to whom
24  Nothing better than joy in our labor but that is God's gift

What do the individual words in Ecclesiastes 2:10 mean?

And whatever desired my eyes not I did keep from them not I did withhold - my heart from any pleasure for rejoiced in all my labor and this was my reward from all my labor
וְכֹל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שָֽׁאֲל֣וּ עֵינַ֔י לֹ֥א אָצַ֖לְתִּי מֵהֶ֑ם לֹֽא־ מָנַ֨עְתִּי אֶת־ לִבִּ֜י מִכָּל־ שִׂמְחָ֗ה כִּֽי־ שָׂמֵ֙חַ֙ מִכָּל־ עֲמָלִ֔י וְזֶֽה־ הָיָ֥ה חֶלְקִ֖י מִכָּל־ עֲמָלִֽי

אֲשֶׁ֣ר  whatever 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
שָֽׁאֲל֣וּ  desired 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: שָׁאַל 
Sense: to ask, enquire, borrow, beg.
עֵינַ֔י  my  eyes 
Parse: Noun, cdc, first person common singular
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
אָצַ֖לְתִּי  I  did  keep 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: אָצַל  
Sense: to lay aside, reserve, withdraw, withhold.
מֵהֶ֑ם  from  them 
Parse: Preposition-m, Pronoun, third person masculine plural
Root: הֵם 
Sense: they, these, the same, who.
מָנַ֨עְתִּי  I  did  withhold 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: מָנַע  
Sense: to withhold, hold back, keep back, refrain, deny, keep restrain, hinder.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
לִבִּ֜י  my  heart 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: לֵב 
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding.
מִכָּל־  from  any 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
שִׂמְחָ֗ה  pleasure 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: שִׂמְחָה  
Sense: joy, mirth, gladness.
שָׂמֵ֙חַ֙  rejoiced 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: שָׂמַח  
Sense: to rejoice, be glad.
מִכָּל־  in  all 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
עֲמָלִ֔י  my  labor 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: עָמָל  
Sense: .
וְזֶֽה־  and  this 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
חֶלְקִ֖י  my  reward 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: חֵלֶק 
Sense: portion, share, part, territory.
מִכָּל־  from  all 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
עֲמָלִֽי  my  labor 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: עָמָל  
Sense: .