Ecclesiastes 8:16

Whereupon I set my heart to know wisdom, 1 And to perceive the trouble 1 That was wrought upon the earth: 1 For there is that neither by day nor night 1 Sees sleep with his eyes. 1

Updated Brenton Septuagint

In The King James Version

When I applied mine heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth: (for also there is that neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes:)

In Context

15Then I praised mirth, 1 Because there is no good for a man under the sun, 1 But to eat, and drink, and be merry: 1 And this shall attend him 1 In his labor all the days of his life, 1 Which God has given him under the sun. 1

17And I beheld all the works of God, 1 That a man shall not be able to discover 1 The work which is wrought under the sun; 1 Whatsoever things a man shall endeavor to seek, 1 However a man may labor to seek it, 1 Yet he shall not find it; 1 Yea, how much soever a wise man may speak of knowing it, 1 He shall not be able to find it: 1 For I applied all this to my heart, 1 And my heart has seen all this.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 8

Cross References

Psalms 127:2Thou shalt eat the labors of thy hands: 1 Blessed art thou, and it shall be well with thee. 1

Ecclesiastes 1:17And my heart knew much—wisdom, and knowledge, 1 Parables and understanding: 1 I perceived that this also is waywardness of spirit. 1

Ecclesiastes 4:8There is one alone, and there is not a second; 1 Yea, he has neither son nor brother: 1 Yet there is no end to all his labor; 1 Neither is his eye satisfied with wealth; 1 And for whom do I labor, 1 And deprive my soul of good? 1 This is also vanity, 1 And an evil trouble. 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

Ecclesiastes 8:9So I saw all this, 1 And I applied my heart to every work 1 That has been done under the sun; 1 All the things wherein man has power 1 Over man to afflict him. 1

Matthew Henry on Ecclesiastes 8:15-17

The Mysteries of Providence. 14 There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there be just men, unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there be wicked men, to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous: I said that this also is vanity. 15 Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun. 16 When I… Read the whole commentary →

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Study Ecclesiastes 8:16