Ecclesiastes 1:13
And I set my lev to seek and search out by chochmah concerning all things that are done under Shomayim; what grievous task hath Elohim given to the bnei haAdam to be afflicted therewith.
Orthodox Jewish Bible
In The King James Version
In Context
12I, Kohelet, was Melech over Yisroel in Yerushalayim.
Cross References
Genesis 3:19In the sweat of thy brow shalt thou eat lechem, 1 till thou return unto haadamah; 1 for out of it wast thou taken; 1 for aphar thou art, 1 and unto aphar shalt thou return.
Proverbs 2:2So that thou incline thine ear unto chochmah, 1 and apply thine lev to tevunah (understanding); 1
Proverbs 18:1A man who separates himself seeks his own ta'avah (desire); 1 he defies all tushiyyah (wisdom, sound judgment). 1
Proverbs 23:26Beni (my son), give me thine lev, 1 and let thine eynayim delight in my drakhim. 1
Ecclesiastes 1:17And I applied my lev to have da'as of chochmah, and to have da'as of holelot (madness) and sichlut (folly); I perceived that this also is striving after ruach (wind). 1
Ecclesiastes 2:26For to the adam that is pleasing in His sight, Hashem gives chochmah, and da'as, and simchah; but to the choteh (sinner) Hashem giveth travail; Hashem giveth the work of gathering and storing up, that Hashem may give to him that pleases HaElohim. This also is hevel and chasing after ruach.
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 →