Ecclesiastes 1:12-14

Amplified Bible, Classic Edition

¹²I, the Preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.

¹³And I applied myself by heart and mind to seek and search out by [human] ^[a]wisdom all human activity under heaven. It is a miserable business which ^[b]God has given to the sons of man with which to busy themselves.

¹⁴I have seen all the works that are done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity, a striving after the wind and a feeding on wind.

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Footnotes

Ecclesiastes 1:13 The “Wisdom” of Proverbs is not the “wisdom” of Ecclesiastes. The former is Godlike, the latter is usually human.
Ecclesiastes 1:13 Throughout this book not once is the Supreme Being recognized as “Lord” [of lords and King of kings]. The word used to designate Him is invariably the one that may be applied to God or to idols—“Elohim,” the God recognized “under the sun.” The wisdom which is thus limited can end only in “a miserable business” and in vexation of spirit until it finds “the wisdom that is from above” (James 3:17 kjv), “the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory” (I Cor. 2:7 kjv).