Ecclesiastes 1:17

Ecclesiastes 1:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.
• New International Version (NIV)Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom, and also of madness and folly, but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And I applied my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a striving after wind.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And I set my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is grasping for the wind.

Context of Ecclesiastes 1:17

15What is crooked cannot be straightened, and what is lacking cannot be counted. 16I said to myself, “Behold, I have grown and increased in wisdom beyond all those before me who were over Jerusalem, and my mind has observed a wealth of wisdom and knowledge.” So I set my mind to know wisdom and madness and folly; I learned that this, too, is a pursuit of the wind. 18For with much wisdom comes much sorrow, and as knowledge grows, grief increases.

Ecclesiastes 1:17 word by word

וָאֶתְּנָ֤ה לִבִּי֙ לָדַ֣עַת חָכְמָ֔ה וְדַ֥עַת הוֹלֵל֖וֹת וְשִׂכְל֑וּת יָדַ֕עְתִּי שֶׁגַּם־זֶ֥ה ה֖וּא רַעְי֥וֹן רֽוּחַ׃Read the interlinear

• So I setנָתַןnâthan · to give: putH5414
• my mindלֵבlêb · heartH3820
• to knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• wisdomחׇכְמָהchokmâh · wisdomH2451
• madnessהוֹלֵלָהhôlêlâh · madnessH1947
• and follyשִׂכְלוּתsiklûth ώiklûth · follyH5531
• thatזֶהzeh · thisH2088
• thisהוּאhû' hîy' · he/she/itH1931
• tooגַּםgam · alsoH1571
• is a pursuitרַעְיוֹןra‛yôn · strivingH7475
• of the windרוּחַrûach · spirit: breathH7307

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 1:17

• Ecclesiastes 1:13And I set my mind to seek and explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a miserable task God has laid upon the sons of men to occupy them!
• Ecclesiastes 2:3I sought to cheer my body with wine and to embrace folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom—until I could see what was worthwhile for men to do under heaven during the few days of their lives.
• Ecclesiastes 7:23All this I tested by wisdom, saying, “I resolve to be wise.” But it was beyond me.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:21but test all things. Hold fast to what is good.
• Ecclesiastes 2:10Anything my eyes desired, I did not deny myself. I refused my heart no pleasure. For my heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 1:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17To know madness and folly - ושכלות הוללות holloth vesichluth . , "Parables and science." - Septuagint. So the Syriac; nearly so the Arabic. "What were error and foolishness." - Coverdale. Perhaps gayety and sobriety may be the better meaning for these two difficult words. I can scarcely think they are taken in that bad sense in which our translation exhibits them. "I tried pleasure in all its forms; and sobriety and self-abnegation to their utmost…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17To know madness and folly - A knowledge of folly would help him to discern wisdom, and to exercise that chief function of practical wisdom - to avoid folly.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-18Verses 12-18 Solomon tried all things, and found them vanity. He found his searches after knowledge weariness, not only to the flesh, but to the mind. The more he saw of the works done under the sun, the more he saw their vanity; and the sight often vexed his spirit. He could neither gain that satisfaction to himself, nor do that good to others, which he expected. Even the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom discovered man's wickedness and misery; so that the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12-18The Teacher examines how wisdom, work, and pleasure relate to each other.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. wisdom ... madness--that is, their effects, the works of human wisdom and folly respectively. "Madness," literally, "vaunting extravagance"; Ec 2:12; 7:25, &c., support English Version rather than Dathe, "splendid matters." "Folly" is read by English Version with some manuscripts, instead of the present Hebrew text, "prudence." If Hebrew be retained, understand "prudence," falsely so called (1Ti 6:20), "craft" (Da 8:25).Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 1:17

• Instruction
• Investigation
• Pleasure
• Science

In the dictionaries

• Madness
• Sun
• Vanity
• Ecclesiastes, the Preacher
• Synagogue, the Great
• fool, foolish, folly

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings