Ecclesiastes 1:13

Ecclesiastes 1:13 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith.
• New International Version (NIV)I applied my mind to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under the heavens. What a heavy burden God has laid on mankind!
• English Standard Version (ESV)And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven. It is an unhappy business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And I set my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven; this burdensome task God has given to the sons of man, by which they may be exercised.

Context of Ecclesiastes 1:13

11We don’t remember what happened in the past, and in future generations, no one will remember what we are doing now. 12I, the Teacher, was king of Israel, and I lived in Jerusalem. I devoted myself to search for understanding and to explore by wisdom everything being done under heaven. I soon discovered that God has dealt a tragic existence to the human race. 14I observed everything going on under the sun, and really, it is all meaningless—like chasing the wind. 15What is wrong cannot be made right. What is missing cannot be recovered.

Ecclesiastes 1:13 word by word

וְנָתַ֣תִּי אֶת־לִבִּ֗י לִדְר֤וֹשׁ וְלָתוּר֙ בַּֽחָכְמָ֔ה עַ֛ל כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר נַעֲשָׂ֖ה תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם ה֣וּא׀ עִנְיַ֣ן רָ֗ע נָתַ֧ן אֱלֹהִ֛ים לִבְנֵ֥י הָאָדָ֖ם לַעֲנ֥וֹת בּֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And I gaveנָתַןnâthan · to give: putH5414
• my heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
• to seekדָּרַשׁdârash · to seekH1875
• and search outתּוּרtûr · to spyH8446
• by wisdomחׇכְמָהchokmâh · wisdomH2451
• that are doneעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• under heavenשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
• this soreרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: harmfulH7451
• travailעִנְיָן‛inyân · taskH6045
• hath Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• to the sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• of manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• to be exercisedעָנָה‛ânâh · be occupiedH6031

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 1:13

• Ecclesiastes 1:17So I set out to learn everything from wisdom to madness and folly. But I learned firsthand that pursuing all this is like chasing the wind.
• Ecclesiastes 7:25I searched everywhere, determined to find wisdom and to understand the reason for things. I was determined to prove to myself that wickedness is stupid and that foolishness is madness.
• Ecclesiastes 8:9I have thought deeply about all that goes on here under the sun, where people have the power to hurt each other.
• Psalms 111:2How amazing are the deeds of the Lord! All who delight in him should ponder them.
• Proverbs 2:2Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding.
• Proverbs 4:7Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do! And whatever else you do, develop good judgment.
• Proverbs 18:1Unfriendly people care only about themselves; they lash out at common sense.
• Proverbs 23:26O my son, give me your heart. May your eyes take delight in following my ways.
• 1 Timothy 4:15Give your complete attention to these matters. Throw yourself into your tasks so that everyone will see your progress.
• Ecclesiastes 3:10I have seen the burden God has placed on us all.
• Ecclesiastes 4:4Then I observed that most people are motivated to success because they envy their neighbors. But this, too, is meaningless—like chasing the wind.
• Ecclesiastes 12:12But, my child, let me give you some further advice: Be careful, for writing books is endless, and much study wears you out.
• Genesis 3:19By the sweat of your brow will you have food to eat until you return to the ground from which you were made. For you were made from dust, and to dust you will return.”

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 1:13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13And I gave my heart to seek and search - While Solomon was faithful to his God he diligently cultivated his mind. His giving himself to the study of natural history, philosophy, poetry, etc., are sufficient proofs of it. He had not intuitive knowledge from God; but he had a capacity to obtain every kind of knowledge useful to man. This sore travail - This is the way in which knowledge is to be acquired; and in order to investigate the operations of…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13Wisdom - As including both the powers of observation and judgment, and the knowledge acquired thereby (1 Kings 3:28; 1 Kings 4:29; 1 Kings 10:8, … ). It increases by exercise. Here is noted its application to people and their actions. Travail - In the sense of toil; the word is here applied to all human occupations. God - God is named as אלהים 'elohı̂ym thirty-nine times in this book; a name common to the true God and to false gods, and used by believers…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. 13What a miserable task God has laid: The harsh truths of human experience remind us of the Fall in Eden (Genesis 3). Ecclesiastes does not avoid sad topics like death, oppression, and loneliness. Instead, it faces them directly and includes them in realistic conclusions.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1313. this sore travail--namely, that of "searching out all things done under heaven." Not human wisdom in general, which comes afterwards (Ec 2:12, &c.), but laborious enquiries into, and speculations about, the works of men; for example, political science. As man is doomed to get his bread, so his knowledge, by the sweat of his brow (Ge 3:19) [Gill]. exercised--that is, disciplined; literally, "that they may thereby chastise, or humble themselves."Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 1:13

• Instruction
• Investigation
• Science

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Sun
• Vanity
• Ecclesiastes, the Preacher
• Exercise
• Search
• Synagogue, the Great
• teacher, Teacher

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