Ecclesiastes 2:18 Meaning and Explanation
“Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The Preacher resents all his toil because he must leave its fruit to whoever comes after him.
What Does Ecclesiastes 2:18 Mean?
The grief narrows to a specific wound: everything he has labored to build must be left behind to someone else. He cannot carry it with him, and the thought of surrendering it to an unknown successor turns his labor bitter.
This is the ancient ache of mortality, that we cannot keep what we gather. Yet the same truth, seen rightly, loosens our grip and lifts our eyes. Since nothing here can be held forever, the heart is freed to lay up treasure with God, where moth and rust do not corrupt. What we release on earth we can entrust to the One who keeps it eternally.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ecclesiastes 2:18
What does Ecclesiastes 2:18 mean?
The Preacher resents all his toil because he must leave its fruit to whoever comes after him.