Ecclesiastes 2:4

I increased my possessions: ¹  I built houses for myself; ²  I planted vineyards for myself.

I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards.

I enlarged my works: I built houses for myself, I planted vineyards for myself;

I also tried to find meaning by building huge homes for myself and by planting beautiful vineyards.

Oh, I did great things: built houses, planted vineyards,

I undertook great works, building myself houses and planting vine-gardens.

I made great works; I built houses and planted vineyards for myself;

I made my works great, I built myself houses, and planted myself vineyards.

I increased my possessions: ¹  I built houses for myself; ²  I planted vineyards for myself.

¹ tn Or “my works”; or “my accomplishments.” The term מַעֲשָׂי (ma’asay, “my works”) has been handled in two basic ways: (1) great works or projects, and (2) possessions. The latter assumes a metonymy, one’s effort standing for the possessions it produces. Both interpretations are reflected in the major English translations: “works” (KJV, NEB, NAB, ASV, NASB, MLB, RSV, Douay, Moffatt), “projects” (NIV), and “possessions” (NJPS).

sn This section (2:4-11) is unified and bracketed by the repetition of the verb גָּדַל (gadal, “to increase”) which occurs at the beginning (2:4) and end (2:9), and by the repetition of the root עשה (noun: “works” and verb: “to do, make, acquire”) which occurs throughout the section (2:4, 5, 6, 8, 11).

² sn The expression for myself is repeated eight times in 2:4-8 to emphasize that Qoheleth did not deny himself any acquisition. He indulged himself in acquiring everything he desired. His vast resources as king allowed him the unlimited opportunity to indulge himself. He could have anything his heart desired, and he did.