Ecclesiastes 8:16

Ecclesiastes 8:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)When I applied mine heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth: (for also there is that neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes:)
• New International Version (NIV)When I applied my mind to know wisdom and to observe the labor that is done on earth—people getting no sleep day or night—
• English Standard Version (ESV)When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done on earth, how neither day nor night do one's eyes see sleep,
• New King James Version (NKJV)When I applied my heart to know wisdom and to see the business that is done on earth, even though one sees no sleep day or night,

Context of Ecclesiastes 8:16

14There is something being done on earth that is pointless. Righteous people suffer for what the wicked do, and wicked people get what the righteous deserve. I say that even this is pointless. 15So I recommend the enjoyment ⌞of life⌟. People have nothing better to do under the sun than to eat, drink, and enjoy themselves. This joy will stay with them while they work hard during their brief lives which God has given them under the sun. When I carefully considered how to study wisdom and how to look at the work that is done on earth (even going without sleep day and night), 17then I saw everything that God has done. No one is able to grasp the work that is done under the sun. However hard a person may search for it, he will not find ⌞its meaning⌟. Even though a wise person claims to know, he is not able to grasp it.

Ecclesiastes 8:16 word by word

כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר נָתַ֤תִּי אֶת־לִבִּי֙ לָדַ֣עַת חָכְמָ֔ה וְלִרְאוֹת֙ אֶת־הָ֣עִנְיָ֔ן אֲשֶׁ֥ר נַעֲשָׂ֖ה עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ כִּ֣י גַ֤ם בַּיּוֹם֙ וּבַלַּ֔יְלָה שֵׁנָ֕ה בְּעֵינָ֖יו אֵינֶ֥נּוּ רֹאֶֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• When I appliedנָתַןnâthan · to give: putH5414
• mine heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
• to knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• wisdomחׇכְמָהchokmâh · wisdomH2451
• and to seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• the businessעִנְיָן‛inyân · taskH6045
• that is doneעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• upon the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• neither dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• nor nightלַ֫יְלָהlayil lêyl layelâh · nightH3915
• sleepשֵׁנָהshênâh shênâ' · sleepH8142
• with his eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eye: appearanceH5869

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 8:16

• Ecclesiastes 8:7They don’t know what the future will bring. So who can tell them how things will turn out?
• Ecclesiastes 7:25I turned my attention to study, to explore, and to seek out wisdom and the reason for things. I learned that wickedness is stupid and foolishness is madness.
• Ecclesiastes 2:23Their entire life is filled with pain, and their work is unbearable. Even at night their minds don’t rest. Even this is pointless.
• Ecclesiastes 4:8There are people who are all alone. They have no children or other family members. So there is no end to all the hard work they have to do. Their eyes are never satisfied with riches. But ⌞they never ask themselves⌟ why they are working so hard and depriving themselves of good things. Even this is pointless and a terrible tragedy.
• Ecclesiastes 5:12The sleep of working people is sweet, whether they eat a little or a lot. But the full stomachs that rich people have will not allow them to sleep.
• Genesis 31:40The scorching heat during the day and the cold at night wore me down, and I lost a lot of sleep.
• Psalms 127:2It is useless to work hard for the food you eat by getting up early and going to bed late. The Lord gives ⌞food⌟ to those he loves while they sleep.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 8:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16When I applied mine heart to know wisdom - This is the reply of the wise man: "I have also considered these seeming contradictions. God governs the world; but we cannot see the reasons of his conduct, nor know why he does this, omits that, or permits a third thing. We may study night and day, and deprive ourselves of rest and sleep, but we shall never fathom the depths that are in the Divine government; but all is right and just. This is the state of…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16These verses supplement Ecclesiastes 8:15 with the reflection that the man who goes beyond that limited sphere within which he can labor and be contented, and investigates the whole work of God, will find that his finite intelligence cannot grasp it. Ecclesiastes 8:16 Business - Or, “travail” Ecclesiastes 1:13; Ecclesiastes 3:10. The sleeplessness noted probably refers to the writer himself.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-17Verses 14-17 Faith alone can establish the heart in this mixed scene, where the righteous often suffer, and the wicked prosper. Solomon commended joy, and holy security of mind, arising from confidence in God, because a man has no better thing under the sun, though a good man has much better things above the sun, than soberly and thankfully to use the things of this life according to his rank. He would not have us try to give a reason for what God does…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16-17A person could spend all their time searching for answers, but some reasons will remain unclear. For example, God's justice can be mysterious.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. Reply to Ec 8:14, 15. When I applied myself to observe man's toils after happiness (some of them so incessant as not to allow sufficient time for "sleep"), then (Ec 8:17, the apodosis) I saw that man cannot find out (the reason of) God's inscrutable dealings with the "just" and with the "wicked" here (Ec 8:14; Ec 3:11; Job 5:9; Ro 11:33); his duty is to acquiesce in them as good, because they are God's, though he sees not all the reasons for them (Psa…Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 8:16

• Wisdom
• Worldliness

In the dictionaries

• Discern
• Discharge
• Feel
• Hasty
• Heart
• Set
• Business
• Synagogue, the Great
• Wisdom

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 8

• 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
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings