Ecclesiastes 1:17

And my heart knew much—wisdom, and knowledge, 1 Parables and understanding: 1 I perceived that this also is waywardness of spirit. 1

Updated Brenton Septuagint

In The King James Version

And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.

In Context

16I spoke in my heart, saying, 1 Behold, I am increased, 1 And have acquired wisdom beyond all 1 Who were before me in Jerusalem: 1 Also I applied my heart to know wisdom and knowledge. 1

18For in the abundance of wisdom is abundance of knowledge; 1 And he that increases knowledge will increase sorrow.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 1

Cross References

Psalms 73:16The day is thine, and the night is thine; 1 Thou hast prepared the sun and the moon. 1

Ecclesiastes 2:3And I examined whether my heart 1 Would excite my flesh as with wine 1 (Though my heart guided me in wisdom), 1 And I desired to lay hold of mirth, 1 Until I should see of what kind is the good to the sons of men, 1 Which they should do under the sun 1 All the days of their life. 1

Ecclesiastes 2:11And I looked on all my works 1 Which my hands had wrought, 1 And on my labor which I labored to perform: 1 And, behold, all was vanity and waywardness of spirit, 1 And there is no advantage under the sun. 1

Ecclesiastes 3:19Also to them is the event of the sons of man, 1 And the event of the brute; 1 One event befalls them: 1 As is the death of the one, so also the death of the other; 1 And there is one breath to all: 1 And what has the man more than the brute? 1 Nothing; for all is vanity. 1

Ecclesiastes 6:9The sight of the eyes is better than that which wanders in soul: 1 This is also vanity, and waywardness of spirit. 1

Ecclesiastes 7:25I and my heart went round about to know, 1 And to examine, and to seek wisdom, and the account of things, 1 And to know the folly and trouble 1 And madness of the ungodly man. 1

Matthew Henry on Ecclesiastes 1:13-18

Vanity of Human Wisdom. 12 I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith. 14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit. 15 That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered. 16 I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Ecclesiastes 1:17