English Standard Version
Ecclesiastes 1:16
16I said in my heart, "I have acquired great wisdom, surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me, and my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge."
Ecclesiastes 1:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.
- New International Version (NIV)I said to myself, “Look, I have increased in wisdom more than anyone who has ruled over Jerusalem before me; I have experienced much of wisdom and knowledge.”
- New King James Version (NKJV)I communed with my heart, saying, “Look, I have attained greatness, and have gained more wisdom than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My heart has understood great wisdom and knowledge.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)I said to myself, “Look, I am wiser than any of the kings who ruled in Jerusalem before me. I have greater wisdom and knowledge than any of them.”
Context of Ecclesiastes 1:16
14I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind. 15What is crooked cannot be made straight, and what is lacking cannot be counted. I said in my heart, "I have acquired great wisdom, surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me, and my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge." 17And I applied my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a striving after wind. 18For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 1Ecclesiastes 1:16 word by word
דִּבַּ֨רְתִּי אֲנִ֤י עִם־לִבִּי֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר אֲנִ֗י הִנֵּ֨ה הִגְדַּ֤לְתִּי וְהוֹסַ֙פְתִּי֙ חָכְמָ֔ה עַ֛ל כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־הָיָ֥ה לְפָנַ֖י עַל־יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וְלִבִּ֛י רָאָ֥ה הַרְבֵּ֖ה חָכְמָ֥ה וָדָֽעַת׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- I communedדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- with mine own heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
- sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Lo, I am come to great estateגָּדַלgâdal · to magnifyH1431
- and have gottenיָסַףyâsaph · to addH3254
- more wisdomחׇכְמָהchokmâh · wisdomH2451
- that have been beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- me in Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵםyerûshâlaim yerûshâlayim · JerusalemH3389
- had greatרָבָהrâbâh · to multiplyH7235
- experienceרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: examineH7200
- and knowledgeדַּ֫עַתda‛ath · knowledgeH1847
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 1:16
- 2 Kings 5:20Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, "See, my master has spared this Naaman the Syrian, in not accepting from his hand what he brought. As the Lord lives, I will run after him and get something from him."
- Psalms 4:4Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah
- Psalms 77:6I said, "Let me remember my song in the night; let me meditate in my heart." Then my spirit made a diligent search:
- Isaiah 10:7But he does not so intend, and his heart does not so think; but it is in his heart to destroy, and to cut off nations not a few;
- Jeremiah 22:14who says, 'I will build myself a great house with spacious upper rooms,' who cuts out windows for it, paneling it with cedar and painting it with vermilion.
- Ezekiel 38:10"Thus says the Lord God: On that day, thoughts will come into your mind, and you will devise an evil scheme
- Daniel 4:30and the king answered and said, "Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?"
- Ecclesiastes 2:9So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me.
- 1 Kings 3:12behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you.
- 1 Kings 4:30so that Solomon's wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt.
- 1 Kings 10:7but I did not believe the reports until I came and my own eyes had seen it. And behold, the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity surpass the report that I heard.
- 2 Chronicles 1:10Give me now wisdom and knowledge to go out and come in before this people, for who can govern this people of yours, which is so great?"
- 2 Chronicles 2:12Hiram also said, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who made heaven and earth, who has given King David a wise son, who has discretion and understanding, who will build a temple for the Lord and a royal palace for himself.
- 2 Chronicles 9:22Thus King Solomon excelled all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom.
- Hebrews 5:14But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 1:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16I communed with mine own heart - Literally, "I spoke, I, with my heart, saying." When successful in my researches, but not happy in my soul, though easy in my circumstances, I entered into my own heart, and there inquired the cause of my discontent. He found that, though - He had gotten wisdom beyond all men; Wealth and honors more than any other; Practical wisdom more than all his predecessors; Had tried pleasure and animal gratification, even to their…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16I am come - Rather, I have accumulated (literally “enlarged and added”) wisdom more than etc. They that have been - The reference is probably to the line of Canaanite kings who lived in Jerusalem before David took it, such as Melchizedek Genesis 14:18, Adonizedek Joshua 10:1, and Araunah 2 Samuel 24:23; or, it may be, to Solomon‘s contemporaries of his own country 1 Kings 4:31 and of other countries who visited him 1 Kings 4:34; 1 Kings 10:24. for…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. 1616. communed with ... heart--(Ge 24:45). come to great estate--Rather, "I have magnified and gotten" (literally, "added," increased), &c. all ... before me in Jerusalem--namely, the priests, judges, and two kings that preceded Solomon. His wisdom exceeded that of all before Jesus Christ, the antitypical Koheleth, or "Gatherer of men," (Lu 13:34), and "Wisdom" incarnate (Mt 11:19; 12:42). had ... experience--literally, "had seen" (Jr 2:31). Contrast with…Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 1:16
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries