The Meaning of Ecclesiastes 2:17 Explained

Ecclesiastes 2:17

KJV: 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.

YLT: 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.

Darby: 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.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Ecclesiastes 2:17 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 2:17 mean?

Therefore I hated - life because [was] distressing to me the work that was done under the sun for all [is] vanity and grasping for the wind
וְשָׂנֵ֙אתִי֙ אֶת־ הַ֣חַיִּ֔ים כִּ֣י רַ֤ע עָלַי֙ הַֽמַּעֲשֶׂ֔ה שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂ֖ה תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ כִּֽי־ הַכֹּ֥ל הֶ֖בֶל וּרְע֥וּת רֽוּחַ

וְשָׂנֵ֙אתִי֙  Therefore  I  hated 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: שָׂנֵא  
Sense: to hate, be hateful.
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.
הַ֣חַיִּ֔ים  life 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: חַי 
Sense: living, alive.
כִּ֣י  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
רַ֤ע  [was]  distressing 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
עָלַי֙  to  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
הַֽמַּעֲשֶׂ֔ה  the  work 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַעֲשֶׂה  
Sense: deed, work.
שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂ֖ה  that  was  done 
Parse: Pronoun, relative, Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
תַּ֣חַת  under 
Parse: Preposition
Root: מִתְחָה 
Sense: the under part, beneath, instead of, as, for, for the sake of, flat, unto, where, whereas.
הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ  the  sun 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: שֶׁמֶשׁ  
Sense: sun.
הֶ֖בֶל  [is]  vanity 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: הֶבֶל  
Sense: vapour, breath.
וּרְע֥וּת  and  grasping  for 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: רְעוּת  
Sense: longing, striving.
רֽוּחַ  the  wind 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.