KJV King James Version
And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.
VERSE STUDY • KJV
Ecclesiastes 1:17
And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.
Read it in 5 translations
BSB Berean Standard Bible
So I set my mind to know wisdom and madness and folly; I learned that this, too, is a pursuit of the wind.
WEB World English Bible
I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also was a chasing after wind.
ASV American Standard Version
And I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also was a striving after wind.
YLT Young’s Literal Translation
And I give my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I have known that even this is vexation of spirit;
Surrounding context — Ecclesiastes 1
14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.
15 [That which is] crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.
16 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.
17 And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.
18 For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
Topics connected to this verse
Original-language word links
These Hebrew/Greek tokens are linked by Strong's number. Click one for its lexicon definition and other occurrences.
וָאֶתְּנָ֤הH5414 · na.tanto give: giveלִבִּי֙H3820 · levheartלָדַ֣עַתH3045 · ya.dato knowחָכְמָ֔הH2451 · chokh.mahwisdomוְדַ֥עַתH3045 · ya.dato knowהוֹלֵל֖וֹתH1947 · ho.le.lahmadnessוְשִׂכְל֑וּתH5531 · sikh.lutfollyיָדַ֕עְתִּיH3045 · ya.dato knowשֶׁגַּם־H1571 · gamalsoזֶ֥הH2088 · zehthisה֖וּאH1931 · huhe/she/itרַעְי֥וֹןH7475 · ra.yonstrivingרֽוּחַ׃H7307 · ru.achspirit
Cross-references
Ecclesiastes 2:3I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what [was] that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life.1 Thessalonians 5:21Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.Ecclesiastes 2:10-12And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.Ecclesiastes 7:23-25All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it [was] far from me.Ecclesiastes 1:13-14And 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.
HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION
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