Ecclesiastes 2:15 Meaning and Explanation
“Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Realizing the same fate meets the wise and the fool, the Preacher questions the point of his wisdom and calls it vapor too.
What Does Ecclesiastes 2:15 Mean?
The speaker presses the troubling thought into his own case. If the same end overtakes the fool and me, he asks, what was the use of all my wisdom? He concludes that, measured by this alone, even wisdom is vapor.
This is the cry of a soul that has reached the edge of what earthly wisdom can promise. It is not the final word but an honest stage on the way. The question why was I then more wise has no answer under the sun. It can only be answered above the sun, by the God who sees, remembers, and keeps the wise in a hope the grave cannot cancel.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ecclesiastes 2:15
What does Ecclesiastes 2:15 mean?
Realizing the same fate meets the wise and the fool, the Preacher questions the point of his wisdom and calls it vapor too.