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:)
• 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,
• New Living Translation (NLT)In my search for wisdom and in my observation of people’s burdens here on earth, I discovered that there is ceaseless activity, day and night.

Context of Ecclesiastes 8:16

14There is something else meaningless that occurs on earth: the righteous who get what the wicked deserve, and the wicked who get what the righteous deserve. This too, I say, is meaningless. 15So I commend the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of the life God has given them under the sun. 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— 17then I saw all that God has done. No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all their efforts to search it out, no one can discover its meaning. Even if the wise claim they know, they cannot really comprehend 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 8:7Since no one knows the future, who can tell someone else what is to come?
• Ecclesiastes 7:25So I turned my mind to understand, to investigate and to search out wisdom and the scheme of things and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the madness of folly.
• Ecclesiastes 2:23All their days their work is grief and pain; even at night their minds do not rest. This too is meaningless.
• Ecclesiastes 4:8There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. “For whom am I toiling,” he asked, “and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?” This too is meaningless— a miserable business!
• Ecclesiastes 5:12The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether they eat little or much, but as for the rich, their abundance permits them no sleep.
• Genesis 31:40This was my situation: The heat consumed me in the daytime and the cold at night, and sleep fled from my eyes.
• Psalms 127:2In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat— for he grants sleep to those he loves.

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