Ecclesiastes 1:13
And I have given my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that hath been done under the heavens. It [is] a sad travail God hath given to the sons of man to be humbled by it.
Young's Literal Translation
In The King James Version
In Context
12I, a preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
Cross References
Genesis 3:19by the sweat of thy face thou dost eat bread till thy return unto the ground, for out of it hast thou been taken, for dust thou [art], and unto dust thou turnest back.'
Proverbs 2:2To cause thine ear to attend to wisdom, Thou inclinest thy heart to understanding,
Proverbs 18:1For [an object of] desire he who is separated doth seek, With all wisdom he intermeddleth.
Proverbs 23:26Give, my son, thy heart to me, And let thine eyes watch my ways.
Ecclesiastes 1:17And I give my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I have known that even this [is] vexation of spirit;
Ecclesiastes 2:26For to a man who [is] good before Him, He hath given wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; and to a sinner He hath given travail, to gather and to heap up, to give to the good before God. Even this [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.
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 →