Ecclesiastes 2:20

20 so I went about to dismiss from my heart all my labour wherein I had laboured under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 2:20 Meaning and Commentary

Ecclesiastes 2:20

Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair
Of ever finding happiness in anything here below. He "turned about" F25, as the word signifies dropped his severe studies of wisdom, and his eager pursuits of pleasure; and desisted from those toilsome works, in which he had employed himself; and went from one thing to another, and settled and stuck at nothing, on purpose to relax his mind, as the Syriac version renders it; to divest it of all anxious thought and care, and call it off from its vain and fruitless undertakings; and be no more concerned about or thoughtful of all the labour which I took under the sun;
and what will be the consequence and issue of it; but quietly leave all to an all wise disposing Providence; and not seek for happiness in anything under the sun, but in those things that are above it; not in this world, but in the world to come.


FOOTNOTES:

F25 (ytwbow) "versus sum", Montanus; "et ego verti me", Vatablus, Mercerus, Gejerus.

Ecclesiastes 2:20 In-Context

18 And I hated the whole of my labour which I took under the sun; because I must leave it to the man who will come after me.
19 And who knows whether he will be a wise or a fool? and whether he will have power over all my labour in which I laboured, and wherein I grew wise under the sun? this is also vanity.
20 so I went about to dismiss from my heart all my labour wherein I had laboured under the sun.
21 For there is a man that his labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in fortitude; this man shall give his portion to one who has not laboured therein. This is also vanity and great evil.
22 For it happens to a man in all his labour, and in the purpose of his heart wherein he labours under the sun.

The Brenton translation of the Septuagint is in the public domain.