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Ecclesiastes 1:12-18
New American Standard Bible
Ecclesiastes 1:12-18
New American Standard Bible
The Futility of Wisdom
12 I, the (A)Preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 And I (B)set my [a]mind to seek and (C)explore by wisdom about everything that has been done under heaven. It is a [b](D)sorry task with which God has given the sons of mankind to be troubled. 14 I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is (E)futility and striving after wind. 15 What is (F)crooked cannot be straightened, and what is lacking cannot be counted.
16 I [c]said to myself, “Behold, I have magnified and increased (G)wisdom more than all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my [d]mind has observed [e]a wealth of wisdom and knowledge.” 17 And I (H)applied my [f]mind to know wisdom and to (I)know insanity and foolishness; I realized that this also is (J)striving after wind. 18 Because (K)in much wisdom there is much grief; and increasing knowledge results in increasing pain.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Ecclesiastes 1:13 Lit heart
- Ecclesiastes 1:13 Lit evil
- Ecclesiastes 1:16 Lit spoke with my heart, saying
- Ecclesiastes 1:16 Lit heart
- Ecclesiastes 1:16 Lit an abundance
- Ecclesiastes 1:17 Lit heart
Ecclesiastes 1:12-18
International Standard Version
Ecclesiastes 1:12-18
International Standard Version
A Testimony to an Unwise Search
12 I, the Teacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 I dedicated myself to using wisdom for study and discovery of everything that is done under heaven.[a] God uses terrible things so human beings will struggle with life.[b] 14 I observed every activity done on earth. My conclusion: all of it is pointless—like chasing after the wind.
15 What is crooked cannot be made straight;
what is not there cannot be counted.
16 I told myself, “I have become greater and wiser than anyone who ruled before me in Jerusalem—yes, I have acquired a great deal of wisdom and knowledge.” 17 So I dedicated myself to learn about wisdom and knowledge, and about insanity and foolishness. And I discovered that this is also like chasing after the wind.
18 For with much wisdom there is much sorrow;
the more someone adds to knowledge,
the more someone adds to grief.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 1:13 I.e. from a heavenly perspective
- Ecclesiastes 1:13 The Heb. lacks with life
Ecclesiastes 1:12-18
New International Version
Ecclesiastes 1:12-18
New International Version
Wisdom Is Meaningless
12 I, the Teacher,(A) was king over Israel in Jerusalem.(B) 13 I applied my mind to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under the heavens.(C) What a heavy burden God has laid on mankind!(D) 14 I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.(E)
15 What is crooked cannot be straightened;(F)
what is lacking cannot be counted.
16 I said to myself, “Look, I have increased in wisdom more than anyone who has ruled over Jerusalem before me;(G) I have experienced much of wisdom and knowledge.” 17 Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom,(H) and also of madness and folly,(I) but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind.
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