What Does Ecclesiastes 2:11 Mean?

“Then I looked”

to turn; by implication, to face, i.e., appear, look, etc

i

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

“on all the works”

an action (good or bad); generally, a transaction; abstractly, activity; by implication, a product (specifically, a poem) or (generally) property

“had wrought”

to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application

“that my hands”

a hand (the open one [indicating power, means, direction, etc.], in distinction from h3709, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great v

“and on the labour”

toil, i.e., wearing effort; hence, worry, whether of body or mind

“that I had laboured”

to toil, i.e., work severely and with irksomeness

“had wrought”

to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application

lo!

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

“and behold all was vanity”

emptiness or vanity; figuratively, something transitory and unsatisfactory; often used as an adverb

“and vexation”

a feeding upon, i.e., grasping after

“of spirit”

wind; by resemblance breath, i.e., a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the

a nonentity; generally used as a negative particle

“and there was no profit”

preeminence, gain

the bottom (as depressed); only adverbially, below (often with prepositional prefix underneath), in lieu of, etc

“under the sun”

the sun; by implication, the east; figuratively, a ray, i.e., (architectural) a notched battlement