Ecclesiastes 2:12-13 in English

¹² And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been done long ago.

¹³ Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.

¹² Then I looked on to see wisdom, and madness, and folly: for who is the man who will follow after counsel, in all things wherein he employs it?

¹³ And I saw that wisdom excels folly, as much as light excels darkness.

¹² And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.

¹³ Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.

¹² And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.

¹³ Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.

¹² Then I looked on to see wisdom, and madness, and folly: for who is the man who will follow after counsel, in all things where in he employs it?

¹³ And I saw that wisdom excels folly, as much as light excels darkness.

¹² And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness and folly; for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.

¹³ Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.

¹² Then I started to think about being wise, and also about being foolish DOU. I said to myself, “I certainly do not think that RHQ the next king will be able to do anything better than I can.”

¹³ And I thought, “Surely it is better to be wise than to be foolish, like light is better than darkness,

¹² Then I looked on to see wisdom, and madness, and folly: for who is the man who will follow after counsel, in all things where in he employs it?

¹³ And I saw that wisdom excels folly, as much as light excels darkness.

¹² I turned myself to consider wisdom, madness, and folly; for what can the king’s successor do? Just that which has been done long ago.

¹³ Then I saw that wisdom excels folly, as far as light excels darkness.

¹² I turned myself to consider wisdom, madness, and folly; for what can the king’s successor do? Just that which has been done long ago.

¹³ Then I saw that wisdom excels folly, as far as light excels darkness.

¹² I turned myself to consider wisdom, madness, and folly; for what can the king’s successor do? Just that which has been done long ago.

¹³ Then I saw that wisdom excels folly, as far as light excels darkness.

¹² And I went again in search of wisdom and of foolish ways. What may the man do who comes after the king? The thing which he has done before.

¹³ Then I saw that wisdom is better than foolish ways — as the light is better than the dark.

¹² And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly; for what shall the man do that cometh after the king? — that which hath already been done.

¹³ And I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as light excelleth darkness.

¹² I passed further to behold wisdom, and errors and folly, (What is man, said I, that he can follow the King his maker?)

¹³ And I saw that wisdom excelled folly, as much as light differeth from darkness.

¹² So I started to think about wisdom—and madness and foolishness. For what can anyone who comes after the king do that hasn't already been done?

¹³ I recognized that wisdom is better than foolishness just as light is better than darkness.

¹² And I turned to beholde wisedome, and madnes and follie: (for who is the man that will come after the King in things, which men nowe haue done?)

¹³ Then I saw that there is profite in wisdome, more then in follie: as the light is more excellent then darkenes.

¹² And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness and folly; for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.

¹³ Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.

¹² And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.

¹³ Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.

¹² And then I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly; for what can the man do that cometh after the king? only that which others have done already.

¹³ But I saw indeed that wisdom hath the advantage over folly, as great as the advantage of light over darkness.

¹² Then I looked on to see wisdom, And madness, and folly: For who is the man who will follow after counsel, In all things wherein he employs it?

¹³ And I saw that wisdom excels folly, As much as light excels darkness.

¹² Then I turned myself to behold wisdom and senselessness and folly. For what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.

¹³ I saw, indeed, that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.

¹² Then I turned to consider wisdom, and also madness and folly. For what can the next king do who comes after the king, which has not already been done?

¹³ Then I began to understand that wisdom has advantages over folly, just as light is better than darkness.

¹² I turned myself to consider wisdom, madness, and folly; for what can the king’s successor do? Just that which has been done long ago.

¹³ Then I saw that wisdom excels folly, as far as light excels darkness.

¹² I turned myself to consider wisdom, madness, and folly; for what can the king’s successor do? Just that which has been done long ago.

¹³ Then I saw that wisdom excels folly, as far as light excels darkness.

¹² And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.

¹³ Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.

¹² I turned myself to consider wisdom, madness, and folly; for what can the king’s successor do? Just that which has been done long ago.

¹³ Then I saw that wisdom excels folly, as far as light excels darkness.

¹² I turned myself to consider wisdom, madness, and folly; for what can the king’s successor do? Just that which has been done long ago.

¹³ Then I saw that wisdom excels folly, as far as light excels darkness.

¹² I passed forth to behold wisdom, and errors, and folly; I said, What is a man, that he may pursue or follow the king, his maker?

¹³ And I saw, that wisdom went so much before folly, as much as light is diverse from darknesses.

¹² I passed forth to behold wisdom, and errors, and folly; I said, What is a man, that he may follow the king, his maker? (or I said, What new thing can even he who followeth the king do?)

¹³ And I saw, that wisdom went so much before folly, as much as light is diverse from darknesses.

¹² And I turned to see wisdom, and madness, and folly, but what is the man who cometh after the king? that which is already — they have done it!

¹³ And I saw that there is an advantage to wisdom above folly, like the advantage of the light above the darkness.