EasyEnglish Bible 2018
Ecclesiastes 1:17
17So I decided to study how much wisdom and knowledge really help a person. I wanted to learn if it was better than someone who only does foolish things. But this was also useless, like somebody who tries to catch the wind.
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
15If someone has bent something, you cannot always make it straight again. You cannot count things, if they are not there. 16I said to myself, ‘Listen! I have become very wise! I am much wiser than any of the kings who ruled in Jerusalem before me. I know a lot more things than they ever did!’ So I decided to study how much wisdom and knowledge really help a person. I wanted to learn if it was better than someone who only does foolish things. But this was also useless, like somebody who tries to catch the wind. 18The more wisdom you have, the more you will worry. The more you learn, the more you suffer.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 1Ecclesiastes 1:17 word by word
וָאֶתְּנָ֤ה לִבִּי֙ לָדַ֣עַת חָכְמָ֔ה וְדַ֥עַת הוֹלֵל֖וֹת וְשִׂכְל֑וּת יָדַ֕עְתִּי שֶׁגַּם־זֶ֥ה ה֖וּא רַעְי֥וֹן רֽוּחַ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And I gaveנָתַןnâthan · to give: putH5414
- my heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
- to knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- wisdomחׇכְמָהchokmâh · wisdomH2451
- madnessהוֹלֵלָהhôlêlâh · madnessH1947
- and follyשִׂכְלוּתsiklûth ώiklûth · follyH5531
- that thisגַּםgam · alsoH1571
- also is vexationרַעְיוֹןra‛yôn · strivingH7475
- of spiritרוּחַrûach · spirit: breathH7307
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 1:17
- Ecclesiastes 1:13I decided to study everything that happens on the earth. I used wisdom to try to understand these things. I realized that God has given people hard work to do, which causes them to suffer.
- Ecclesiastes 2:3I thought about wine. If I drink a lot of wine, I thought that might make me happy. I might enjoy foolish things. I used wisdom to think about this. People only live for a short time on the earth. I thought this might be the best way for people to enjoy life.
- Ecclesiastes 7:23I have used wisdom to study all these things. I tried very much to understand everything that happens. But I could not do it.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:21Instead, think carefully about everything, to see if it is true. Remember to obey anything that is good.
- Ecclesiastes 2:10If I saw something that I wanted I took it for myself. If something would give me pleasure, I did it. So all my work made me very happy. My hard work gave me things to enjoy.
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
In the dictionaries
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
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